PHP is by definition the most used programming language for web development. Today thousands of sites and content management systems like WordPress or Drupal are running PHP on their servers. And these many sites are not yet planning to switch to Node.js in the future. The demand from PHP developers is not going to dry up anytime soon. But according to the trend and recent changes, a gradual abandonment of PHP on the web will continue…
Facing him is Node.js: a JavaScript execution environment built on the Chrome V8 JavaScript engine. This free software platform allows in particular to develop applications using JavaScript. Node.js uses a non-blocking I / O model, based on events, which makes it light and efficient.
Thanks to its flexibility and its ease of acquisition, the use of Node.js has been growing since its creation in 2009. The subject is not new but opinions are still as much shared and developers, them, have always struggling to make a choice between the two environments. According to the 2018 JavaScript report, Node.js is used by 63% of developers against 50% in PHP.
PHP and Node.js are both used for server-side development and have therefore become competitors for each other. But then, who will shape the future of programming ?
There are lots of factors we can rely on to compare the two environments PHP and Node.js.
Node.js, gaining ground
- Easy acquisition and learning (JavaScript)
- Analyze and execute JavaScript code very quickly (Google Chrome V8)
- Portability of JavaScript code on both server and client side
- Input / output management using non-blocking IOs
- Modern language with modern syntax
- Ideal for creating single page applications
- Offers asynchronous event management
- Integrated server support
- Multi-platforms (mobile, desktop, tv)
- The workflow module makes it easier to work with large files
- Allows you to create fast applications (chat server, upload system, etc.)
- Has an active community ( one of the most active on GitHub )
- Offers a high availability of modules (easy to install thanks to the NPM manager)
- Strong data storage capacity
Node.js is not a Framework and is still more complicated to use than the PHP language. It is therefore not necessarily recommended for beginners. Node.js has many application areas (video games, social media, e-commerce, etc.) and impressive features to promote the user experience. Its use is still debated within the developer community, yet its success is everywhere (Netflix, IBM, LinkedIn etc.). Recently NASA even said that it used Node.js to “develop systems to support current and future space operations”. So Node.js is off to stay!
PHP, still alive!
- Easy configuration and access
- Requires less code than Node.js
- Direct inclusion of PHP within an HTML page
- Use of powerful Frameworks (Symfony, Laravel, Phalcon, Zen etc.)
- Easily customizable according to needs
- Supported by all hosting services
- Support for web functions (cookies, authentication, etc.)
- Includes all the functionality needed to manage HTML
- Fast writing for web applications
- Combines with MySQL and other databases
- Support from a large community of programmers
- Permanent update of libraries, frameworks and other PHP components
PHP is a true “symbol” in the IT world and has long been considered the cornerstone of the web. PHP owes its popularity mainly to its ease of use and the low cost of the hosting solutions offered.
Today PHP uses many frameworks which clearly allows it to boost the development process. There is therefore no doubt that PHP frameworks will still gain popularity in 2019. If your project includes technologies such as WordPress, Joomla, Drupal then it is better to use PHP. The same is true if you are using a rational database. Finally PHP despite the rise of Node.js is still in the top 10 of the most popular languages and the most used by developers!
Ultimately, the final choice before adopting Node.js or PHP will depend on the type of applications you are going to develop, the client’s hosting requirements and the application delivery time. Finally if you are embarking on a project linked to a real-time application, opt for Node.js, conversely, for so-called “standardized” solutions with large hosting support installations, keep PHP!
To conclude, according to one of the experts interviewed, “PHP would be a bit outdated language”. Technologies are growing around JS today. But given the volume of emerging and emerging technologies, nobody will be able to do PHP in 5 years. Developers still operational on this technical stack will be worth gold.
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