PHP Vs ASP - Which is Better?
When it comes to the business of creating and building
web sites, ASP and PHP are probably the two most popular usable
languages. But which is really better?
Both languages can be used to create Dynamic Content
Websites that can freely exchange information and interact with
databases. ASP (Active Sever Pages) is a Microsoft product, and
is usually used in conjunction with the IIS (Internet Information
Server) that runs on Microsoft services. PHP (Hypertext Pre Processor)
was a project created by Rasmus Lerdorf, and later modified by several
hundred other volunteers. It runs on UNIX and Linux servers
There are a quite a few noticeable differences
between ASP and PHP.
Price
To use ASP programs you must have IIS installed
on a Windows platform server, which is neither free nor even inexpensive.
PHP runs primarily on Linux, which is open source and free of charge
to all. Database connectivity is also fairly expensive when it comes
to ASP as MS-SQL is another Microsoft owned that must be purchased
separately. MySQL, which PHP uses, is available at no cost from
a large number of sources all over the Internet
Speed
If one compares the speed of ASP and PHP then PHP
has the advantage in this area too. PHP code quite simply runs faster
than ASP. ASP is built based upon COM architecture, which is an
overhead for the server whereas PHP code runs in its own memory
space.
Compatibility
PHP programs are capable of being run on a multiple
number of platforms such as Linux, Unix, Windows and Sun Microsystems'
Solaris whereas ASP is primarily for use with Windows platforms.
However, ASP can be made to run on a Linux based platform is a ASP-Apache
is installed on the server.
Other Associated Costs
Many PHP tools are available at no cost, and since
PHP is an open source project new code can be found in many online
forums. PHP also features such inbuilt features as email from a
web page and several encryption options. In ASP such bonuses are
not standard and the additional components you may require have
to be purchased separately from Microsoft sites.
Base Language Used
PHP is based on the C++ language, which many programmers
still consider the best programming language ever created. So for
those who like the feel of C++, they will probably find themselves
more comfortable with the syntax used in PHP. ASP has a far more
Visual Basic feel, closely related, once more, to other Microsoft
products. The user who is a fan of Microsoft in general will probably
prefer the feel of ASP over PHP. This particular issue really is
a matter of personal taste, rather than one being better than the
other.
Database Connectivity
PHP, being a very flexible open source program
has the capability to connect to a number of different database
types, although the most popular with PHP users is MySQL. ASP does
also have some database connectivity flexibility, but it is most
often used with MS
In Conclusion
Both PHP and ASP have high points and many users
can present fair arguments for using either platform. Possibly in
the end it really comes down to an individual user's personal preference
and past experience. Many people contend that ASP is the perfect
choice for e commerce websites, but that is not necessarily true.
PHP is capable of producing great results in this arena, but it
is simply that more people have chosen to use ASP that this myth
exists. Of course, if cost is to be taken as an issue, PHP would
be the hands down winner, as in essence it is completely free.
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