In this article, we will analyze which programming language – PHP or Python – is better for a beginner to learn in order to become a web developer, and what is the main difference between these languages. The experts of Boosty Labs, a company specializing in Python development, will help us with this.
PHP and Python: features in common
Both PHP and Python are dynamically typed interpreted languages. This means that the development process on them can be carried out relatively quickly and slightly carelessly – the interpreter forgives everything. Both languages have an interpreter written in C with similar concepts, which means that these languages work at about the same speed.
In general, if you look at how fast you can write code in PHP and Python, and how quickly it will be executed, then there is not much difference between these languages.
Of course, in the new versions of PHP, it began to move towards strong typing and JIT compilation, and Python focuses on asynchronous programming. But in 99.9% of use cases it doesn’t really matter.
Differences between PHP and Python
If you look objectively at the syntax of PHP and Python, you will notice that Python is designed more academically correct, with more understandable constructions, a larger set of language features, more convenient work with strings, a larger set of built-in data types, more competent and accurate work with numerical data. It is intuitive and beautiful.
On the other hand, PHP is a “stripped down” copy of Java and C, where all the complexity was removed and many generic types were introduced. This makes writing code even faster and easier, but it loses some elegance. On the other hand, if you need to learn Java, you won’t have to change your habits.
Which language is easier to learn – PHP or Python?
PHP is a more compact programming language, it can be learned faster than Python. Due to the fact that there are many boxed solutions created for PHP that allow you to launch a site in a few hours, you can quickly start doing real projects on it.
Python, due to its versatility, is more extensive, so it will take longer to learn it. Also, Python implies a higher level of programmer competence, so when studying it, beginners will often get into a dead end, where they will have to look for a solution to their question for a long time.
For example, you will be surprised, but a Python site cannot just be taken and run on a hosting site. You need to buy a full-fledged VPS, configure nginx, gunicorn, ssl, and so on. All this just confuses beginners who expect that setting up a site for hosting should be much easier.
What is more profitable in terms of money: PHP or Python
If you look at the average salary in the market, it will be obvious that Python developers earn much more than PHP developers. But there is one little nuance.If you look at the vacancies, it becomes clear that the requirements for Python developers are much higher, and in general there are not so many vacancies for beginner developers.
Jobs in PHP, on the contrary, have a lower level of requirements and allow you to apply for them after 6-9 months of training.
In other words, you will earn more with Python as an experienced developer, but becoming a PHP developer is much easier and faster.
Freelance job
This is perhaps one of the most important factors that can affect the choice of language, since not everyone wants to work in an office.
PHP:
For freelancing, this language is probably ideal, since in the field of freelancing 90% of orders are working with various CMS systems that just work on PHP.
Still, there is one small problem: since there are a lot of orders, the competition is very strong, and basically customers prefer to hire those they already know. Therefore, it will be quite difficult to compete, but if it works out, you will quickly start working.
Python:
Everything is more interesting with it, since it is still more difficult to study it than PHP, then there are fewer people who know it, but the demand for it is growing, respectively, they pay much more for the orders. Therefore, if you still study it, you can relatively easily start working and for more money.