PHP Vs Javascript: The Right Tech For Your Next Big Project

PHP is a server-side scripting language. JavaScript is a client-side scripting language as well. PHP stands for ‘Hypertext Preprocessor’ – it’s a language embedded in HTML that does all sorts of things like build custom web content or send and receive cookies. It can handle forms, save the data to a file, return data to the user, etc. JavaScript language has been designed to build network-centric applications. It has less server interaction which enables the validation of user input before the page is sent off.

PHP is used by tech giants like Facebook, Yahoo, and MailChimp. The most important of PHP are the following:

• It is perfectly scalable and loads really fast.
• It boasts lightning speed. PHP is almost three times as fast as Python.
• PHP has amazing community support. It’s one of the easiest languages to learn.
• PHP-based applications are platform-independent. They can run on any operating system such as Windows, Linux, UNIX, etc.
• It’s stable and user-friendly.
• PHP is flexible – you can readily use it to combine its functions with various other languages.

JavaScript is probably the most popular programming language. It is used by most modern companies. The language’s main advantages are:

• It’s extremely fast. As an interpreted programming language, it reduces the time required by other languages.
• It’s popular. All modern browsers support JavaScript and the language is seen almost everywhere.
• JavaScript boasts great interoperability. It works perfectly with other languages, so most developers prefer it when developing many applications.
• The language provides rich interfaces so that you can build catchy websites.
• It’s versatile. It’s capable of front-end as well as back-end development.

There are some similarities between PHP and JavaScript:

• Both PHP and JavaScript are scripting languages.
• They are weakly typed. When you create a variable in PHP or JavaScript, you don’t need to assign it to data.
• Classes and objects. Neither of the two languages was originally object-oriented. The feature was added as the languages evolved.
• Both PHP and JavaScript existing codes are easy to use.
• They both require HTTP to execute.

There are many differences between PHP and JavaScript. The most relevant are:

PHP is a server-side scripting programming language so it runs on the web server instead of working on a client machine. This is a great advantage for e.g., e-commerce platforms. On the other hand, JavaScript is a client side scripting language that runs on a user’s laptop, tablet, or phone. Client-side scripting allows more interactivity. You can perform several actions without going to the user.

The programming language’s availability defines who owns the script and who can modify it. PHP is an open-source language. Its source code is available free of cost to the public, so the language is available for changes. On the other hand, JS is a non-free platform but an open standard program. It is maintained by W3C and Ecma International.

PHP is definitely much simpler to start with than JavaScript. JavaScript is more complex, and it has much more advanced features. Although PHP has a bigger library, it is still simpler to use for beginners. Setting up a server is as simple as creating a single file. Finally, PHP peculiarities (such as inconsistent functions or return values) are much easier to understand than the peculiarities of JavaScript.

Did you know that nearly 80% of websites worldwide use PHP? It’s now the most used server-side language on the web. However, when considering the use of a client-side scripting language for websites, JavaScript outperforms other programming languages – it is the leading client-side language, and it is used by over 97% of all sites.

JavaScript is widely used for literally every type of software application including Node.js, productivity apps, IoT, 3D games, etc. The language is perfectly suitable for large projects. When we compare PHP vs JavaScript application types, PHP is used for building dynamic web pages – sometimes it is also used as a general-purpose programming language. It’s the best solution for blogs, learning management systems, and e-commerce platforms.

If you compare the speed on the same hardware, JavaScript executes faster than PHP. Thanks to the asynchronous model of Node.js, it can run through the entire code simultaneously, without waiting for some functions to be executed. However, when you want to build a real-time app such as a game or chatbot, PHP runs much better than JavaScript. Also, PHP is more stable than JavaScript.

JavaScript can run through the entire code simultaneously without waiting for some functions to be executed. Therefore, the scripting language is great for low-latency applications like streaming platforms. PHP is the opposite – it’s synchronous which makes it perform a bit worse than JavaScript.

PHP treats objects and arrays as different entities. Each entity has a different syntax. In JavaScript object and arrays are interchangeable. You can freely switch between syntaxes. A very important difference between PHP vs JavaScript is that JavaScript doesn’t have associated arrays. They are always numeric-based.

Let’s explain whether PHP and JavaScript can collaborate!

The languages serve totally different purposes and tasks, but they can work together to achieve a common goal. In most cases, JavaScript handles the front end of the website and PHP as the back end. PHP writes JavaScript and it communicates with it – simply speaking, PHP runs on the server and JavaScript runs in the browser. When you use AJAX, you can allow the two languages to communicate both ways.

It is like you asked what you can say in Spanish that you cannot say in English. There aren’t many things you cannot do with one programming language that you strictly cannot do in the second one. It is more what one language is more suited to do. However, a key difference is that PHP doesn’t execute within the browser and JavaScript does. Also, PHP supports databases, whereas JavaScript doesn’t support them.

PHP is better for projects that involve solution stacks like Apache, MySQL, etc., CMs like WordPress or Joomla, or servers like PostgreSQL. JavaScript will be better if your project involves front-end development frameworks like React or Angular, dynamic SPAs, or technologies for servers like MongoDB.

Even though JavaScript has had successes in both front- and back-end development, PHP is still a better tool for the back end. However, the best option is to combine both languages in order to build a robust dynamic web application. So, instead of comparing PHP vs JavaScript and trying to choose one of them for your project, it is much better to combine them and reap the benefits of both languages.

As you can see, both languages come with a sample of unique features which can be used to develop powerful websites and apps. If you need support in building feature-rich custom software, an amazing web page, or other development projects based on the PHP program or the JavaScript code, Scalo is here for you with a talented team of JavaScript and PHP developers. We’ve been using JavaScript and PHP for ages and we’re ready to help you create a blazing-fast, secure, and visually appealing digital product!