10 Top PHP Alternatives You Should Know for Web Development

While PHP has been around since the early days of the internet and continues to be one of the most popular programming languages in use today, it’s not without its flaws. This can make it hard to work with as many websites require more technical expertise than just being able to read code.

PHP’s popularity may not last much longer as it runs into some limitations that alternative languages do not have. Fortunately, there are plenty of other options that are better suited to building dynamic web applications, each of which has unique strengths and weaknesses that make them appropriate for different kinds of projects.

1) Ruby on Rails 

Ruby on Rails has been a popular framework for web development. It’s easy to use, full of features and is open source with a large community backing it. Its website also includes a handy getting started guide. One potential downside is that it can be difficult to find help if you need it. With over 250K libraries, some have outdated versions or no documentation. The language can also feel unnatural at times.

Here are some pros of using Ruby on Rails:

• Ruby is a newer language, so it has fewer issues with legacy code.
• Ruby integrates better with other languages like Python and Java because of the way the interpreter works.
• It’s easier to write in less code than in more code with this language.
• The framework is based on MVC (Model-View-Controller), which separates logic from the presentation from data access, making coding much cleaner and simpler, especially for inexperienced developers
• For large projects, it’s much more modular to use one language rather than two or three
• It doesn’t have any SQL injection vulnerabilities because it doesn’t use SQL as its database engine
• It’s fully object-oriented
• Ruby programs can be run interactively in a read-eval-print loop
• Dynamic variables make programming faster
• If you’re already familiar with another high-level language, then you will be able to pick up Ruby quickly.

2) Node.js

Node.js is a platform built on JavaScript and designed to enable developers to build server-side applications with scalability in mind (it was originally developed by Ryan Dahl in 2009). It’s a perfect solution if you are looking to implement an event-driven architecture and/or build highly concurrent web applications. It has the performance characteristics of C but is written in JavaScript, so it is easier to learn and use than the likes of Java or Go.

Here are some pros of using Node.js:

• The server is less likely to crash because there is no heavy reliance on any specific programming language or framework.
• Node is designed to handle high loads without falling apart and can serve more requests per second than Apache or IIS (Internet Information Services).
• Node can be used as a web server, so you can have your backend logic running in Node while still serving static files from the Apache/IIS machine.
• Since there are no databases, the runtime environment will not be restricted by RAM memory requirements which makes it perfect for mobile devices with limited resources.
• Javascript offers a great deal of flexibility when handling user interactions with the web application, and is much easier to write than languages like C++ or Java. -Websockets allow users to send messages back and forth over a persistent connection rather than only receiving new data when they refresh their page.
• It is possible to compile the code into native executables that make it behave like other OS executable binaries.
• Node has built-in modules that allow you to work with different types of media, filesystems, network protocols, etc., meaning that developers can spend less time writing boilerplate code that does not add value.

3) Python

Python is a general-purpose, high-level programming language that can be used to create many different types of applications. Python is an excellent alternative for web development because it is dynamic and highly adaptable. It can be used as a scripting language or can be compiled into executable programs, making it more flexible than many other languages.

Here are some pros of using Python:

• Python is one of the most popular languages for beginners.
• Python offers a wide range of programming paradigms, including object-oriented, imperative, and functional programming styles.
• The syntax is easy to learn and use which makes it ideal for beginners.
• Python has a lot of tools to help developers, such as an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) called Spyder or IPython Notebook.
• It’s free and open source which helps keep costs down.
• With PyPI (a library to find new software) there’s no need to wait until you upgrade your operating system before downloading the latest version of your favorite libraries
• it can all be done in one place with just a few clicks!
• Python is also great because it supports web development frameworks like Django, Pyramid, Flask, and Tornado.
• Many programmers who code in Python will also code in C++ since they’re both imperative languages but have different uses so knowing both would give you a huge edge over other applicants when looking for jobs.
• There have never been any major security issues with this language making it perfect for those that don’t want to worry about something like Heartbleed ever happening again.

4) Golang

Golang is an open-source programming language developed by Google in 2009. It’s a general-purpose language with modern features like garbage collection, and type safety, and it’s easy to install on Windows, Mac OSX, and Linux.

Go offers a clean syntax that makes it easier to work with concurrency in your code than other languages such as C++ or Java.  the potential to overtake PHP as the leading web programming language of 2018 if they get some more attention from developers and their adoption increases in popularity.

Here are some pros of using Golang:

• A golang program can be compiled into a single executable binary which can run on a server, mobile device, or in the cloud with no other dependencies.
• As it is based on C, golang is easy to learn for those familiar with C. It has been developed with performance in mind and offers better garbage collection when compared to PHP and Ruby.
• The concurrency model used by golang makes it easier to write programs that handle multiple simultaneous operations like web requests. It also makes it easier to write a program that responds well under heavy loads.
• When you need to make a REST call from your application, you can use Go’s native HTTP package. Requests made through this package will always take advantage of HTTP/2 where possible.
• Error handling is built into the language and will let you know what went wrong at the time your code was compiled.
• Unlike PHP where errors can only be reported after runtime (which means more time wasted before debugging), Golang allows errors to be handled at compile time so they don’t happen again later in execution (where they’re harder to find).
• Go also provides native support for JSON encoding/decoding as part of its standard library, simplifying many tasks related to parsing JSON responses or providing data in this format.

5) Java

Java is a programming language and computing platform that was originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems in the 1990s. It is used in a wide variety of applications from video games to operating systems, as well as being one of the most popular languages used to create websites and apps. It’s also the most popular language on GitHub and is easy to learn. What’s more, the open-source Apache Foundation hosts an excellent reference library of tutorials and documentation.

Here are some pros of using Java:

• Java is used in several of today’s most popular programming languages. Java applications are typically cross-platform, meaning that they can run on several different operating systems.
• It is designed to be secure. Java applications are sandboxed, meaning they have restricted access to system resources and can only use certain pre-approved features of the underlying operating system.
• There is a wide selection of software tools available to developers that make it easier to write and debug programs. They include IDEs like Eclipse, NetBeans, IntelliJ IDEA, etc.
• These offer advanced code navigation and error-checking functionality as well as automatic formatting options.
• Java is a portable language. Any program written in Java will work on any computer with the JVM installed.

6) Elixir

Elixir is a dynamic, functional language designed for building scalable and maintainable applications. It runs on the Erlang virtual machine, known for running low-latency, distributed and fault-tolerant systems.

Erlang is used by some of the most demanding companies in the world, such as Ericsson and Facebook. With this powerful platform under its belt, it’s no wonder that Elixir is so attractive to developers who are seeking out a stable and responsive environment in which they can write elegant code.

Here are some pros of using Elixir:

• It provides a way to create robust and scalable web applications.
• Elixir is much faster than other languages, due to its concurrency features.
• It is highly expressive, which means developers don’t have to write code to do the same thing that would take a few lines in other languages.
• It comes with built-in tools like iex (interactive shell) that make it easier to get feedback on code as you write it.
• The language can be compiled or run in an interactive mode. That makes it easy to do quick prototyping without having to spend time setting up dependencies or installation from scratch every time you start coding something new.

7) TypeScript

TypeScript is a superset of JavaScript and includes type checking, optional static typing, classes and modules, and powerful type abstractions. ES6 is the latest version of the ECMAScript standard that’s not yet fully supported by browsers. With TypeScript we can write ES6 code today. It compiles to JavaScript so we can use it with any browser or node environment.

Here are some pros of using TypeScript:

• Provides better compiler diagnostics – One advantage of using TypeScript is the compiler will warn you about any type mismatches in your code. It’ll point out any potential errors to avoid them in the future. If you’re not seeing any warnings, then it’s more likely that there aren’t any type mismatches in your code.
• Error detection and reporting – Another advantage is that the compiler will catch some errors before they cause a runtime error. The compiler can find problems like missing semicolons at the end of lines or undeclared variables. These may be small issues, but if you have dozens or hundreds of files this could save hours trying to track down where something went wrong with your code.
• Better performance- With a compiled language like TypeScript, the browser will only need to download what it needs from the server instead of downloading all JavaScript files at once which speeds up page loading time because less data needs to be downloaded from the server.

8) Erlang

Erlang is a programming language with a runtime system. It is the most popular language on the BEAM virtual machine and has been used to develop some of the largest real-time applications in production today. Erlang can be used both as an embedded language and as a stand-alone language. The syntax is declarative, functional, and concurrent.

Here are some pros of using Erlang:

• Fewer Bugs – Erlang’s code is typically more bug-free than other languages
• Memory Management – It’s memory management capabilities are better than C, C++, and Java
• Open Source – Most people contribute to the open source development on GitHub
• Safety and Security – Programs written in Erlang have a fault tolerance property because they automatically check for errors before sending messages to each other which prevents system failures and crashes from cascading
• Speed – Program execution is quicker in Erlang because it has no buffer space required by processes or threads that would increase processing time
• Easy Deployment- It’s possible to use only one application to deploy the software which reduces deployment costs
• Fault Tolerance – If one process crashes, Erlang will self-heal
• Run-Time Errors – Developers can write down run-time errors with ease
• Cross Platform Compatible and Concurrent Processing

9) Rust

Rust is a multi-paradigm language that focuses on safety, speed, and concurrency. It is primarily compiled and uses static typing, but it can be used from other languages with various levels of success. It features compile-time memory checks to prevent undefined behavior in high-level code, which avoids the need for manual memory management in low-level code.

Rust’s standard library is small but functional and provides primitives such as threads and mutexes. There are also a variety of third-party libraries written in the language that extend its capabilities.

Here are some pros of using Rust:

• It’s less than half the size (in lines) and has fewer lines of code,
• Runs on Windows, Mac OSX, and Linux
• Supports safe concurrency with multiple threads
• Uses a higher-level type of system
• Provides type inference
• Functions as a better replacement for C++
• Supports generics
• Allows low-level access to memory
• Compiles to native machine code
• Supports inline assembly
• Operators do not require brackets
• Supports functional features
• Eliminates null pointers
• Safer by default
• Optionally run managed
• Doesn’t need GC

10) C++

C++ is a powerful, general-purpose programming language. It can be used to make programs that do many different things. C++ is compiled into an executable program. Programs in this language are not typically interpreted at runtime by another program, but rather they are directly executed by the system’s CPU. That said, there exist implementations of JavaScript, Python and other languages that compile code down to C++ so they can run on systems that do not support these languages natively.

One downside of this approach is that compiling the code takes longer than interpreting it would take – it also creates larger executables than interpreted versions would have been. With all that being said, the advantages often outweigh the disadvantages when considering a project in this language.

Here are some pros of using C++:

• Better access to hardware and operating system resources;
• The language is really fast, and it can be used to write efficient code that does not need much memory;
• Provides a library for everything you may want, from low-level functionality like threads and networking up to high-level functionality like strings and file I/O;
• Features support for automatic garbage collection so you don’t have to worry about freeing up the memory your app uses after use;
• Allows you to easily use existing code libraries written in other languages such as Python or Java (this is called foreign function interface);
• The compiler has good error messages so it’s easy to find problems in your code.;
• There are many third-party frameworks available for different purposes – Unity3D, Urho3D, ECS2D, and more.
• It provides a way to do exception handling without introducing too many complications into your codebase.
• There are many third-party frameworks available for different purposes – Unity3D, Urho3D, ECS2D, and more.
• It provides a way to do exception handling without introducing too many complications into your codebase

Conclusion

PHP is one of the most well-known programming languages and has been the go-to choice in many web development projects. But, with a growing number of new technologies available, it might be time to start considering alternatives to PHP for web development projects.

You can hire an expert PHP development company like us who will give you a hand so that you have less on your plate. In conclusion, there are many reasons why you might want to use one of these alternatives instead of PHP. It all depends on your needs and goals.

For example, if you need a database system and a dynamic language, Ruby is a good choice. If you have an existing codebase in another language and you don’t have time to move it to something new like Elixir, then your best bet may be something like Joomla or Drupal. Choosing which one to use can seem daunting at first, but once you make the decision the process will go much smoother!