Why Use PHP? Main Advantages and Disadvantages [2024]

PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor, or PHP for short, is an open-source, general-purpose language. Despite being nearly three decades old, most organizations hire PHP developers to build websites and webpages of all shapes and sizes – content management systems, eCommerce stores, web applications, you name it.

So much so that this server-side scripting language powers nearly 77.5% of websites! Not just any random websites, PHP is one of the building blocks for leading websites like Facebook, Etsy, WordPress, and Spotify, to name a few. 

Whether you are looking to get into PHP programming or considering hiring a developer for your next project, here is a complete breakdown of the pros and cons of PHP.

Noteworthy Features of PHP

Before getting into the advantages and disadvantages of PHP, here is a quick roundup of some of its primary features:

Open Source

PHP is licensed under the Open Source Initiative (OSI), which means that it is open-source and publicly accessible. You can program using PHP, use its frameworks, run codes, etc., without having to pay anything for it. Download PHP and get started with it to create websites and applications of your choice.

Platform Independent

PHP is platform-independent, making it suitable for every operating system – Unix, Linux, Windows, and Mac. You can even develop your website or application in one environment and run it in another without any hitch. Apart from cross-platform compatibility, PHP is also technology and browser-agnostic.

Object Oriented

Since PHP supports object-oriented programming, it emulates the OOP principles of data encapsulation, abstraction, inheritance, polymorphism, etc. It lends some amount of modularity and reusability to the code. However, note that object-oriented programming became a feature of PHP from version 5 and beyond.

Interpreted

PHP is an interpreted language that does not require compilation into a machine language. The interpreter runs through the program line by line to execute each command. As a result, PHP allows dynamic typing, shorter executable codes, etc.

Loosely Typed Language

PHP is a loosely typed programming language. This means developers do not have to define the variable type while declaring it. The data type is attributed or converted during program run time, making this language less strict.

Advantages of PHP

The advantages of PHP are as follows.

Free to Use

As mentioned previously, PHP is an open-source language. As a result, you can use the programming language and associated syntax, frameworks, databases, libraries, and every other functionality at no additional cost.

PHP development services offer cost-effective solutions due to PHP being free to use, enabling businesses to build robust web applications without licensing fees, ensuring budget-friendly and scalable development

Ease and Simplicity

PHP is analogous to C, which is one of the most popular programming languages ever to exist. As a result, programmers who are well-versed in C programming can effortlessly transition to PHP programming (and vice versa). Even if you weren’t familiar with either of the languages, the simple nature paired with relaxed typing rules makes the learning curve of PHP fairly easy.

Community Support

PHP enjoys immense popularity, as evident from its various thriving community. Such communities offer immense support to developers from all walks of life in resolving issues or improving their skills and abilities. The community is also highly active in the betterment of the programming language by suggesting or releasing useful features, contributory libraries, and other such assets.

Extensive Library

With PHP, you get access to its extensive and powerful library that contains an assortment of optimized and pre-written codes. With such fundamentally strong building blocks readily available and accessible, you can start with tried and tested modules rather than writing everything from scratch. 

Code Reusability

While you can borrow codes from the libraries, you can also use PHP to curate a personalized library of composable, modular, and reusable elements. In doing so, you can use and reuse different yet repeatable components to build more complex applications. 

High Performance

The lightning-fast performance of PHP benchmarks has always been a key highlight of this server-side programming language. Developers can use PHP to improve code responsiveness. Such advantages stem from the fact that PHP utilizes its memory space while establishing faster connections with databases.

Limitations of PHP

The drawbacks of using PHP surround the following topics.

Versatility

Even though the scope of PHP has widened in the past few years, it remains the scripting language for building websites or web applications. However, suppose you are looking to develop solutions that leverage modern-day, cutting-edge technology like Big Data, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, etc.. In that case, PHP might fall short of your expectations.

Debugging and Error Tracking

One of PHP’s greatest criticisms is its limited debugging tools. Not only that, but these debugging tools are also notorious for glossing over errors during search and track operations. As a result, it is easy for the errors to slip by unnoticed, which can be a pain to get rid of in the later stages.

Core Behavior

PHP is a flexible and scalable language, sure. However, it has a rigid core. Due to this feature, you cannot introduce any changes or modifications to the basic functioning or framework of the application. So, once an application is developed with a specific function in mind, its scope will remain restricted to that particular task.

For those seeking more adaptability and ease of modification without diving into the intricacies of coding, exploring no-code tools like those offered by WeWeb agency could be a viable alternative to consider.

Security

The open-source nature of PHP makes it less secure. Its ASCII text file is accessible to all; anybody can change it. In contrast, when you hire developers, you gain access to a team skilled in creating secure and visually appealing mobile applications. So, the codes you write in PHP will be visible to anyone with basic technical know-how, and they can use it to analyze any bugs or loose ends in your code, which they can exploit.

Competition

Although PHP has remained relevant even after 30 years, it cannot compete with the more recent programming languages. Programming languages like Python offer greater ease, simplicity, and flexibility while following a syntax similar to English. For those looking for a more modern approach, python development services offer a range of capabilities beyond web development!

Closing Thoughts

PHP has its fair share of highs and lows. 

It is one of the oldest server-side programming languages, and this legacy programming makes it as common as ever. PHP is fast and highly responsive, which remains a primary performance metric. Community support also tips the scales in favor of PHP. 

Not to mention, the developer’s skills are paramount. To navigate challenges effectively, consider hiring a reliable developer with expertise from a relevant programming certification course to bring your vision to life.

Eventually, it all boils down to the skills and competencies of the developer. So, hire a reliable developer to realize your vision.