PHP Vs Node.js: Which is the Best Web App Backend Technology?

When it comes to PHP Vs Node.js – which will be a best choice for web app development in 2024? 

Well both are excellent options for web app development. But as web app development is an ever evolving industry and there is no single language that always remain as loveable as it was forever. Therefore, there is always a battle between languages for the developer’s love and attention.

But whether you are a startup or an entrepreneur, you must be choosing the language that help you build scalable, highly performing, and future-oriented app.

As many technologies come, trend and go. So developers and businesses usually got confused whether they should stay for longer and matured language or  go with the flow?

Majorly backend programmers have to deal with this challenges as if the backend is weak then no matter how brilliant your app idea or structure is- it will unfortunately turn out to be a big FAILURE!

And this is where battle between PHP vs Node.js comes into the role and drag you directly into the dilemma… 

“PHP, a versatile web scripting language, powers 44.3% of known websites, while Node.js is utilized by 3.1%. PHP’s widespread use contrasts with Node.js’ narrower but growing adoption. It is a runtime environment that allows developers to run JavaScript on the server side.”

All-in-all, PHP is mature but best suitable for traditional web applications like Wikipedia, Etsy, Yahoo, WordPress, and more. Node.js, a potent JavaScript platform, excels in crafting online video streaming, single-page, and real-time chat applications. Despite its youth, it offers robust development capabilities.

Are you ready to build a powerful web app for your business? Hire top web app development company to turn your app idea into a million dollar revenue generating project. 

While they both are amazing languages for the web app development, so why this battle has begun? What exactly has suddenly happened when developers have to make a choice between PHP vs Node.js…

Let’s watch the quick video to know “PHP Vs Node.js: Best Web App Backend?”

PHP Vs Node.js: Best Web App Backend

Let’s take a look…

Overview of the Blog Highlights

• Node.js utilizes an event-driven, non-blocking I/O model, enhancing scalability by efficiently handling numerous concurrent connections.

• PHP boasts maturity and widespread adoption, making it a stable choice for various web applications. Its large community contributes to a wealth of resources and support.

• While PHP’s synchronous nature may pose limitations in handling concurrent tasks, Node.js, with its asynchronous approach, excels in managing concurrent operations, making it well-suited for real-time applications.

If you ever been caught into the confusion of choosing between PHP Vs Node.js , then geting into the detailed comparison of both tech-stacks will be a worthy choice. 

PHP Vs Node.Js: Understanding The History Behind

While it’s about PHP Vs Node.js, both have strengths in building any type of application. However, if are a startup or midsize organization, selecting between these programming languages for your web development project is always a challenging question.

Web development is an ever-changing field where various technologies and tools come up regularly and go on making it confusing for businesses to stay with any single language. 

Businesses are always in a delimma whether they should go with the latest yet modern web app development technology or should trust the matured one. If you’re also still confused about whether you should choose to hire a Node.js app developer or an expert with PHP coding skills, then this blog guide is for you. 

Here is a quick comparative analysis between PHP Vs Node.js for the web development project. So let’s dive deep into the basics of both the tech-stacks.

What is PHP?

PHP, by Rasmus Lerdorf, is an open-source, server-side scripting language for web development. It majorly has a dominance in CMS like Drupal, WordPress, Shopify, and WooCommerce showcasing PHP’s backend strength and widespread adoption.

While hiring a PHP developer, you must be wondering that “What makes PHP stand apart from other client-side languages?”

The major difference is that “the code is executed on the server, creating HTML which is sent to the client who would receive the results of the script running without knowing the underlying code”. You can easily configure your webserver to process all your HTML files with PHP.

The best thing about using PHP is its simplicity for a newbie and several advanced features for a professional programmer. You can get going with writing simple scripts in a matter of just a few hours.

If you want to significantly enhance the speed, performance, and security of the PHP app then it is always recommended to look for top PHP development companies that will help you upgrade the app setup to support 8.0, 8.1, 8.2, and 8.3 PHP version. 

Strengths of PHP

• Simplifies web development tasks efficiently.
• Offering extensive community backing.
• Seamless database integration capabilities.
• Preferred for diverse web projects.
• Compatible with various hosting environments.
• Exemplary integration with Content Management Systems.

Who Are the Top Users of PHP?

Right from the launch of PHP, it was considered a strong web development language and to date empowering more than 78% of the websites. In this tech-driven era, where hundreds of technologies come and go, PHP has maintained its dominance in the app development world and empowered some of the industry leaders.

So before you hire a PHP development company, let’s take a look at which tech leaders have put their trust in PHP:

• Facebook
• Slack
• WordPress
• Wikipedia
• Spotify
• Tumbler
• Etsy
• DailyMotion

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What Is Node.js?

In 2009, Ryan Dahl created Node.js as an open-source, server-side JavaScript runtime. It is built on Chrome’s V8 engine, and Node.js is renowned for its event-driven, non-blocking I/O architecture. These features of Node.js make it an optimal option for fast, scalable applications. 

Whether you are planning to develop an online chat app or a video streaming app, you can hire Node.js developer to leverage its features to the fullest. Apart let’s slip down into its advantages.

Strengths of Node.js

• Event-driven, non-blocking architecture.
• Efficient handling of concurrent connections.
• Scalability for real-time applications.
• Extensive npm ecosystem for modules.
• Unified language for full-stack development.
• Excellent performance and speed.

Who Uses Node.js?

Being launched in 2009, Node.js is still on trend when it comes to developing a web app. Several businesses from startups to top companies are using Node.js for seamless app performance. Let’s get to know some of the big names in the industry:

• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• PayPal
• Netflix
• eBay
• Walmart
• Trello

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Node.js vs PHP: Comparing the Similarities 

So now you know the basics of PHP and Node.js and their strengths in mobile app development. Before you get deep down to compare which programming language is leading and compare them directly based on specific parameters, let’s check out what similarities they are sharing.

• Application Types: So what type of application you can develop using PHP and Node.js? Well, both Node.js and PHP are server-side technologies and capable of handling routed requests. They excel in serving static content, dynamic web pages, and data requests. While PHP introduced web socket servers, Node.js has gained popularity in this area, particularly through libraries like socket.io. Both platforms support streams, with Node.js utilizing the Stream API and PHP requiring custom code implementation.

• Extensibility: Next comes to comparing the extensibility of the languages. Now both Node.js and PHP are open-source platforms offering various add-ons and extensions. This extensibility allows developers to enhance functionality and tailor solutions to specific project requirements. Additionally, the source code of both platforms can be modified and forked to suit individual needs.

• Interpreted: Both Node.js and PHP are interpreted languages, enabling developers to perform development tasks directly on the implementation page without disrupting workflow. This feature facilitates easy debugging, program size minimization, and dynamic typing, contributing to a smoother development experience.

• Cross-Platform Compatibility: Is both Node.js and PHP platform-independent? The apps developed with Node.js and PHP are capable of running on various operating systems including Linux, macOS, and Windows. Node.js extends its compatibility to platforms like SunOS as well. Official Docker images are available for Node.js on the Docker Hub, while PHP can be run directly from the command line. Additionally, developers have the option to compile the source code for both platforms to further enhance compatibility.

• Service Capabilities: Both Node.js and PHP excel in serving web requests efficiently. They handle dynamic web content seamlessly and are adept at serving web sockets, providing interactive and user-friendly interfaces for web applications.

By examining these similarities, developers can gain a deeper understanding of the capabilities and potential of both Node.js and PHP, aiding in the selection of the most suitable technology for their development projects.

Quick Comparison Between PHP Vs Node.js 

PHP and Node.js have become two major competitors when it comes to choosing the best backend web appd development technologies. Instead looking and here, let’s get directly into the quick comparison between PHP and Node.js to help you have an idea.

These are the major differences, that we surely going to discuss in detail. As each point has its own explanation that help you understand what tech-stack actually fits in what web app development scenarios. So by the end of this blog, hopefully, you can have an idea whether PHP or Node.js will suit your project needs. 

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PHP Vs Node.js: A Detailed Comparison Between Leading Technologies

PHP and Node.js are both the prime choices of developers when it comes to developing web apps. But when it comes to choosing the best one, the choice will ultimately depend upon the project requirements. So let’s evaluate each of them in detail on various parameters. 

1. PHP Vs Node.js: Speed and Performance

While it’s a matter of the app’s speed and performance, Node.js outshines PHP due to its asynchronous nature and efficient handling of concurrent tasks. 

According to the survey, Node.js has shown the capability of handling 0.499 requests per second whereas PHP handles 0.476 requests.

Source: toptal

PHP, with its synchronous execution, is generally considered slower for large-scale applications, making it suitable for simpler, smaller projects and traditional web development. 

On the other hand, Node.js boasts an asynchronous, event-driven architecture, enabling efficient handling of concurrent connections and superior performance. This makes Node.js the preferred choice for real-time applications and large-scale projects that demand speed and scalability. 

While PHP remains steadfast for straightforward projects, Node.js emerges as the ideal in scenarios where rapid performance and efficient concurrent task management are paramount. Therefore both are the ultimate options, but it depends on the specific needs and scale of the project at hand.

2. PHP Vs Node.js: Ease of Use

Choosing complex languages can lead to expensive web app development costs and may take more time to market. Wondering how?

Languages with steeper learning curves will have less availability of developers in the market and also may cost more per hour cost due to a shortage of expertise. This is where PHP takes the lead. It is easy to learn while Node.js caters to those with a deeper understanding of JavaScript.

PHP is Widely adopted in content management systems (CMS) like WordPress, its straightforward syntax and extensive documentation contribute to its user-friendly nature.

Node.js demands a solid understanding of JavaScript, catering more to developers familiar with the language. While powerful and versatile, it may pose a steeper learning curve for newcomers. Its proficiency is heightened for those already well-versed in JavaScript concepts.

Read More: Tips to Hire Nodejs Developer in 2024

3. PHP Vs Node.js: Development

What type of language or technology should you use for app development? The choice of language will gonna have a great impact on your project’s success. PHP dominates traditional web development whereas Node.js showcases adaptability for diverse applications like real-time and scalable projects.

Let’s take an example of writing “Hello, World!” in both technologies to understand the difference!

In PHP, developers have to write server-side scripts to generate HTML, like the below command.

<?php

$message = "Hello, World!";

echo $message;

?>

However, in Node.js, developers utilize JavaScript for server-side scripting. They create a simple HTTP server, responding with “Hello, World!” when accessed. 

If you notice, it showcases the event-driven, non-blocking nature of Node.js.

const http = require('http');

const server = http.createServer((req, res) => {

  res.writeHead(200, {'Content-Type': 'text/plain'});

  res.end('Hello, World!\n');

});

server.listen(3000, 'localhost', () => {

  console.log('Server running at http://localhost:3000/');

});

4. PHP Vs Node.js: Popularity

In the ever-evolving landscape of web app development, PHP has a strong presence in contrast to Node.js. But before you immediately decide to hire a PHP app development company, let’s compare some figures. 

Comparing the Popularity of GitHub

PHP on Github: 37k Stars, 7.6k Fork

Node.js On Github: 102K Stars, 27.4k Fork 

Being based on JavaScript, Node.js is more preferred by developers. In fact, it leverages wider community support in comparison to PHP. So ultimately Node.js take a lead here but it doesn’t mean that it has replaced PHP. 

Read more: How Much Does it cost to hire PHP Developer? 

5. PHP Vs Node.js: Scalability

Scalability is a notable advantage of Node.js, allowing effortless addition of new features without rewriting the entire codebase. Its non-blocking I/O model efficiently manages multiple concurrent connections, enabling seamless scaling to support large user bases while maintaining performance.

In contrast, PHP’s scalability relies on traditional approaches and may require more effort to handle increasing user loads. While PHP can handle scaling with proper configuration and optimizations, it may not offer the same level of efficiency and ease of scaling as Node.js, particularly in scenarios with high concurrency requirements.

6. PHP Vs Node.js: Runtime Environment

PHP uses an open-source scripting engine primarily used for interpreting PHP code. It runs on the Zend Engine that follows a synchronous execution model, where each request typically blocks until completion. PHP is well-suited for server-side scripting and traditional web applications.

On the other hand, Node.js operates as a cross-platform, back-end JavaScript runtime environment, utilizing Google’s V8 JavaScript engine. It employs an event-driven, non-blocking I/O model, allowing for asynchronous execution and efficient handling of concurrent requests. Node.js is particularly advantageous for real-time applications and microservices architectures.

7. PHP Vs Node.js: Ecosystem

The ecosystem of any programming language is comprised of open-source libraries, APIs, modules, frameworks, and projects. Overall, the ecosystem of the language is the major decision-making factor when it comes to choosing the language.

Node.js offers a diverse array of libraries and frameworks, though fewer than PHP. However, Node.js compensates with versatile projects, catering to various server-side and backend needs.

In contrast, WordPress significantly contributes to the PHP ecosystem, powering a substantial portion of websites worldwide. The PHP community provides extensive training resources to onboard new developers.

8. PHP Vs Node.js: Hosting

Node.js and PHP are well-supported by leading global hosting providers, ensuring accessibility for hosting your projects.

Prioritize factors such as speed, performance, and security when choosing a hosting provider. While pricing may vary between providers, conducting thorough research will help you find the most suitable option for your needs.

For those seeking Node.js hosting solutions, explore different application hosting pricing plans to find the best fit for your projects.

9. PHP Vs Node.js: Development Kit

In the case of PHP Vs Node.js- which language will ensure you an easy app development setting?

Well, both offer a wide choice of libraries, modules, and Integrated Development Environments including WebStrom, Visual Studio 2013, Sublime Text 2, and more- making up that ensures straightforward and hassle-free app development setup.  

PHP is bundled with PEAR (PHP Extension and Application Repository), which offers a plethora of libraries essential for web development, such as the Zend Framework and Symfony2. 

Similarly, Node.js ships with npm (Node Package Manager), boasting a vast repository of over 10,000 modules that developers can leverage for their projects, including the popular Express Framework for building web applications.

All-in-all both provide extensive documentation support to help you accelerate the development process.

Read More: Best PHP Trends and Frameworks in 2024 for your next web app development project.

10. PHP Vs Node.js: Syntax

When it comes to PHP, its syntax evolves with new versions but at the same time ensures low compatibility for code migration. However, this compatibility can lead to confusion as functions may have multiple implementations. 

On the other hand, JavaScript’s syntax, especially with Node.js, appeals to developers due to its lightweight and object prototype model. While JavaScript faces criticism for math errors, they are easily resolved with math libraries. 

The advantage of Node.js lies in its synergy with JavaScript, making it familiar and eliminating the need to learn a new language, giving it an edge over PHP.

11. PHP Vs Node.js: Database

One notable advantage of using PHP with MySQL over Node.js and MongoDB is the ease of transition for developers familiar with PHP. If you’re already proficient in PHP, transitioning to MySQL is seamless due to similarities in command-line tools and compatibility with Windows environments.

PHP’s integration with MySQL simplifies the setup process, making it straightforward to get started with your data. Despite some differences in commands for tasks like creating databases or tables compared to MongoDB, the overall process remains relatively similar to working with MySQL.

In a nutshell,  PHP’s compatibility with MySQL offers a smooth transition for developers accustomed to PHP, making it a convenient option for projects requiring SQL databases as compared to Node.js.

12. PHP Vs Node.js: Security

App security is one of the most important considerations that you can’t afford to compromise. While no technology is immune to threats but it’s crucial to choose one that offers maximum robust security measures. 

In PHP, common vulnerabilities include XSS, session hijacking, SQL injection, and directory traversal. While PHP provides security features, it’s essential to ensure secure coding practices, especially for novice developers. Experienced developers can enhance security by designing secure architectures and implementing encryption with functions like OpenSSL. 

On the other hand, Node.js faces threats like MITM attacks and code injection but offers security practices such as OWASP Dependency-Check and Acutinex to mitigate vulnerabilities and create a secure system.

13. PHP Vs Node.js: Documentation and Community Support

When it comes to community support, both leverage the vast community support. Node.js boasts an active online community, offering abundant resources and rapid support through various channels like Google Groups, IRC, and GitHub.

Similarly, PHP benefits from contributions by companies like WordPress, Drupal, and Facebook, which power millions of websites. The PHP community provides extensive training materials and support resources for newcomers, accessible via platforms like GitHub and Stack Overflow.

14. PHP Vs Node.js: Architecture

Wondering why it is important to pay attention to the architecture of the programming language? Before you decide to hire a web developer, it is worth evaluating the language and making sure it has the efficiency to handle the user requests and scalability to accommodate the growing demands of app usage. 

So when it comes to choosing the best architecture for your app, keep in mind that PHP is primarily suited for traditional web applications. It employs a multi-threaded, blocking architecture where each request is handled by a separate thread. However, the architecture of PHP may cause bottlenecks while dealing with a large dataset

On the other hand, Node.js utilizes a single-threaded and non-blocking architecture while allowing it to handle to manage multiple requests simultaneously without creating bottlenecks. This makes Node.js particularly well-suited for applications requiring high concurrency levels and real-time updates.

15. PHP Vs Node.js: Request Handling and Concurrency

Request handling refers to be a critical part of any web app development as it determines how efficiently, smoothly, and effectively a system can interact with clients and users. While using any app, at the backend it receives multiple requests from the user interface. Then it processes them on the server side and generates the response. But in the case of Node.js vs PHP, both are different in handling client requests. 

Node.js employs an event-driven architecture, which allows it to handle multiple client requests concurrently while PHP still handles the request traditionally, one at a time. Each request is processed independently, utilizing the same computational resources for execution. Consequently, if multiple requests are received simultaneously, PHP processes them sequentially, potentially leading to performance bottlenecks and slower response times.

On the other hand, Node.js queues the requests received in the Event Queue and utilizes its Event Loop—an infinite loop that efficiently manages incoming requests without blocking I/O operations.

PHP Vs Node.js : When to Choose What Language?

Though choosing between PHP and Node.js is quite challenging but still with this blog guide you must have an idea that PHP is for traditional web development and CMS-based projects. 

While developers opt for Node.js for real-time applications, scalable web solutions, and projects demanding high-performance and asynchronous capabilities.

Apart by hiring a web app development company, you can easily make a choice, but for your ready reference here we have specified when to choose what.

Choose PHP When:

• Content Management Systems (CMS) like WordPress.
• E-commerce platforms (Magento, WooCommerce).
• Traditional web applications and websites.
• Server-side scripting for dynamic web pages.

Choose Node.js When:

• Projects to Consider:
• Real-time applications (chat, gaming).
• APIs and microservices.
• Scalable and high-performance web applications.
• Server-side scripting for modern, dynamic websites.

Read More: Top Node.js Development Trends and Predictions in 2024

Frequently Asked Questions

If you still have a doubt about when to choose PHP and Node.js developer, then consider this FAQs section for better understanding.