Node.js vs PHP: Which is better for web development?

Short description of both the languages along with their short explanations:

Overview of NodeJs

Node.js is a platform built on Chrome's JavaScript runtime for easily building fast-running scalable network apps. It is an open-source server-side Javascript run-time environment built on Chrome’s JavaScript Engine(V8). Node.js initially appeared when the engineers of Javascript broadened it from something you could just keep running in the program to something you could keep running on your machine as an independent application. Presently you can do considerably more with Javascript than simply making websites interactive. Javascript now has the ability to do things that other scripting languages like Python can do.

NodeJs explanation:

Node.js uses an event-driven, non-blocking I/O model that makes it lightweight and efficient, impeccable, or data-intensive real-time applications that run across distributed devices.

Overview of PHP

PHP is a server-side scripting language designed for web development but also used as a general-purpose programming language. Originally created by Rasmus Lerdorf in 1994, the PHP reference implementation is now produced by the PHP group. Also, the ever-increasing popularity of content management systems like Drupal, WordPress, Shopify, and WooCommerce portrays how PHP has covered the backend under its wings.

Php's explanation:

PHP provides a switch statement that allows you to execute a code block conditionally. A PHP switch statement compares a variable or an expression against many different values and executes a code block based on the value it equals to.

After an introduction to both languages, let’s now move on to the detailed differences between the two.

Difference between the two languages on different parameters

Node.js and PHP are able to manage any complexity of the applications, they are built around different architectures and concepts. If you are an app owner or a business owner, selecting between these programming languages for your web development project can be a difficult situation indeed.

The main difference between the two is that JavaScript is a client-side scripting language whereas PHP is a server-side scripting language. However, since the release of Node.js, JavaScript has also been used as a server-side technology allowing you to build scalable network applications PHP vs NodeJS: Development.

Base Code Syntax and Access to the command line:

NODE:

PHP:

Performance of Node.js vs PHP

Node.js Performance:

• If we talk about .js performance then it simply brings fast Server-side solutions as it is powered by an event-driven, non-blocking I/O model.
• It executes codes faster than expected -thanks to Google Chrome’s latest V8 engine.
• Released under the MIT license, it does not buffer any data.
• It supports multi-platforms such as Linux, Mac OS, Microsoft Windows, etc.

PHP Performance

• Code or script written in PHP performs faster than that written in other languages including JSP & ASP.
• A rich code base supports faster development and helps developers to understand it easily.
• That means if you are a fresher in PHP, you can work like a pro.
• PHP is easily portable and can run on any server it has been designed to run such as Apache, IIS, etc.
• PHP also supports multi-platforms such as Windows, Linux, Unix, Mac OS X, etc.

Node.js – Pros and Cons

Pros

1. Fast Backend Solution

The one point that gets the JavaScript framework points ahead of the PHP vs Node.js war is that the framework can be used to service numerous concurrent events. Using Node.js The developers can easily make scalable solutions that maximize the CPU usage and computer memory as they serve different requests.

2. One Language

As expected from a JavaScript framework, Node.js is also a server-side environment that gives a complete range of benefits that a developer expects from scripting language across the app development stack. When you use one language for both the backend and frontend development of an app, the resulting product is usually one with minimal bugs and better functions.

3. More Flexibility

When we talk about app development with Node.js, there are very limited dependencies and guidelines. There are no specific rules asking developers to choose a set architecture or pattern, which gives them access to hundreds of different modules.

Apart from these, there are a number of pros that are a part of Node.js, such as – Being identical to JS, it is a lot easier to learn Node, it is ideal when working with large files.

Cons

1. Not ideal for Intensive Apps

The framework is not ideal for the handling of intensive CPU activities such as editions of graphics, generation of audio and videos, etc. The applications made by Node are a lot more responsive, which makes it difficult to develop graphics-centric apps.

2. The Node Environment is Still a Little Immature

Along with these, one point that Node.js like some of the other JavaScript frameworks suffer from is the usage of a complicated code structure.

With this covered, let’s see what are PHP’s pros and cons in the development arena.

PHP – Pros and Cons

Pros

1. Robust Code

The environment comes with a strong code base with platforms like – Joomla, WordPress, and Drupal, which enables developers and Entrepreneurs to reap the benefits of Rapid Application Development. One can develop e-commerce websites in minutes with the help of PHP. This also makes PHP ideal for the development of the CMS (Content Management System).

2. Exact Solution

Irrespective of where the PHP is running – server or platform – it always offers a precise app development solution. This makes it a lot easier for small companies to integrate, develop, share, and manage apps with no knowledge of SSH console commands.

3. Web Offerings

PHP came into existence for working efficiently on the web with functionalities to manage HTML. So, for developers who wish to avoid creating an overload of the client-side, when creating a CMS (Content Management System), PHP comes as a highly beneficial solution.

Apart from these, there are a number of advantages that PHP comes with, such as – Huge community support, portability, support of hosting services.

Cons

1. Poor Manageability of Code

As covered in our ASP.Net vs PHP blog, the latter gives the developers the freedom to combine HTML with the language syntax, which makes it even harder for them to extend their PHP apps with the new functionality. Also, it has become even more difficult to manage the codes with such a huge code base: something that JavaScript frameworks seldom face.

2. Client-Server Model Slow

Because the client-server model of PHP is a lot more outdated than Node, it is also a lot slower.

In addition to these two disadvantages, PHP also does not separate business logic and views. Because of this, it gets difficult to add new functions to the codebase.

Now that you have seen the advantages and disadvantages that both Node.js and PHP come with, it is important to understand that while the pros & cons combination of one environment would be suitable for one business, chances are that the combination of the same environment won’t work for the other business. Meaning, knowing different PHP vs Node.js benchmarks is not enough; you must also be familiar with different scenarios they are effective in.

Something that we will cover in this article, but after taking a look at the brand evangelists of both environments.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, they are well-suited to work as a prominent server-side framework. Both of them hold some pros and cons, however, the amazing thing is that both are developed by experts in order to make web and mobile development better.

So what are you waiting for? Try something new!