What are the 10 best PHP alternatives?

There are several programming languages out there that are able to handle tasks that are more general or more specialised than the scope of tasks that PHP is able to handle. We take a look at 10 PHP alternatives and explain what advantages they have over the scripting language.

PHP is a widely used open-source programming language. It’s mainly used to create dynamic websites. PHP is easy to learn and runs smoothly on a variety of systems, making it a popular choice when it comes to scripting languages.

PHP is used in well-known content management systems such as WordPress, Typo3 and Drupal. Other types of websites have also been designed in such a way that they (at least partially) rely on PHP.

A special feature of PHP is that it is executed exclusively on the server side. This is very different from other languages such as JavaScript. In practice, this means that the PHP source code is not transmitted directly to a web browser. Instead, the text runs via an interpreter at server level and is processed there. The script always remains on the server and only the result is forwarded to the end device.

These characteristics mean that PHP is not suitable for all projects and development scenarios. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the top 10 PHP alternatives. In the sections that follow, we’ll take a look at them one by one.

Java

Java is an object-based programming language used to create various applications that are used on computers or in browsers. The language works on practically every platform, allowing the code to be executed on any system.

What are the differences between PHP and Java?

Java is a frequently used programming language that is faster and more functional than PHP. In direct comparison, Java is more complex to use, which can result in an increased use of time and resources. The fact that PHP is unable to adequately implement complex applications is one of the drawbacks of the scripting language.

If PHP exceeds a certain level of complexity, its efficiency will drop sharply. This is an important point to keep in mind. For projects with less complexity, PHP offers faster deployment cycles compared to Java and is easier to maintain.

Given these special characteristics, PHP is often chosen over Java in business contexts, especially when resources are scarce, such as during the launch of a new web application. In such cases, PHP proves quite advantageous due to its readily available resources and comparatively cost-effective development. On the other hand, developers can create more complex applications with Java.

What are the advantages of Java?

Java is particularly suitable when it comes to designing more complex projects that need to be implemented quickly and, above all, securely. When it comes to APIs, for example, Java beats PHP when connecting and setting up platforms.

JavaScript

JavaScript is an interpreted language, which means that it is read and translated during execution. Originally, the language was primarily used to create interactive content for websites. Today, JavaScript’s scope of application has expanded significantly.

What are the differences between PHP and JavaScript?

JavaScript is mainly used to program real-time applications such as video games or mobile apps and is a great PHP alternative in these areas.

The two programming languages differ fundamentally in the way they access a database. While PHP enables simple and direct access, JavaScript requires its own environment to access a database.

There are also differences in syntax and case sensitivity. While both programming languages use semicolons and //, you can also use # in PHP. JavaScript is case-sensitive, but in PHP, functions are case-insensitive.

What are the advantages of Java?

The PHP vs JavaScript comparison shows that JavaScript as a browser-based programming language is faster and more efficient than PHP. With JavaScript, a function does not have to be terminated before a new one can be started. In addition, JavaScript can be used as a full-stack solution, as both frontend and backend development can run on it.

C++

When it comes to speed, C++ is second to none. The programming language is one of the fastest because it’s closer to the native machine language that computers understand. This means that C++ is faster than interpreted languages.

In our tutorial on C++ we go over the basics.

What are the differences between PHP and C++?

Developers can use C++ to write low-level code that is optimised for specific hardware architectures, resulting in faster execution times and greater efficiency. The scope also includes inline functions and templates for reusing code efficiently while ensuring portability.

PHP differs from C++ in the way it manages memory. With C++, users manually determine how the tools should be used. PHP, on the other hand, offers automated allocation and deallocation.

What are the advantages of C++?

C++ offers developers a wider range of applications. Software and games, for example, can also be programmed with it. Even if the programming language is more demanding to learn, the resulting code is more efficient and more stable. It’s also easier to detect errors with C++.

C# (also known as C++++)

C# is based on an object-oriented approach. However, the programming language operates on the basis of components that have a predetermined internal functionality. The advantage of this is that code blocks or modules can be used as independent components.

What are the differences between PHP and C#?

Unlike PHP, C# isn’t primarily used for dynamic websites. C# is designed for a broader range of applications and can be used to program both web applications and desktop applications.

There are also differences in the syntax, similar to those listed in the previous section. Like C++, C# also requires code that is cleaner and has more structure. This prevents errors and improves the code’s readability. With PHP, on the other hand, the syntax is more relaxed, making it easier to write code more easily and quickly.

What are the advantages of C#?

In terms of speed and better overall performance, C# scores highly as a PHP alternative. It is particularly suitable for web applications that need to process a lot of data, as the C# runtime environment enables faster execution. C# can also be easily extended.

Python

Python has long been regarded in programming circles as the easiest language to learn, which makes it a popular language for beginners. The programming language can also be used for a wide range of use cases.

What are the differences between PHP and Python?

When comparing PHP vs Python, it immediately becomes apparent that both programming languages are designed for programming the backend, with Python taking a more general approach. Python can be used for more use cases than PHP and performs better when it comes to scalability.

Even if Python is a particularly beginner-friendly programming language, it’s generally slower in execution. PHP can be three times faster than Python in newer versions.

In terms of security, Python offers more security than PHP. It has numerous features, one of which is limiting gateways for cyberattacks.

What are the advantages of Python?

Python is one of the older programming languages, and this is particularly evident in its range of features. Extensive support and a large number of existing libraries make it easier to work with the language and ensure that users can familiarise themselves with it quickly. In addition, Python runs on a large number of systems and platforms and can be easily transferred.

Ruby

Ruby is considered to be as easy to learn as Python and is particularly popular for its simplicity and high level of productivity. Ruby is a dynamic language, which increases its flexibility.

What are the differences between PHP and Ruby?

Ruby differs from PHP mostly due to its simple and programmer-friendly syntax, which can be used to create clean and maintainable code. At the same time, Ruby can be used to create more complex applications.

PHP is not object-based in all cases, which means that coding can be more time-consuming than with Ruby. In addition, applications can be created faster in Ruby on Rails than in PHP. The integrated testing of the additional framework Rails significantly reduces the time to deployment.

On the other hand, PHP is faster in other areas. For example, PHP can transfer data it needs via the web server even if parts of the stack are unknown. In contrast, the entire stack has to be known to carry out the transfer with Ruby. This means that details such as the type of web server and the data basis must be clear, requiring additional steps to be carried out.

This additional effort is reflected in the hosting costs. Ruby requires a more comprehensive service than PHP, which results in many providers not supporting Ruby on Rails or not pricing the support service accordingly.

What are the advantages of Ruby?

Ruby’s strength lies in the software development process itself, as Ruby is an object-intensive language and offers an integrated test framework with Rails. With this combination, applications can be created and tested much faster in Ruby on Rails than with PHP. Even if a certain amount of debugging is required, Ruby on Rails significantly shortens the time to deployment.

Erlang

Erlang is a very powerful programming language that was primarily developed to handle large amounts of data in real time. New functionalities can be added to this language while it’s running.

What are the differences between PHP and Erlang?

Erlang is used by programmers to create real-time systems that offer both high scalability and comprehensive availability. Erlang has its origins in telecommunications and the language is particularly useful when several agents need to communicate with each other within a network. This includes messaging apps or blockchain applications, for example.

Unlike PHP, which has a partially object-oriented structure, Erlang takes a process-oriented approach. As a result, the system, which comes with integrated support, is designed for parallelism, distribution within the network and fault tolerance.

What are the advantages of Erlang?

Erlang is particularly suitable for building scalable systems with fault tolerance, even in comparison with other common programming languages. True to the motto ‘Let it crash’, Erlang’s supervisor system easily restarts processes, supporting the development of a self-healing system.

Due to its early use in telecommunications, Erlang is designed to write concurrent programs and enable parallel communication.

Elixir

Elixir is a young programming language that impresses above all with its dynamic and functional aspects. Scalability is the focus of Elixir, as many millions of users can be processed simultaneously in live environments.

What are the differences between PHP and Elixir?

Like Erlang, Elixir is also a functional programming language without objects. This makes it easier to write simple and easy-to-edit code.

Elixir combines functions from Ruby and Erlang so that the language has a high degree of parallelism and low latency. This also makes Elixir suitable for processing large amounts of data. Elixir is another language that is well suited to scalable projects.

What are the advantages of Elixir?

Elixir is known for its fast performance because the language does not need to be interpreted. At the same time, the language is scalable and easy to learn, even for beginners.

Go (also known as Golang)

Go, also known as Golang, is characterised by its speed. At the same time, the programming language is easy to learn and combines useful aspects of other languages with a wide range of development possibilities.

What are the differences between PHP and Go?

Like PHP, Go is designed for backend development and in direct comparison, scores highly with high performance, scalability and parallelism. This makes Go suitable for developing apps, microservices and distributed systems.

Like Elixir and Erlang, Go can be used to create easy-to-read and easy-to-maintain code. The built-in test environment ensures that the functionality of the code you create can easily be checked in advance. However, the coding requirements are linked to certain conventions that require consistency throughout the code.

What are the advantages of Go?

Go focuses on simple and efficient coding processes. This means that compilation times are shorter. Thanks to the integrated support for parallelism, several tasks can be processed simultaneously with Go. This makes the programming language ideal for high-performance applications and microservices.

Rust

Rust primarily stands for security in development. The programming language is popular with developers as it rethinks some features, ensuring the code is clean and structured. This also makes Rust faster, which further contributes to its popularity.

What are the differences between PHP and Rust?

As an alternative to PHP, Rust provides developers with a safe and practical programming language that offers a test mode just like Ruby on Rails or Go. Like Go, Rust has clear coding conventions. PHP is more flexible in this respect thanks to its dynamic nature and the fact that it allows for greater variance within the code.

A big difference lies in the way Rust deals with unused data. PHP and other programming languages work with a garbage collector that removes unused data in the background. Rust takes its own approach with the ownership approach where variables remain in place until the end of their enclosing scope (or parenthesis). They can then either be moved to another function, which further invalidates them, or they can continue to be used within the same function. The results in code that is structured in a cleaner manner.

What are the advantages of Rust?

Rust is a safe language that executes fast. Its unique way of managing data means data storage doesn’t happen at the expense of performance. In use, Rust is a hybrid programming language from low to high level, depending on the use case.

Thanks to its similarity to other programming languages such as C++, Rust is also easy to learn for beginners. Additionally, it offers features such as a test mode. In this mode, error descriptions provide concrete information describing what has gone wrong.

Which PHP alternative is right for my project?

Here is a brief summary of the different use cases that the PHP alternatives in this article are best suited to:

• Java: More complex applications, APIs for connecting platforms
• JavaScript: Real-time applications such as mobile apps and video games, full stack solution
• C++: Broader application possibilities, e.g., software, games, applications optimised for specific hardware architectures
• C# (C++++): Data-intensive web and desktop applications, good extensibility
• Python: Diverse applications, good scalability, widely used
• Ruby: More complex applications, faster coding (Ruby on Rails), integrated testing
• Erlang: Processing large amounts of data in real time, e.g., messaging apps and blockchain applications, high scalability and fault tolerance
• Elixir: Live environments with many users, high scalability
• Go (Golang): Apps, microservices and distributed systems, integrated testing
• Rust: Diverse, hybrid applications, efficient data storage, integrated testing

There is no one programming language that is perfectly suited to all use cases and can replace all others. After comparing various alternatives to PHP, it’s clear that the different languages mentioned in this article excel in specific areas, sometimes meeting certain needs and requirements more effectively than PHP. Some languages listed here are also inherently more user-friendly when it comes to writing code. Depending on your requirements, you may still find that PHP is the most suitable option for you.