Gone are those days when you need to drain your time on learning difficult coding, languages and building a website on complicated scripts. With great advancement in technology, you can now easily get your hands on such programming languages that can ensure you hassle-free scripting and frameworks. However, the most common question among developers is would they go for PHP frameworks or Javascript. For an experienced developer, the paths are always clear, because he will choose the options that perfectly fits his/her needs.
Whether you want to shift your website from PHP to Javascript or a beginner, you would probably want to know the difference between the two to make the right decision. This blog will help you understand everything from functioning, features to the comparison.
When it comes to developing a website, both Javascript and PHP are the most common choices. Both are general-purpose scripting languages ideal for web development but Javascripting is a client-side scripting language whereas PHP is known for the server-side scripts. If you have a good understanding of using these languages, then these two languages can be used independently as well as collaboratively to make the wonders. There are such popular platforms built with Javascript and PHP including Facebook, Flickr, Yahoo, and Wikipedia and so on. However, don’t get confused here, let’s get into the details for a better understanding of these two languages.
What is PHP?
A PHP(Hypertext Preprocessor) is a general-purpose scripting language that quickly became a server-side language. While PHP can be integrated with Oracle, Sybase, Postgresql, SQL, and MySQL and protocols like IMAP, POP3, and LDAP, it becomes a topmost choice among the web developers. The great back-end content management system makes it possible for you to develop anything from a simple blog page to a professional landing page. You can easily create an online presence with its quickest and cheapest CMS.
What is Javascript?
On the other hand, javascript is the most employed scripting language that typically runs in the browser and makes web pages dynamic and interactive. As being considered as one of the big core components of the web, today Javascript is also quickly growing as a server-side technology and providing the best features for the web-development.
Javascript Vs PHP: Similarities and Common Features
While both are different languages from one another but there are some top-level similarities that you must know before you start comparing the features and functioning of both platforms.
Programing Scripts
Both PHP and Javascript are interpreted languages that run on different codes and servers. Generally, both the scripts are much easier to use and favor the programmer’s productivity. Both languages are ideal for beginners and professionals who want to create their online presence.
Ubiquitous
Together they can add maximum features and functionality to your website. For most of the websites, they are like painting brush and paint color. If Javascript is the ultimate choice for front-end development then PHP scripts are best on the back-end. There are great codebase choices, frameworks, and community that supports these two languages together and ensure you a perfect package deal.
Also read: 8 Ways to Reduce You Page Load Time and Boost Your Conversion Rate
Javascript Vs PHP: Major Differences
For many developers, Javascript is the perfect choice for the front-end of the web development and PHP is mostly popular for the back-end. With that in mind, this blog has rounded up a few points to help you quickly make the right decision.
Boost Simplicity: While comparing the simplicity of both the servers, PHP is considered to be easier to learn and understand as compared to other scripting languages. As it uses C syntax, which means that if you know C or C++, then you can quickly access PHP codes for web development. Whereas accessing Javascript is not difficult, but it requires more lines of code and a basic understanding of how closure functions work.
Runtime Environments
PHP is a popular server-side language whereas JS is associated mostly with client-side scripting. Though both are directly embedded into the HTLM, they need an interpreter to work successfully. While PHP interpreter can be installed and power by the Zend engine whereas the JS interpreter is built into the web browsers to run on the server.
Open Source or Not
Because PHP is an open-source, therefore customization and rebuilding of the website are easily possible. It gives developers an extra edge in working and customizing the options. While developers working with JS need recognized qualification and as it’s a paid language with a certification system.
Easy To Maintain and Upgrade
While Javascript is the paid language, upgradations and maintenance can quickly add up a cost. On the other hand, the PHP code can be freely modified and changed. PHP projects can be quickly and cost-effectively adjusted to the latest apps that hit the market. Due to its open-source contribution, it is easier to emerge the growing needs of businesses pop up regularly at zero cost.
Hopefully, the detailed comparison of both the scripts will make you understand how they function and add flexibility to your web development. Both, PHP and Javascript have their own set of features and limitations, therefore, the choice of script solely depends on your web development requirement.
If you are not so sure, that where to start, what to choose and how it will work for your business, then look for the best web development services in India. The professional web development companies can integrate the best options to enhance your web pages.
Great Post. Thanks for writing it.