Table of Contents
Python vs. PHP in 2022
Introduction
The evolution of programming languages consistently gives the developers and businesses new functionalities and also advantages to choose from. The situation of Python and PHP isn’t any different. However, despite Python’s popularity with developers, the statistics don’t really do justice to its conveniences: according to W3Techs, while PHP fires 77.6% of the web, Python commands only a mere 1.3%. This is one of the major reasons businesses prefer to hire dedicated PHP developers.
Web share notwithstanding, Python and PHP both have their own functionalities, pros and cons. Let’s now see what they are.
What is Python?
Python is known to be a general purpose programming language for the development of high-level applications and websites. The best part about Python is the greater indentations used in writing the code for better readability. Developers prefer Python because the language offers them an object-oriented approach towards programming, making it logically understandable when writing code.
What is PHP?
PHP stands for Hypertext Preprocessor. It is a highly versatile, open-source language for scripting. The language is especially suited for creating highly dynamic web applications and websites. The best part about PHP is that it can be easily embedded into HTML using short call commands that enable programmers to jump in and also out of PHP code within HTML script.
Feature Comparison of Python and PHP
According to W3Techs, both Python and PHP are employed for websites that have relatively lower traffic quanta – however, more websites are based on PHP than Python. Let’s look at some features that make these two programming languages distinct from each other and also popular. Tabulated below are the features of Python and PHP side-by-side for better comparison.
| Feature | PHP | Python |
| Ease of learning | PHP hasn’t been developed as a general-purpose scripting language, making it relatively harder to understand | Python is easy to learn and use, a factor that makes it increasingly popular among developers |
| Community support | PHP has been around since time immemorial, giving it a wide community base to glean support and resources from | Python, while comparatively newer, also enjoys good community support because of its popularity |
| Documentation | PHP enjoys a comprehensive documentation, enabling great resource, troubleshooting, tips and tricks to leverage when programming hands-on | Python also has a good base of documentation available for developer assistance |
| Library support | PHP may not have a library support as extensive as Python’s – however, there are still some notable resources, like Packagist | Python is a versatile programming language; there are multiple libraries with endless code packages available |
| Database connectivity | PHP has a strong and wide database connectivity (MySQL, Oracle, etc.) | Python has limited integration capability for databases |
| Speed | Since PHP is a core language, the speed of development may be slower for complicated applications | Python, as a programming language, is faster than PHP, offering relatively lower turnaround times. |
| Frameworks | PHP has numerous frameworks based on it, out of which Laravel tops the ranks in adoption today. Other frameworks are Zend, Symfony and CodeIgniter | One of the most popular frameworks based on Python is Django. Other frameworks based on this language are Pylons and also Pyramid |
| Debugging | Debugging PHP errors can be trickier when compared to Python. It comes with XDebug Package | Debugging in Python is simpler as compared to PHP. It comes with Pylon Debugger (PDB) |
| Application | Web CMS, flash elements, eCommerce applications, etc. | Web applications, Machine Learning, game applications, etc. |
Pros and Cons
Pros and Cons of PHP
PHP is popular, but it comes with its own set of pros and cons.
Pros
- Database integration capabilities
- Powerful support through libraries
- Platform-agnostic: it can be used on any operating system
- Lengthy code not required
Cons
Unsuitable for creating large-sized projects
- Error prone
- Steep learning curve
- Open ASCII file makes its security dubious
Pros and Cons of Python
Python rapidly became popular because of certain marked advantages over PHP, however, it also has some disadvantages.
Pros
- Easy to learn, versatile and simple to write code
- Lesser turnaround time as compared to Python
- Extensive support from libraries
- Asynchronous coding makes it suitable for developing prototypes
- High productivity
Cons
- Being an interpreted language, it may be slower than other popular options (still faster than PHP)
- It isn’t native to mobile development and may create problems
- It has high memory consumption
- Global Interpreter Lock makes the language problematic for threading
Conclusion
Python and PHP are both suitable in their own niches. PHP is an aged language, and it is still around because of the flexibility and support it enjoys, enabling enterprises to build great applications. Python, on the other hand, may not be as popular, but provides quicker development and better tools than PHP.
Regardless, both the programming languages command their own niches and allow developers to work them as required.
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