Which is better: PHP or Python? Why?

In this article, we will explain which language is better (PHP or python) and discuss the reasons briefly.

Python

Python is a high−level, object-oriented, dynamic, and multipurpose programming language. Python's syntax, dynamic typing, and interpreted nature make it an excellent scripting language.

It supports a variety of programming paradigms, including object-oriented, functional, and procedural styles. Additionally, because it is an interpreted language, it cannot be converted to computer-readable code before running at runtime.

Another distinct property of Python is that it is an interpreted language, which means that Python code is not translated to machine−readable at runtime. Despite the fact that the majority of Python's usage revolves around its simple syntax, Python is involved in some crucial tasks.

Features of Python

• Python is simple to learn and has a clear syntax.

• It is extensible to a greater extent.

• It is free, open−source, and cross−platform.

• Python is an object-oriented programming language(OOPs) with high readability and reliability.

• Python can be used for prototyping and testing code that will subsequently be utilized to create a full−fledged application using higher−level languages.

• It comes with a large standard library that includes XML parsers excel interface and so on. What is PHP?

PHP or Hypertext Preprocessor is a server−side scripting language that was invented in 1995. It is employed in the creation of a dynamic website or web application. PHP is simple to integrate with all major web servers and Operating systems.

It is used to create dynamic HTML content for use on the web. It is commonly used to create XML documents, Flash animations, images, and PDF files, among other things.

PHP is a popular, free, and efficient alternative to competitors such as Microsoft's ASP. Non-technical users can quickly learn a few helpful strategies for making their web pages more manageable and usefiul.

Features of PHP

• It supports various databases like Oracle, MySQL, etc.

• It is simpler to use than other scripting languages.

• It is faster than other scripting languages, such as ASP and JSP.

• PHP is open source, which means you don't have to pay to use it; you can freely download and use it.

• PHP has certain error reporting constants that can be used to generate an error notice or warning.

• PHP provides access logging by generating a summary of the user's most recent accesses.

Python vs PHP

Ease of Learning

Though PHP is not difficult to learn, Python is very easy to learn relatively. Python is a general-purpose programming language that can be learned very fastly. Python programs are significantly shorter and easier to develop than other programming languages, and as a result, it has become a popular choice for many applications. The syntax is significantly simpler, and the code is quite readable.

PHP is not intended to be a general-purpose language. It was created specifically for web applications, which are far more complicated than simple stand-alone programs. As a result, learning PHP could take longer than learning Python.

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Performance and Speed

Many of the factors that slow down web applications have nothing to do with programming languages. Every programming language suffers from slow database queries. Excessive network queries or reading a large amount of data from a drive will always slow you down. Having said that, in most cases, PHP is a faster programming language than Python.

The core PHP team has worked hard to speed up PHP, and with PHP 7, they have succeeded.

However, there are some limitations to that conclusion. PHP is well-known for restarting your entire application whenever a web request is initiated. That is, for the most part, not a problem. However, if you're dealing with an application that needs to share resources across requests, this can be a problem.

Sharing resources might be problematic because PHP builds and destroys the complete program with each request. That's not as big of a problem for Python, and to be fair, most web applications don't need to do that.

It's also worth noting that, regardless of language, you're not guaranteed a speedy web app. If you're developing a new web application and want to maximize performance, you should use a tool like Retrace. It will help you find and speed up issue areas in your application regardless of the language you choose.

Hence PHP is slightly faster than python

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Debugging

PDB, or Python Debugger is Python's built-in debugger. It employs a variety of debugging techniques. PDB supports dynamic type, allowing developers to work without having to announce everything at the start of a program.

PHP also includes an XDebug package to help developers address issues and inspect their code for errors. However, PHP development is far slower in terms of detecting and removing issues. As a result, it has numerous security issues.

Here Python gets a point over PHP.

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Documentation

PHP includes a complete documentation site that allows developers to write comments on the documentation pages. The documentation are created in simple language that both new and experienced developers may understand. And the additional concepts elevate these publications by expanding on the concepts in a distinct conversational tone. However, these comments can sometimes be disadvantageous because, on documentation pages, you can readily see old comments on top, which can cause any developer significant confusion.

Python, on the other hand, has no such concerns because it does not allow comments. Python documents are less conversational, which might make them harder to read and understand at times.

PHP beats Python in this area because developers can easily understand its documentation.

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Community Support

When it comes to community support, both languages are nearly similar. PHP has large community support because it is one of the oldest and most popular server-side languages. PHP powers 80% of websites, demonstrating the vastness of the PHP community.

Python, on the other hand, is similar to PHP; this language became popular when Google began employing it in applications such as YouTube. Following that, several other tech behemoths, like as Instagram and Uber, implemented this language for their backend.

So, both get a point here.

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Framework

The framework is the base on which to build one’s programs for a specific platform. Though it is similar to an application programming interface, it does not include one. A framework simplifies and shortens the development process by utilizing generic modules and components.

Having stated that, the primary framework distinction between PHP and Python is quantitative. In comparison to Python, PHP has more frameworks available.

Laravel, CodeIgniter, CakePHP, Slim, and Symfony are some famous PHP frameworks.

Django, Flask, Scrapy, and Tornado are notable Python frameworks.

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Syntax

Syntax-error-free programming is always a significant factor that developers evaluate when choosing a language, and Python shines here. This is because Python makes it easy for developers to code without worrying about constraints that cause the code to fail during the build. Furthermore, Python has a good readability score, which aids developers in the debugging process.

PHP, on the other hand, has a difficult syntax that imposes specific constraints during coding. As a result, developers prefer Python for simple syntax programming.

Python wins here.

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Popularity

Python's popularity is increasing relative to other programming languages. It also demonstrates a decline in PHP popularity.

Python gets a point here.

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Which is better to learn: PHP or Python?

The answer is much more straightforward − Python is a superior language to learn in 2022. It pays more and there are significantly more work opportunities.

In the United States, the median annual income for Python developers is roughly $97,000. The average annual income for PHP developers is roughly $79,500.

Differences: Python vs PHP

The following table shows some of the key comparisons between python and PHP:

Features	Python	PHP
Learning	In a long-term project, Python is better than PHP	PHP has a low learning curve, making it simple to get started.
Frameworks	There are fewer frameworks in Python. And the most popular of them are Django and Flask.	There are more frameworks in PHP. And the most popular of them is Laravel and Slim.
Syntax	Syntax is simple to remember in python, almost identical to human language.	In comparison to Python, the syntax is a little different, with a wide range of naming conventions.
Type of language	Python is a general-purpose programming language.	Web development programming language.
Features	Less code, faster deployment, and dynamic typing	PHP is Open Source and easy deployment.
Maintenance	It is easier to maintain than PHP.	PHP is a little bit difficult to maintain.
Popularity	Python's popularity has grown rapidly since 2016.	At the same time, PHP is losing popularity on stack overflow.
Speed	When compared to PHP, python programs are relatively slower.	PHP's latest versions have been shown to be approximately 3 times faster than Python's programs.
Debugging	Python debugging is faster than PHP debugging.	In PHP, debugging is much slower.
Database Integration	In comparison to PHP, it has poor database integration.	Users can gain access to more than 20 databases.

Conclusion

Both PHP and Python are unquestionably the most popular programming languages for backend web development, yet they have distinct advantages. PHP is an object-oriented programming language, whereas Python is both object−oriented and procedure-oriented. Python is a general-purpose programming language that is commonly used in backend web development. PHP, on the other hand, is only used for backend web development and is not intended for general-purpose programming. The only reason to remain with PHP is its simplicity and robustness.