The contemporary web development industry has become quite dynamic and advanced. Developers leverage multiple programming tools and languages for creating wonderful websites that are user-friendly and responsive.
But the task of choosing the best tech stack on which to launch your online portal is quite daunting. In the programming sphere, there are a plethora of alternatives, but picking one should be done cautiously. PHP and Java are two coding languages that are equally popular and powerful enough to facilitate seamless web development.
To help you make the choice, we thought it would be best to provide a complete outline of both of these languages so that you can understand their specific pros and cons. This know how will allow you to make a well-informed decision. So, let’s explore each of them one-by-one and compare different features in detail to provide a comprehensive idea.
PHP or Hypertext PreProcessor: An Open Source Server-Side Scripting Tool for Building Responsive Web Portals
PHP is a general-purpose web development language that is one of the most popular server-side scripting tools based on HTML. This platform is quite fast and considered as the best option for building dynamic web pages.
PHP offers a variety of efficient frameworks that are ideal for creating responsive websites, as well as REST APIs. These web frameworks are extremely fast and productive. Also, each of these follows only the best practices of web development.
As it is open source and object-oriented in nature. PHP is an affordable option for getting responsive sites built quickly. Also, an extensive community helps in seamless web development and maintenance. PHP is compatible with multiple database management systems such as MySQL, Oracle, IIS, MariaDB, Apache, etc.
Working with efficient PHP developers allows you to create reliable, as well as platform-independent, web apps. This language facilitates seamless file processing, large database management, arrays, data processing, file uploads, etc. The most recent version of this language comprises an error handling module and it can perform efficiently on multiple operating systems.
PHP is the preferred start-up programming tool for developing websites that are scalable, customizable, and flexible. Also, it’s easier to work with this language and this is the reason why it’s one of the hot favorites of developers.
Java: A Client-Based Programming Language, Best for Building Enterprise-Grade Web Apps & Cloud-Based Data Warehouses
Java is an object-oriented and cost-efficient platform that is appropriate for larger and enterprise-grade web development. Also, Java is blessed with a Virtual Machine that makes it fast and capable of performing effortlessly on multiple operating systems.
Java is blessed with a quite extensive library and it also has vast community support that is fully loaded with expert Java developers, default design patterns and web development best practices. It helps programmers in solving their doubts and developing high-end web apps from scratch. Java developers can also seek help from online forums in order to solve any difficulty.
Moreover, web programmers well-versed with this popular coding language have extensive experience in developing a cloud-based data warehouse architecture which helps in seamless storage and management of all the data held by your organization. Also, these solutions are becoming even more popular because they are pocket-friendly, easy to set-up and scalable.
Along with efficient data warehousing, Java has integrated the best security features that, in turn, make it the best alternative for the client-server’s data exchange. In addition, it’s an easy-to-learn platform that allows web developers to easily perform coding and debugging. Java is the most popular programming tool for web development companies that want to work on larger projects.
Java is not that fast as PHP but it’s equally popular among web developers for building enterprise-grade and high-end web apps. Let’s compare these two platforms based on diverse features to spot the major difference:
1. Optimization for Speed & Quality Performance
Java and PHP are known to be two of the fastest web development platforms that are efficient and reliable. PHP is slightly quicker than Java, but that doesn’t make the latter any weaker a contender.
2. Ease of Learning & Support
Both of these programming languages are easy to learn and master. But in terms of support, PHP has the upper hand in comparison with Java. However, Java is blessed with the best security features that give it an edge over the former.
3. Price & Compatibility
PHP is an open source platform hence it’s free of cost, but this isn’t the case with Java. Although, both of these platforms are platform-independent, PHP has the advantage of being more compatible.
4. Checking Type
PHP leverages Dynamic type checking whereas Static type checking is the employed in Java. But as the latter allows developers to spot errors and bugs in the initial stages of web development, it can be called as the one with an edge regarding this functionality.
5. Multiple Instruction Implementations
PHP leverages multi-threaded execution, but Java makes use of thread-to-thread implementation of numerous instruction series. Here also, Java has an upper hand because memory sharing in the inter-thread implementation is quicker than an analogous multi-thread instruction.
Deciding Which Is the Best: A Difficult Call to Make
Considering the features and functions each of these two programming platforms offer, concluding that one is better in a given situation could be a bit unfair. Java is a client-based language whereas PHP is a server-side scripting platform. Hence, these two have their own pros and cons. Also, both of these languages have unique features that are extremely useful for web developers.
However, when forced to make a choice you can consider the kind and size of your web app development project to determine which programming language would be the perfect fit. Also, your budget and other resources in hand will play a crucial role in deciding the tech stack for your upcoming web development project.
So, it would be better not to pick randomly but have a discussion with expert developers and evaluate software developers’ resumes for making a smart choice that you won’t regret in the future. Invest some time and see how experienced programmers can cherry-pick the best language for converting your idea into a fully functional and high-end web app.
Considering the dynamism in the software industry, it can’t be said that either PHP or Java would be the best choice for seamless web development. Both of these are powerful and efficient platforms for creating feature-rich and large web apps with few technical hurdles. Finding the right programming team is what you should look for if you want to build a responsive online presence to market your venture and establish credibility to connect with a diverse customer base.
About the Author
Catherrine Garcia is an experienced Web Developer at WPCodingDev and a passionate blogger. She loves to share her knowledge through her articles on web development and WordPress.
