PHP vs Python vs Ruby: The Language War

The first thing any developer faces when they start a new web development project is what language to use for its code? There are lots of coding languages but the most popular in terms of web development are the BIG-3 which includes PHP, Python, and Ruby on Rails (let us further call it simply Ruby). Even when you do your programming assignment in college or in the university web development course, you need to understand the differences and the bright sides each of these languages has. So, let’s compare them and define the peculiarities of these three frameworks to make the choice easier for you.

The Main Principles of PHP, Python, and Ruby

One big thing that unites these three languages is that they suit web development goals the most. Yet you shouldn’t think that there is a certain leader in the race of Python vs PHP vs Ruby. Each of them has its bright sides as well as drawbacks that should be considered by a programmer.

We’ve pointed out 7 main features to compare Ruby and PHP vs Python for web development.

Here they are:

• Popularity in today’s market
• Purposes of these languages
• Usability
• Simplicity for a coder
• Performance levels
• Support and community
• Limitations each language has.

So, lets’ find out the main differences between Python and Ruby, and PHP.

1. Popularity

All these three languages are not new inventions. They were invented in the 90s, namely, PHP and Python were launched in the industry in 1991, while Ruby was created in 1995. All of them found appreciators among the biggest names in the industry. Still, PHP keeps the palm and remains one of the most required coding languages for web applications around the world. To bring you some examples, you should know that Facebook and Wiki are written on PHP, while Twitter is based on Ruby. And what about Python? Google search engine and YouTube are the brightest examples of its functionality as a web development tool.

2. Purposes

When you need to write the code simply and with less effort, it is Ruby that can be called the easiest of these three. When you need your web application to enhance the highest productivity with the most readable code lines, you should choose Python to achieve these goals. And when comparing Python vs PHP, you should highlight that the last one is the perfect match for dynamic pages.

3. Usability

As for the usability parameter that is crucial for each web developer who is going to use the coding language, we can say that it is Ruby you can call the leader. Its code is easily-reading, comprehensive, and logical. For PHP, the bright side is its strict and classy documentation that adheres to the rules of classical programming. As for Python, we’ve already mentioned its highly readable essence.

4. Simplicity

That feature is one of the most important for a novice programmer. When you start learning a new coding language, you want to get it through with ease. Fortunately, Python beats all other languages as its semantics and logic can be learned easily from scratch even by a zero-experience person. Yet when we compare Ruby vs Python, Ruby is not an easy task to learn when you haven’t ever learned to program at all. PHP stays somewhere between these two in its complexity levels.

5. Performance

In terms of the basic definition of the coding language’s performance, it is Ruby that combines high speed of execution with high-security levels. Python also provides speedy coding lines performance yet its security levels are low. PHP is less secure than the previous two but it runs the process faster than Python. So in that comparison of Ruby vs PHP and Python, Ruby is an impeccable #1 on the list.

6. Support and Community

When you need your framework to be regularly updated and when you need support from the community of programmers, who also use this language, it is in the Python community you will be highly supported. Yet PHP offers more updates for its code. Ruby hasn’t a chance to beat them with this feature.

7. Limitations

As for the limitations, there are several of them for each coding language.

• Python doesn’t allow using the ternary operator and a ‘switch’ is not possessed by it. No class and method modifiers are allowed.
• Ruby is difficult to learn from scratch. It has a slower processing time, and to get community support, you should search for a long time as there is not a wide community for Ruby on Rails.
• The main difference between PHP and Python is that PHP is not an object-oriented language. It isn’t a good choice for complex and extended code samples.

This parameter limits its use.

Choosing the Framework: What Language to Select for a Certain Project

Now let’s check what types of web development projects will match with a certain programming language from our list.

• Python is a great solution for data analyses, DevOps, and machine learning applications. Its primary use is back-end as Python provides high performance and can cope with server loads.
• Ruby on Rails is a full-fledged ecosystem for the development of complex web projects including e-commerce web development (just take a look at Shopify to evaluate its functionality).
• PHP is also majorly used for server-side development. Besides, its ability to generate dynamic web pages makes it a great tool for browser games and entertainment websites.

We’ve highlighted some main differences between these coding languages in this article. Yet you shouldn’t think of it as an ultimate guide. Just try your chance to learn these three and decide which of them you are talented at. Besides, while you are learning, you can rely on our help in PHP assignment completion.