Main Reasons Why Python Scores Over PHP for Website Development

Despite that both Pythonand PHP are globally recognized languages for web development, in the recent past, a large number of developers have switched to the former owing to several advantages it has over PHP programming language.

In this blog, we will compare Python vs. PHP, and help you determine which programming language is suitable for your web development needs.

1. Python Is Better Designed Than PHP

One of the biggest limitations of PHP is that it is not elegantly designed as a programming language, and there are several peculiarities that deeper and more nuanced. While this is not a major problem in the short term, it can put the developer’s knowledge to test in the long run.

On the other hand, in Python, objects and functions are more clearly outlined. This helps the developers to create codes that are more elegant than that written in PHP. To put it simple, the latter has a architecture, which seems to be robust and better designed than the former.

2. It has a Better Web Framework than PHP

Keeping everything else same, if developers have to choose a programming language, they would prefer Python because it works with Django frameworks and libraries. It is the de facto web framework for the scripting language, and does not confuse the developers unnecessarily. Alternatively, PHP has Symfony, Kohana, Zend, and CodeIgniter as web development frameworks and libraries. Additionally, Django is a clear winner among all web frameworks, putting Python ahead of PHP.

3. Simple Debugging Tools

Python is a broad ecosystem, and thus, debugging tools for the programming language are easily available. Additionally, you can leverage these tools in a simple manner and harness its potential to build highly robust and scalable websites. PHP has many such tools, while the former requires only a few to develop websites. The Python downloader package has just sufficient debugging tools to get your job done easily.

4. Building Scalable Applications with Python is Easy

Why there has been a growing shift from PHP to Python is because the latter is the perfect solution to build highly scalable and intuitive applications. Well, it’s not that you can build scalable websites with PHP, but with Python, things are much streamlined and easier. Additionally, Google supports the latter with Google App Engine, which allows developers to host websites on Google’s server for free.

5. It is More Readable and has a Simple Syntax

PHP programming language follows a classic approach, and is extensively documented. On the contrary, Python uses several indentation enforcements, which are strict. Inarguably, the latter is much more readable not just than PHP, but than many other programming languages.

Adding to the delight, the syntax is simpler, and the code is easier to understand and write in Python. It has a very clear, concise and orthogonal syntax that is easier to work with. Moreover, when you write a code using this programming language, it is extremely elegant. This may not be the case with PHP.

6. Ease of Maintenance

While PHP is a clear winner in terms of setup and portability, it is Python that is easier to maintain.

7. The Lambdas Advantage

Lambda is a function or subroutine, which is defined without being bound by an identifier. It is a type of code block that can be easily passed around and performed later. Within Python, lambdas flow freely, and are much easier to create. On the other hand, PHP now offers now create and closure functions in its latest versions.

Considering the above factors, it is up to you to determine whether Python or PHP is a better choice for you for website development.