PHP vs JavaScript: Languages that Your Website Understands

PHP and JavaScript are the standard pairings for web applications. In case someone remarks PHP is just for the back end and JavaScript is only for the front end, it is advisable to disregard such comments.”. Before declaring which language, PHP vs. JavaScript, dominates the other, it is crucial to clarify that the PHP programming language is only for backend development, and JavaScript, which was originally intended to be a front-end development language, has become a full-stack programming language after the introduction of Node.js. 

Nowadays, it’s feasible to develop a complete application using JavaScript, both as a front end and back end. Therefore, the question remains: what is the difference between PHP and JavaScript? How do PHP vs. JavaScript for web development compare? Hence, to help you select wisely, we’ll compare PHP vs. js for website development on the basis of different criteria, such as what is PHP and its applications, what is Javascript, open source, simplicity, runtime environments, comments, variables, performance and speed, flexibility, universal applicability, community support, learning curve, and syntax.

Also, no matter which programming language you prefer for website development, PHP web hosting services are required for online scalability.

What is PHP?

PHP full form is ‘Hypertext Preprocessor’ developed in the 90s by the Danish-Canadian programmer Rasmus Lerdorf. Although you are seeing this full form today, originally, PHP was called a Personal Home Page. We know this conventional acronym might bore you, but that’s true!

Talking about its functionality, it is a server-side scripting language, and the majority of online websites use the same. Want to develop dynamic websites? Use PHP websites with compliant web hosting services. There are several precise functions and outstanding features involved in it.

For having a feature-rich and database-driven website, PHP is a boon for developers. Integrating picture libraries, and login pages, is possible with it. It is an open-source language, so PHP is easily accessible on different operating systems, such as Windows, Mac OS, Linux, or UNIX. Apart from the web development tasks, PHP executes other commanding tasks as well. For instance, industrial robots and accessing stand-alone graphical programs.

PHP Instances

• WordPress (the popular PHP framework) and other CMS like Drupal and Joomla.
• Server instances like MariaDB, SQL, and others.

Related: Top Best PHP CMS for Developers

What is JavaScript?

Let’s proceed further in the debate of PHP Vs JS by explaining JavaScript. It is a front-end or client-side computer language to develop interactive pages. JS is mostly used for creating mobile apps, PDFs, online games, and many more. 

JS is a time-efficient computer language that is composed of advanced functionalities. Its advanced versions, Node.js and Angular.js, reduce the development time and enhance the developer’s productivity.

JavaScript Instances

• Technologies such as AngularJS, JQuery, EmberJS, Backbone.JS, and ReactJS.
• MongoDB, Node.js, Express.js, and other server-side technologies.

Related: Useful Javascript and CSS Libraries for UI Designs

Difference Between PHP and JavaScript

So, here we are with the gist of this blog. Let’s explain the simple difference between PHP vs JavaScript.

1. Open Source

A large community maintains and develops PHP, an open-source programming language. All you need to get started is a PHP parser, a web server such as Apache, and a web browser such as Chrome.

JavaScript is an implementation of ECMAScript, an open standard but not an open-source project. You can download JavaScript for free if you are a developer.

2. Simplicity

JavaScript is difficult to learn because of its complexity, advanced functionality, use of event queues, and violation of some standards upheld by other programming languages.

PHP is easier to understand than JavaScript. There is a PHP function for every operation you can think of. Many famous websites use PHP due to its ease of use.

3. Runtime Environments

PHP and JavaScript can be run in a variety of runtime environments. In order to run their code, each requires a different interpreter, although both can easily be incorporated into HTML code. It has a simple installation process and serves as a compiler and runtime engine for PHP. PHP is becoming increasingly popular because of its dependability, extensibility, and performance.

Node js is a JavaScript runtime environment that allows JavaScript to perform operations previously only possible with other server-side programming languages, such as restricted access to information, data analysis, and customized user experiences. Node.js and browser JavaScript use V8 JavaScript runtime engine.

4. Comments

Comments are crucial to make coding understandable for any layman user. So, there are different single-line and multiple-line comments in coding syntax. This is done so any non-technical expert can understand the purpose of coding. In simpler terms, a piece of information integrated into coding. The coding syntax of PHP vs JavaScript is given below.

PHP

<?php //Single line PHP comment
# Single line PHP comment
/* Multi-line PHP comment */
echo "<p>This is PHP</p>";
?>

JavaScript

//Single line JS comment
/* JavaScript
Multi-line JS comment */
alert(“This is JS");

5. Variables

Variables are important elements in coding syntax. But in the debate between PHP vs JavaScript, case sensitivity is a factor that distinguishes both. PHP framework does not support case-sensitive variables, but JavaScript does.

PHP accepts the Boolean value “true” in both uppercase and lowercase, whereas JavaScript accepts the same only in lowercase.

PHP vs. JavaScript: Summarized View

1. Performance & Speed

• PHP: PHP is attributed to a multi-threaded and nonblocking I/O. Contrary to JavaScript, it is primarily a synchronous language. It’s also slower compared to JavaScript because unless and until the first line of code is executed, the second line of code can’t be executed. PHP offers more stability compared to JavaScript, but it’s not fully confirmed. 
• JavaScript: JavaScript is attributed to a single-threaded, event-driven architecture model, as well as non-blocking I/O execution architecture. This type of model is backed by the event loop and node clustering. Node.js’s asynchronous design allows it to execute the complete code at once without stopping for specific functions to complete.

JS is an ideal fit for dynamic web applications like Netflix. Its speed is further increased by the V8 engine, uninterrupted server connectivity, and callback functions. 

2. Flexibility 

• JavaScript: JavaScript can seamlessly integrate with HTML, Ajax, as well as XML. It also has lots of JavaScript frameworks and new ones continuously come up. Other most commonly used front-ent JavaScript technologies include Vue, Angular, and React. Node.js is its most popular framework for server-side applications. The framework you select can affect the speed of development, overall cost, and improve the performance of a website developed in PHP, together with other technical aspects of your upcoming applications. When it comes to package managers, Node.js comes bundled with NPM, i.e., Node Package Manager, preinstalled.
• PHP: PHP can be easily integrated with only HTML and other CMS platforms for webmasters such as WordPress, Drupal, and so on. These features can significantly contribute to the web development process, making it cheaper. PHP also supports extensions through any LAMP stack components and other server components such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, and so on. It comes with 2 packet managers, namely – PEAR (PHP Extension and Application Repository), a structured library for PHP code, and Composer, a dependency management tool for PHP. In general, JavaScript provides greater scope for flexibility compared to PHP.

3. Universal Applicability

Both PHP and JavaScript are cross-platform and are intended for creating web applications, despite the fact that both could be utilized for application development for mobile devices.  

• JavaScript: The biggest benefit of JS compared to PHP is that JavaScript is a full-stack development programming language. 
• PHP: It is only a back-end development programming language; part of the LAMP stack. In order to build a web application with the help of this technology stack, a software professional has to understand the four different syntaxes along with HTML and cascading style sheets (CSS). Changing languages every time is not convenient, which makes learning more difficult. 

4. Community Support

• JavaScript: The most important reasons why web developers prefer JavaScript over PHP are that it’s a full-stack development language, more popular, and flexible. JS is also utilized by Netflix, LinkedIn, NASA, Trello, Uber, Airbnb, Instagram, eBay, and Medium. Even though JavaScript in itself isn’t an open-source language, its other frameworks are.
• PHP: The most important reasons for PHP’s popularity are its huge community, open-source nature, and easy installation. It is commonly used by various companies such as Facebook, Lyft, Wikipedia, Slack, and Tumblr. 

5. Learning Period

• PHP: PHP is quite simple to learn compared to JavaScript. Also, configuring a web server is as easy as creating a PHP file. At the same time, PHP’s characteristics, like inconsistent function signatures, are very simple to understand and excel at as compared to the characteristics of JavaScript and a few of the JS frameworks. 
• JavaScript: Configuring JavaScript for the server side, mainly Node.js, isn’t complicated but can be difficult when compared with PHP. An entry-level JavaScript programmer should have more proficiency compared to an entry-level PHP developer. 

6. Syntax

• PHP and JavaScript both use different kinds of brackets, such as curly, round, and square brackets, can use any type of variable, and developers can easily change variable type. 

7. Applications they’re best fit for

• JavaScript: JavaScript is the best fit for large projects and can be utilized for developing the front end as well as the back end for nearly any type of web application, such as 3D games, IoT products, and so on. 
• PHP: Even though PHP is a general-purpose language, it is mainly useful for creating dynamic website pages. Considering its easy integration with different CMSs and best frameworks, PHP is the best fit for blogs, eCommerce websites, and LMSs (learning management systems).