PHP or JavaScript - which one is better

Both PHP: Hypertext Processor (PHP) and JavaScript are scripting languages essential for displaying web pages and embedding interactive content. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses, making them suitable for specific situations and often complementing each other - some tasks that are complex in one language can be easily solved in the other. When choosing between these two options, it is important to consider various requirements and, ultimately, your own skills and knowledge.

Contents
How did JavaScript and PHP originate?
What are the similarities between JavaScript and PHP?
What are the differences between JavaScript and PHP?

How did JavaScript and PHP originate?

Both JavaScript and PHP originated during a time when the internet consisted mainly of static web pages with fixed HTML code, experiencing rapid expansion. To change and make web page designs more flexible, and to respond specifically to individual requests, it was necessary to include interactive content through alternatives to HTML and create the ability to handle calls flexibly and manage information centrally and conveniently in data bars.

Behind PHP and JavaScript lies a technical development that required a more flexible and dynamic display and extensive interaction with a website. Initially, both scripting languages focused on different areas of use - while JavaScript enabled the use of interactive elements and was initially interpreted and executed almost exclusively on the client side - locally on the computer, PHP initially served as a scripting language for generating web pages. This means that in the early years, it was a programming language that allowed access to databases in web hosting and used them for storing content.

In contrast, JavaScript initially focused on interactivity and embedding multimedia content. PHP, on the other hand, was initially used solely to centralise static HTML code and generate it from predefined parameters such as information from the database, access rights stored in cookies or by a session ID, and external files such as images, videos, and design templates. This allowed for customising websites individually but only offered very limited options for a user to interact with a website - for example, a menu or a graphic.

JavaScript took on this task by forming additional code that is downloaded and executed directly on the visitor's computer. In practice, it represented a locally processed program linked to the browser display, eliminating the need to reload data to show changing content. For this reason, in its early years, it was primarily used for multimedia and interactive elements such as animations, games, menus, or details like a progress bar.

What are the similarities between JavaScript and PHP?

The origins and the actual objectives of JavaScript and PHP differ in some aspects, but their origins and purposes show clear overlaps, which are also reflected in a similar development and a partial transition of tasks. Formally, both are based on the more abstract and imperative programming language C, but they do not require compilation; instead, they are translated into machine code that the computer understands in real-time by an interpreter.

For a user, this has several advantages:

• Simple and human-readable source code with clearly defined commands
• Structured in procedures, variables, and functions
• Can be edited directly by a text editor
• Less effort in practical use compared to alternatives like Java, C, or C
• Utilisation of different frameworks such as vue.js for JavaScript or Zend, Symfony, and Laravel for PHP

However, there are also some disadvantages to consider. For example, a version upgrade like from PHP 7 to PHP 8 can lead to code incompatibilities if rarely used or redundant functions are removed from the interpreter.

What are the differences between JavaScript and PHP?

One of the key differences between PHP and JavaScript is that they were originally designed for different environments. The former is primarily used for generating valid HTML code on a web hosting or server, which is composed of various sources such as databases, external files, and scripts, and then transmitted to the client as a website. This contains only information about content and no directly executable code on the end device. On the other hand, JavaScript is viewed from an abstract perspective as small programs embedded in a webpage and transmitted separately. To ensure security, this execution takes place in an isolated environment, known as a sandbox, which restricts access to resources and data. Implementing measures within the context of hardened PHP can also enhance security.

However, there has been a trend for some time now, which PHP 8 continues. Parts of the code are pre-compiled by the interpreter to make execution more efficient and significantly faster. Furthermore, both PHP and JavaScript are increasingly offering opportunities to use them on the "other side" as well - a process that started much earlier for JavaScript than for PHP. JavaScript has been suitable for server-side use since at least the early years of the new millennium, where it, like PHP, generates dynamic HTML code and directly accesses local or external databases. However, this is a usage that was not originally intended or integrated - the integration with databases and the possibilities for access, as well as compatibility, therefore lag significantly behind those of PHP 8. It usually requires the use of an additional framework or even a combination of a runtime environment like Node.js with a framework like vue.js. With PHP 8 and earlier versions up to 5.0, these are not necessary, although numerous advanced frameworks with unique features such as Zend, Symfony, or Laravel are available to make the development process more secure, faster, more comfortable, as well as clearer and more compatible for teamwork.

Photo: Arek Socha on Pixabay