In this article, I’m going to Discuss the PHP vs ASP
What is PHP?
PHP is a programming language that stands for Hypertext Processor. It started as just a parsing language created by Lerdorf but later was modified by a few different people. This programming language works on Linux and UNIX servers. A scripting language is a set of instructions either to the web browser or to the server. Server-side scripting generally will uses server resources as opposed to a user’s computer. It completes all processes on a server and sends the plain page to the client which means it reduces the client-side computation overhead. In other words, before the data is passed to the users’ browser, the PHP code is executed on the webserver. It supports many databases like MySQL, Informix, Oracle, Sybase, Solid, PostgreSQL, and Generic ODBC.
Why PHP?
- Runs on various platforms (Windows, Linux, Unix, Mac OS X)
- Compatible with almost all servers used today (Apache, IIS)
- Supports a wide range of databases
- Is free to download. Download it from the official PHP resource: www.php.net
- PHP is easy to learn and runs efficiently on the server side.
What is ASP?
ASP stands for Active Server Pages. It is a server-side scripting language that allows the user to create dynamic websites with the help of server-side scripts, such as VBScript and Jscript. It is an open, compile-free application environment in which you can combine HTML, scripts, and reusable ActiveX server components to create dynamic and powerful web-based solutions. Active Server pages permit server-side scripting for Internet Information Services (IIS) with native support for both VBScript and Jscript.
Why ASP?
Dynamic web page
ASP supports scripting languages, which can be run on the webserver. The user’s web page can be dynamically created. For example, the developer can create their web page to greet each user when they log into preferences and country.
Database Access
ASP enables users to easily build a rich database functionality into their website, such as form processing.
Free availability
It is free, so the user can download the webserver from Microsoft’s website. In addition, there are no requirements to have any special tools to write an ASP code. A user can simply use any text editor like Notepad.
What is the difference between PHP vs ASP?
- Speed and performance
- Security
- Cost
- Support and resources
- Tools and editors
- Platform Dependency
Speed and performance
The speed of any programming language does not have any noticeable effect on most websites today. There are other factors to consider when it comes to measuring the web application’s speed. However, if the website must perform lots of different tasks, you should check thoroughly which programming language would be the best for the required enormous tasks.
It is better to select the programming language by analyzing its performances under different scenarios. Those can be accessing and querying the databases, outputting the results, accessing the file systems, finding an image and sending it to a web server, etc.
Security
Both platforms provide security features but in different ways. ASP.NET comes with such a built-in security feature as SQL injection. PHP provides tools to structure the applications securely.
In other words, ASP.NET makes it easier and more reliable for developers to apply security features, whereas PHP only provides you with the tools.
Many PHP developers tend to overlook security features, thus resulting in apps vulnerability. On the other hand, the security features of ASP.NET are the best because of its in-built nature that saves effort.
Cost
LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) is popular among hosting companies. Thus, it has lower monthly costs on hosting than Windows hosting.
ASP.NET is free if you purchase Windows OS. Still, there will be licensing costs for MS Windows Server, MS SQL server, and future upgrades.
Thus, PHP is more cost-efficient – it is open-source and free of charge. ASP.NET comes with free web hosting only.
Support and resources
Since LAMP is open-source, lots of dedicated developers support, update, and improve the platforms globally. If you seek help for any functionality challenge, post a question on the PHP forum. You will receive plenty of helpful information from developers around the world. The number of developers and support resources for PHP and LAMP platforms is continually growing.
ASP.NET relies on a limited number of developers from the Microsoft platform. Therefore, fewer developers are available if you seek help with some ASP.NET challenge.
Tools and editors
PHP and MySQL are editor-independent. PHP developers can access lots of functional editors. However, most ASP.NET developers rely on Microsoft’s Visual Studio Editor to develop .NET applications. ASP.NET offers lots of tools and in-built features allowing the developers to create websites with no issues.
Platform Dependency
PHP is platform-independent and can run on any platform, such as Linux, UNIX, macOS X, and Windows. ASP.NET runs on the Windows platform only. It is one of the reasons why the PHP audience is so large, and its community is so powerful.
Conclusion
PHP vs ASP
PHP has proved to be a powerful framework with lots of various open-source free libraries. Still, ASP.NET also has many advantages, especially for enterprise companies preferring Microsoft technology.
PHP has a huge open-source community, and you can find plenty of solutions online. Microsoft has a community of .net developers that you can reach for assistance. However, there might not be as many open-source solutions in .NET as you’d find in PHP.
The choice of ASP.NET vs. PHP becomes simpler when businesses and developers know all technical requirements precisely. Then, they can estimate the benefits of each technology correctly.
That’s why it is crucial to take time and evaluate the project needs. Always consult experienced professionals in web development to pick the right technology.