Firstly PHP is just a web scripting language and can only be used on a web server for web development, that’s it. You cannot use PHP to develop Windows apps or Linux UI or Mac OS X UI apps. If you want to implement any of the classes you will have to most probably rewrite that code, which is not that great. Compare this to Python or C# and you wont have to rewrite your code, just create a class library (with C#) and re-use, re-use, re-use, re-use… Code reuse within a PHP environment is thus seemingly limited to a web environment.
The second reason why I will not use PHP is because there are better dynamic languages available, such as Python and Ruby.
The third reason I wont develop websites using PHP is because PHP devs seem to think that because the develop a site in PHP they are already building an SEO friendly website. What utter crap. There seems to be this aura around PHP that makes it look like you automatically get website awesomeness packed in. Lets not forget that the art of development on most platforms require the same disciplined processes. Whether you write unit tests for .NET or PHP – you still need to write unit tests. Whether you test websites written using PHP or ASP.NET you still have to test them in browsers – you dont get cross-browser compatibility out of the box.
The fourth reason I wont use PHP for development is because .NET offers programming features such as LINQ and Generics.
Interesting post. I find points 2 and 3 arguable, but don’t want to start a debate. I’m an advocate for using what ever works best for you. Be it Python, PHP, Ruby, C# etc.
I don’t only code with PHP, but when working on a web project, it is usually my first pick.
On the other side of the coin, here are some reasons why you should give PHP a go:
1) Widely supported by many web hosts (also cheap to get up and running)
2) Great community / support
3) Used by some of the largest websites on the internet. Facebook, Yahoo, WordPress.com etc.
4) Lots of PHP jobs available
5) Your blog is powered by it
Matt
Hi Matt,
I just don’t like it when people just say “I don’t like .NET” to which I can conversely reply “I don’t like PHP”. Maybe the more “open” technologies such as PHP have a reputation as being “good”, therefore being “better”, and that contributes to what people think. Guess thats what annoys me.
Yea.
Unfortunately, a lot of developers are egotistical by nature and have an attitude of “Mine is better than yours”. I try ignore those types (they are not worth my time) and adopt a philosophy of use what works best for you and gets the job done – as mentioned above.
Matt
Realized that above comment may have come across wrong.
I’m not calling you out, I agree with what you said. The open source community suffers badly from egotistical developers who think they “know it all” and that “theirs is better than yours”. I don’t like it either. It’s annoying.
Matt