Updated: November 1, 2022 
Technology is developing at a really fast pace, and with all the changes taking place around it, backend development is something that is in high demand. If you wish to have a strong online presence, then it’s essential that you suffice all your backend development needs efficiently.
Some of the popular programming languages include PHP and Python – however, choosing the perfect one is a challenging task. Performance-wise, Python outperforms PHP. Its unique and highly functional system is ideal for both web applications and general users.
Compared to PHP, it features better web framework. It has significant applicability in ML and AI, which PHP extensively lacks. In addition to this, Python includes frameworks for desktop GUI programs.
PHP provides a larger software system for a variety of applications and performs better than Python. Good web frameworks are also present. Although it can be used as a general-purpose language, Python mostly helps in web applications.
However, if you merely want to compare Python for web development vs. PHP, both languages are highly comparable and have their own pros and cons. But first, let’s explore Python vs. PHP for web development in detail and decide which one is a better option for your company’s backend development needs.
What is Python?
Python is an interpreted high-level functional programming language that was created by Guido van Rossum and released in 1991. It can extensively be used for system scripting, software development, and web development.
Although with Python, one can extensively do a lot of things, the most common ones include curating online applications, reading from and editing databases, analyzing large amounts of data, and doing sophisticated mathematical calculations.
Features of Python
- A beginner-friendly language
- Python may be run using the same interface across many platforms.
- Incorporating low-level modules into the Python interpreter is possible.
- For big codebases, Python offers support and an excellent structure.
- Automatic garbage collection
- High-level dynamic data types are available, and dynamic type verification is supported.
- Efficiently integrates with Java, C, and C++.
Since Python offers multiple advantages, including support for various platforms, the capacity to operate on an interpreter, and English-like syntax, it is a favorite of a wide range of developers and data scientists
What is PHP?
PHP, also known as Hypertext Preprocessor, was developed in 1994 by Danish-Canadian programmer Rasmus Lerdorf. The open-source programming language is well-liked.
In addition to creating, opening, reading, writing, deleting, and closing files on the server, PHP is able to provide dynamic page content efficiently. It also has the ability to transmit and receive cookies and collect form data with ease.
Features of PHP
- One of the easiest scripting languages
- Supports many databases, such as Oracle, MySQL
- More effective than alternative scripting languages, such as ASP and JSP
- Provides access logging by compiling a list of the user’s most recent accesses.
Not just limited to this, but PHP is also capable of adding, deleting, and altering data in the database. The popular programming language also tends to be a major support when it comes to encrypting data and restricting user access.
10 Factors Why Python is Superior To PHP
Since now you have your basics right about both programming languages, it’s now time to explore the differences between Python vs. PHP for web development and know why Python is superior to PHP. There are multiple factors that make Python superior to PHP.
For instance, Python is slower than PHP. This is because Python being an interpreted language, executes the codes at a slower pace, whereas PHP is a compiled language resulting in high-speed functionality. Because interpreted languages are transformed into machine code at runtime, they are typically slower.
Python offers high readability. This is due to PHP’s syntax being more complex and messy than Python’s. On the other hand, Python code is quite simple to comprehend and can easily be executed. There are many more such differences. Let’s dig deep!
1. Exceptional Design
Although it’s not difficult to develop excellent code in PHP, you’ll find it much simpler to do so when using Python. It is a well-designed and sturdy language, thanks to its unique and highly functional architecture. On the other hand, PHP doesn’t seem to have been as carefully thought out.
PHP is entirely functional; however, it is not as efficient as Python. Any developer who has some experience developing excellent software is likely to produce an effective PHP script. However, a highly in-depth understanding of the complexities and quirks of the language is necessary to use PHP.
Python does a lot of things well in terms of being a sophisticated programming language that’s also simpler to understand and use for a developer who has received professional training.
2. Easy To Grasp
When it comes down to working with both PHP and Python, the development work appears to be quite simple. If you’re a developer, you should always think about what would most likely result in long-term value for you. It makes sense that you would like to work with a language with which you can develop a close, rich, and lasting relationship.
When it comes to that, Python is considerably more appropriate than PHP because the latter’s applications are more complex and offer stand-alone programs that are less flexible. Being such an easy language to use, Python is more widely used. Therefore, while comparing Python with PHP, the former prevails not just because it is simple to learn but also because there are a tonne of tutorials online.
3. Superior Framework?
Though in theory, it is known that developers would prefer to have options, in practice, they prefer standards. They prefer that everyone uses the same libraries and frameworks when everything else is the same.
At the moment, frameworks have quite a steeper learning curve than languages. You have to dig deep and explore how complex and extensive the framework is. Frameworks have a one-time expense, but they have a lot of long-term benefits.
With the help of Django, Pyramid, Pylons, and Flask – Python primarily offers that. However, Django is typically regarded as Python’s go-to web framework. The PHP equivalents of this framework are Kohana, Symfony, CodeIgniter, and Zend.
Django is the champion among Python frameworks. It is quick, safe, and incredibly simple to use. It is exceedingly reliable and stable and comes into use for a variety of applications. Being a beginner-friendly platform offering extreme simplicity, Django is the preferred option of most developers.
4. Simpler Syntax
Python’s syntax is more straightforward, making it simpler to read and write code. It is incredibly simple to understand and does not use curly brackets like other programming languages.
Python writing is so beautiful to look at that you almost want to brag about it to others. However, with something normally written in PHP for web development – the situation becomes completely different.
5. Renders Itself More Readable
PHP is well-documented and uses a conventional methodology. Python, on the other hand, uses very tight indentation guidelines. Python is maybe not just easier to read than PHP but also easier to read than the majority of other programming languages as well. Code readability, being an important element to judge while comparing languages, has a high score in Python.
6. A Clear Winner in Package Management
Between different projects, package management serves as the adhesive. With its assistance, you may create and share packages in a manner that other programmers can quickly plug into.
Although PHP has a package management system, it is probably not used by as many code bases as PIP, a tool for installing and managing Python packages.
This extensively makes it easier to get your hands on a variety of sources for internal and external libraries and to install, uninstall, update, and use them. A comprehensive list of all third-party libraries with their current version numbers is quite rare.
7. Python’s Lambdas Have an Advantage Over PHP in Terms of Functionality.
A function or subroutine that is declared but not assigned to an identifier is referred to as a lambda. It is a piece of code that can be distributed and then executed once, twice or multiple times in the future.
Python’s Lambdas are easy to design and flow freely. Therefore, when Lambdas are suited for the task, Python developers prefer to utilize them.
Previously, PHP only had the “create function” function, which was hardly a match for Python’s lambdas. Later versions of PHP have undergone improvements, and closure support is now easily available.
8. Python is More Versatile than PHP
Python is an incredibly flexible programming language. We’re not just looking at use cases for Python website development or computer learning but others as well. These include natural language processing (NLP), data science, image processing, and developing desktop and mobile applications.
On the other hand, PHP can be used for things other than web development, but its primary use is in web page development, which is what it does well. It is an advanced programming language used to build advanced web applications.
9. Vast Support and Community
With time, various people have started to think of Python as “cooler” than PHP because of its adaptability, modernity, simplicity, beauty, and usability. Because Python can be used for such a wide range of things, including development, scripting, scientific applications, and other things, a sizable community has grown up around it. So, it goes without saying developers can expect a tonne of help.
There is also the Python Software Foundation, whose mission is to “promote, protect, and enhance the Python programming language as well as to encourage and facilitate the establishment of a diverse and multinational community of Python programmers.”
Expect a bigger community and better assistance as a result. Although it is just somewhat smaller than Python, PHP does have a sizable development community and a lot of support available.
10. Easily Available Debugging Tools
Various debugging tools for Python are readily available, and the language has a sizable development community. It’s really easy to use these tools. It offers developers the Python Debugger (PDB), a pretty potent debugger that is simple to use and has such thorough documentation that even beginners may easily understand it.
Another excellent debugger tool available in PHP is called XDebug. Python triumphs over PHP only as much as it needs fewer debugging tools. The download package is usually sufficient.
In contrast to the widespread belief that PHP is simpler to learn and master, Python enables you to write more reliable code that can be used for a variety of use cases. Python and PHP are both simple to learn. Python’s syntax is more like English, while PHP is more like C. Despite this, Python is typically regarded as the simpler language to learn.
Despite the fact that both have sizable communities, thorough documentation, and support, Python is the one that is growing in popularity. Many elements, including the code’s simplicity, adaptability, modularity, and abundance of libraries, contribute to Python’s popularity among developers and enterprises.
Conclusion
Which language is, therefore, better? Well, the decision majorly depends on your needs. PHP is an excellent option if you need an easy-to-understand language, appropriate for web development.
However, if you are in search of a language that is quite easy to read and maintain, then Python is your go-to language. Many elements, including broad usage scenarios and a wealth of libraries, contribute to Python’s popularity.
You can more easily achieve your specified programming goals thanks to the ease of use and adaptability. Python is essential to web development because it helps programmers by making their jobs simpler.
PHP vs. Python for web development has its own benefits and drawbacks. Python has recently replaced PHP as a popular web development language, which has been used for a long time. Despite the languages’ ease of use and learning provider, Python is extensively rising on the graph.
Backing up your web applications with Python can scale your development efforts to the next level. RV Technologies can efficiently meet your specific development demands and give you access to cutting-edge digital solutions. Speak with our expert teams to learn about the technological frameworks that will work best for your company.
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