In recent years, Python has become one of the most popular programming languages. According to Google statistics, since 2012, Python fans have surpassed even the popular PHP language, and predictions show that this language will be used before others in the future.
In this article, we are going to compare two popular and common languages, namely Python and PHP, and examine the capabilities of each.
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Comparison of Python and PHP
Both of these languages are very powerful and popular and each has advantages and disadvantages.
PHP programming language is a classic language and has been used for programming web apps since ancient times.
Python programming language is a newer and updated language that can be used for other platforms in addition to the web.
To compare these two cases, different areas need to be examined, which we will see below.
Easy to learn
For a beginner web developer, one of the most important factors is the ease of learning. Programmers can be of various levels and Python is undoubtedly much easier to learn if one has no background in any programming language.
Python is a general programming language and is easy to learn. Programs in Python are shorter and easier to write compared to other programming languages, which is why it is used in many apps. The combinations in this language are simpler and the code in it is easier to read than in similar programming languages.
On the other hand, PHP has not considered a general-purpose programming language. The purpose of creating PHP is to design web apps that have a lot of detail and complexity. In general, learning PHP takes more time.
Usability
Usability is a major factor in choosing to learn a programming language.
Consider that interfaces communicate between servers and users, so a language with high usability is very necessary for the development of strong and high-performance applications. PHP is a very well-documented language with a very classical approach, while Python follows very difficult instructions in its own right with the easiest code readability.
Online support
Both Python and PHP are very fast. If you have been asked if should I learn PHP or Python, you should know that there is a large community of programmers behind both PHP and Python.
PHP has been used in web design for a long time and is trusted by many programmers. For this reason, you can always count on the help of experts and experts in this field.
Unlike PHP, Python does not have any limitations in its application and is used in various fields except for the creation of web pages. This variety has caused the number of Python users to increase, and as a result, there are many people from whom you can get help.
Big companies count on Python and PHP and use these two languages in sensitive parts. For example, Google went to Python several years ago and uses it in some of its products such as YouTube.
In contrast, the world’s most popular content management system, WordPress, is built with PHP. The trust of these successful brands in PHP and Python gives developers the peace of mind to use them with ease.
Educational Resources
There are excellent educational resources available for both programming languages. There are many websites and forums where you can find resources about learning and using Python or PHP. Their competition in this field is very close and like online support, one of them cannot be considered superior to the other in this field.
In terms of educational resources, both programming languages have very good conditions.
Price
Both Python and PHP are completely free and open source, and in fact, both of these programs are superior to non-free programming languages.
Speed
PHP 5. X version is very slow and takes almost too much time to run. However, PHP 7. X version is very fast, almost 3 times faster than Python.
In some apps, the speed of the program is very important. For example, in banking systems with thousands of transactions per day, being 3 times slower can have a huge negative impact on overall system performance. So in terms of speed; PHP has a huge advantage over Python.
However, it should be noted that for many simple applications, this speed difference is not so big and does not make a big difference. For example, in practice, there is not much difference between 10 milliseconds and 30 milliseconds, and an app cannot be called slow because of this.
Choosing a web framework
The most common web frameworks used are Python, Django, Flask, Pylon, and Pyramid.
On the other hand, PHP mostly uses Kodinitir, Zend, Laravel, and Symphony web frameworks.
Django is very secure, fast, scalable, and easy to use. It is very powerful and used in many apps.
Similarly, Korinitier and Laravel are also widely used and these two frameworks are used in almost all PHP apps.
Python and PHP have close and similar performance in this field. However, beginners prefer to use Django because it is easier to use and will take less time.
Bug fix
Error and error management is an inseparable part of programming and you will encounter various problems and errors when you are programming.
Python uses a powerful debugger called PDB. PDB is very easy to learn and use even for beginners.
On the other hand, PHP uses XDebuger for debugging. Both of these have similar debugging features.
In this field, Python and PHP have close performance and none of them has a special advantage.
Employment and potential income
Programming is not just for fun another obvious and important reason is to earn money. Therefore, the aspect of employment is introduced, which depends on the number of jobs available in the market. A closely related issue is monetization, which depends on the demand and availability of professional programmers in a particular field.
PHP is widely used because it has many job positions, so many programmers specialize in this language.
Finally, we have briefly mentioned the capabilities of these two programming languages:
Advantages of Python over PHP
- Better design
- Superior framework
- Package management
- Easier coding
- Understanding the codes
- Multiple inheritances
- Unique introversion
- Debugging tools
- Extensive and comprehensive support
- Small and low-volume core
- Real and flawless objectivity
- More versatile than PHP
- Case sensitivity even in functions
- Rules that make lexical mistakes less
- Keyword arguments: Parameters are passed by name, not by position
Advantages of PHP over Python
- Final and abstract types
- Increase and decrease variables
- Default arguments in functions
- Insert codes among HTML codes
- Support for all operating systems
- Code execution in a specific environment
- Switch and do … While statements do not exist in Python
- private, protected, and public modifiers for attributes and functions
- Those who already have programming experience can easily learn this language
- Interfaces: Of course, it can be said that Python does not need it because it has many similar structures and supports multiple inheritances.