Java and PHP are two popular programming languages used for creating web pages. web apps, and web development in general. Despite this shared purpose, they differ significantly in a number of areas, including syntax, features, and use cases. In this programming tutorial, we look at the fundamental differences between Java and PHP in an effort to help software development teams choose which language is more suitable for their projects.
What is Java?
Java was originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems in the mid-1990s. It is a general-purpose programming language with Object-oriented features, designed with platform-independence in mind. This platform-independent nature lets developers write code once and run it anywhere – a concept known as WORA. It is used for much more than web development and, in fact, gained popularity early on for its use in building powerful desktop and enterprise-level applications.
You can learn more about Java in our tutorial: What are the Benefits of Java?
What is PHP?
PHP – or PHP Hypertext Preprocessor – was created by Rasmus Lerdorf back in the early 1990s. It was originally developed to be a server-side scripting language for web development, and, in particular, to generate dynamic web pages. Since then, PHP has evolved and now supports a wide variety of web-related tasks. Its primary use case currency is for developing dynamic websites and data-driven web applications.
Java Syntax versus PHP Syntax
Java syntax follows a statically-typed and Object-oriented programming (OOP) philosophy. Java enforces strict type checking and requires developers to use explicit variable declarations. Having Object-oriented features. Java code is organized into classes, objects, and methods. Blocks of code are delineated within curly braces { } that denote the end and beginning of blocks of code. Finally, Java emphasizes code readability, maintainability, and reusability, which programmers can achieve using OOP principles and concepts.
PHP, for its part, is a dynamically-typed scripting language that does not require explicit variable declarations. This results in more flexible and concise code. Another difference between the two languages is that PHP code is embedded within HTML and executes on the server-side. It shares a similar syntax to the C-family of languages and relies on the use of semicolons to separate statements.
Here is an example of a typical “Hello, world!” program using Java syntax:
class Example
{
public static void main(String []args)
{
System.out.println("Hello, world!");
}
};
Here is how to create the “Hello, world!” example using PHP code:
<?php echo '<p>Hello World</p>'; ?>This example code would be embedded in the body of an HTML document.
Java Performance versus PHP Performance
Java performance is typically considered superior to many languages due to its Just-In-Time (JIT) compilation and the automatic performance optimizations provided by the Java Virtual Machine (JVM). The JVM is responsible for optimizing the execution of Java bytecode, which results in more efficient performance. Further, Java is known to be highly scalable. This scalability and enhanced performance is why it is often favored for large-scale applications and enterprise-level systems.
PHP is thought to have performance issues when compared directly to Java historically. However, advancements in popular PHP engines like Zend Engine – and with the advent of PHP 7 – significant performance improvements have been made. These enhancements make it so PHP can handle moderate to high traffic websites; however, when facing high traffic demand and loads, it may face scalability limitations and suffer from performance issues.
Web Development
Java is a multi-purpose programming language, meaning it is used for many applications, including desktop software, Enterprise systems, video game development, and mobile app creation – to name but a few. The Java Enterprise Edition (Java EE) adds to that list of use cases, as it provides a framework for building scalable, secure, and distributed web applications. Java frameworks such as Spring offer a set of tools and libraries for web development as well, enhancing Java’s powers in this realm.
PHP, meanwhile, was built specifically for the role of web development. It features a robust set of functions and libraries specifically designed for server-side web programming and web application development. PHP has its own set of web frameworks, including Laravel, Symfony, and CodeIgniter, which provide environments and “skeletons” for building dynamic web applications. PHP’s simplicity, low learning curve, and ease of integration make it a popular choice for web developers and it typically ranks in the top ten of programming languages, with Python, Java, JavaScript, and C landing in the top four spots.
Community and Resources
Java, having been around for several decades and enjoying such wide use in Enterprise businesses, has a large and active developer community, alongside extensive documentation, tutorials, forums, and resources, all of which make it easier to learn and troubleshoot.
Java has a mature ecosystem supported by Oracle, and an extensive range of libraries, frameworks, and developers tools for programmers to create efficient code with. Further, Java engages this community of developers through the Java Community Process (JCP), which uses community involvement to help shape the language’s future through the development of Java Specification Requests (JSRs). All of this serves to make Java easier to code, learn, support, and maintain, while also ensuring its longevity and use in the software development world. In simpler terms: the language (and career paths) are not going anywhere anytime soon.
PHP also benefits from a vast developer community and resource pool. It has a large repository of open-source libraries and frameworks, which include such notables as Composer, Symfony, and WordPress, which contribute to the overall web developer ecosystem. The members of the PHP community actively share knowledge and provide support through forums, online communities, tutorials, books, and conferences.
Read: Java Tools to Increase Productivity
Use Cases for Java and PHP
Java is highly versatile, as alluded to above, and can be used for a wide range of applications that include enterprise-level software development, backend systems, financial applications, scientific computing, game development, embedded programming, and large-scale distributed systems. Java is also widely used in Android app creation.
PHP primarily focuses on web development. That being the case, it is safe to say that PHP excels in terms of building dynamic websites, content management systems (CMS), e-commerce platforms, and online forums. Most popular content management systems like WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla are built on PHP. In addition, the scripting language is also frequently used for server-side scripting, form processing, and database-driven applications.
Learning Curve and Ease of Use
Learning curve refers to how easy it is to learn and implement a programming language. Java, for its part, is known to have a steeper learning curve when compared to PHP, mostly because of its stricter syntax, Object-oriented programming concepts, and extensive libraries and frameworks. Java, being a feature-rich language, requires programmers to understand complex topics like OOP, class hierarchies, and memory management. Once mastered, however, Java’s core concepts and practices provide a solid foundation for building complex applications. Additionally, while Java is not the easiest language to learn, and is more difficult than options like Python or Perl, it is also easier than language such as C and C++.
PHP, being a scripting language. Is known for its relatively gentle learning curve, making it a great choice for beginning web developers. Compared to Java, its syntax is simpler and more forgiving, allowing developers to quickly start building web apps. PHP’s focus on web-related tasks and its plethora of online resources and tutorials greatly contribute to its beginner-friendly nature.
Final Thoughts on Java versus PHP
Java and PHP are very distinct programming languages that may share some use cases, but ultimately can be considered to be in different language classes. Each has its own strengths and areas of application. Java, for its part, excels in enterprise-level software development, performance-critical systems, and mobile and Android app development, while PHP is more known for web development, CMS, and server-side scripting. When choosing between the two languages, programmers should consider factors such as project requirements, performance needs, scalability, and platforms when choosing between Java and PHP for their development projects.
In a software development environment or from a project manager’s perspective, It is important to note that the choice of programming language ultimately depends on the specific project, team dynamics, and long-term goals of the team. From an individual perspective, PHP is fairly easy to use and, since you can use it alongside other web technologies like HTML, JavaScript, and CSS, it may be a great edition to learn the basics of, even if you already know a primary language like Java, Python, or C.
Finally, both Java and PHP enjoy thriving communities, extensive resources, and a wide range of frameworks and tools that support coders, so you will have no shortage of places to turn when learning, troubleshooting, and getting answers to questions, so be sure to take advantage of those resources along the way.