Programming languages are at the core of all web development. Websites and important applications can’t be created without them. The most common programming language is Java. However, what about another language like PHP? If they were to be pitted against each other, which would win?
To begin to consider that, let’s dive into what each language does and how it’s used.
Java
It was released in 1995, over two decades ago, by Sun Microsystems. To this day, Java remains popular among developers, in part due to its cross-platform integration. Another reason Java is still so widely used is the unofficial rule it has established—‘Write once, run anywhere.’ This means codes only need to be written one time to be able to be applied across any platform that’s compatible with Java.
PHP
PHP stands for Hypertext Preprocessor, but it was known as Personal Home Page before that. Like Java, PHP is open-sourced. It was actually created a year before Java, in 1994, by Rasmus Lerdorf. It utilizes interpreted language and is considered to be a general-purpose scripting language.
Let the Battle Begin!
- The Performance Test
With its precompiled structure, Java outranks PHP since the latter must have bytecode approved with each request it sends.
Winner: Java
- Coding Speed
The most recent updates to PHP improve its memory consumption by reducing it. Due to Java’s extensive framework, PHP is slightly faster.
Winner: PHP
- Level of Stability
Longer codes, though they take more time to generate, create a stronger framework. Java is based on this element, which makes it a better choice than PHP.
Winner: Java
- Amount of Information
Both programming languages have been around since the 1990s and have compiled large databases of information. While Java’s information selection is regularly updated by its users, the information available for PHP has been inconsistent and outdated.
Winner: Java
- Talent
Most surveys conducted on the number of developers using each language report that Java comes out ahead, though by a small margin.
Winner: Java
- Ease of Learning
Considered at the top of the easiest languages to learn, PHP and Java both could be easy to learn, depending on the level of skill a person possesses.
Winner: Draw
Strength of Security
In order to make PHP faster and easier to manage, it has made sacrifices. Third-party frameworks often have to be used to compensate for their weaknesses—one of those being a level of high security. Java, on the other hand, is heavier than PHP because it has more internal security measures in place.
Winner: Java
Not A Battle, But A War
Since every programming language works differently, PHP and Java could both be considered the best in comparison to the other. To truly say one is legitimately better would depend on the developer using the language, what he or she is using it for, and numerous other factors. Like the categories compared here, there are sometimes small differences in, for example, performance speed due to certain features that each language has. Therefore, this ‘battle’ over whether PHP or Java is a better language has instead become a never-ending war.