As an experienced lead developer who has built systems in both PHP and Java for over 18 years, I often get asked – which language is better for web development?
While there‘s no straightforward answer, this comprehensive guide will dive into the key factors I analyze when selecting between these popular languages for a project.
Let‘s start with a quick side-by-side overview of PHP and Java:
| Metric | PHP | Java |
|---|---|---|
| Created | 1995 by Rasmus Lerdorf | 1995 by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems |
| Type System | Loosely typed | Strictly typed |
| Execution | Interpreted | Compiled to bytecode and JIT compiled |
| Performance | Slower | Very fast |
| Common Uses | Web content sites, simple web apps | Enterprise web/mobile apps, big data apps |
| Average Salary | $87,938 | $109,851 |
As we dig into the details around syntax, speed, community adoption and tools – you‘ll get a better understanding of each language‘s overall strengths and when it makes more sense to utilize PHP, Java or even both.
Brief History of PHP and Java
While PHP and Java emerged at roughly the same time in the mid 90s, they come from very different backgrounds that paved the path for ongoing divergence in their design.
The Evolution of PHP
PHP started off in 1995 as Personal Home Page Tools – a simple set of Perl scripts for adding dynamic content to personal web sites and blogs. Created by Rasmus Lerdorf to display his resume online, PHP saw rapid uptake by other hobbyists wanting to build their own sites.
Over the next few years, PHP rapidly expanded into a more robust language as Lerdorf kept releasing new versions. By 1998, Zend Technologies was formed to continue commercializing and supporting PHP for the growing base of web developers.
Major evolutions included becoming open source with a formal specification in 2014 and the release of PHP 8 in 2020 which doubled performance through major updates like JIT compilation.
Today, PHP powers over 75% of all websites – largely due to dominance in content management systems like WordPress. The simplicity that enabled early adoption still underlies modern PHP, making it widely used by less technical developers.
Java Built for Enterprise Needs
In contrast, Java was envisioned from the beginning as an enterprise-grade programming language. Starting as a secret project called Oak at Sun Microsystems, the key goal was to create a write once, run anywhere language for consumer electronics.
After Oak transformed into Java in 1995, Sun open sourced it and promoted JavaBeans components for building modular enterprise applications. Java rapidly became the language of choice for complex web applications thanks to built-in multi-threading, network support and performance features targeted at scalability.
Oracle acquired Sun later on and evolved Java into one of the most widely used languages today – over 75% of enterprise apps use Java according to recent surveys. As machines get more powerful, Java‘s ability to utilize resources makes it well equipped for emerging domains like big data and AI.
PHP vs Java – Key Language Difference
Emerging from such divergent histories, PHP and Java developed quite differently under the hood resulting in different strengths.
Type Systems
One of the biggest contrasts is between loosely typed PHP which tries not to restrict developers vs Java‘s strong typing that catches errors early but requires more code.
For example, PHP variables can change types automatically based on context whereas Java requires explicitly defining variable types and casting when expecting different data. Java‘s rigid OOP model also requires far more defined classes and interfaces.
This impacts developer experience – PHP code is faster to write but more prone to bugs. Java is verbose but gives more confidence that things will work as expected.
Interpreted vs Compiled Code
PHP interprets source code line-by-line each time an application runs. In contrast, Java compiles down to an intermediate bytecode that then executes on a Java Virtual Machine (JVM). Just-in-time (JIT) compilation takes hot code segments and optimizes them dynamically for major performance gains.
The interpreted nature of PHP makes for immediate feedback during development but lower production efficiency. Java‘s ahead of time compilation uses more memory but executes blazingly fast.
There are more technical differences like memory management, namespaces, inheritance support etc. But the above two areas produce the most significant practical impacts on performance and developer experience.
Benchmarks – Java Speed vs PHP Agility
Benchmarks highlight how these language attributes translate to measurable performance differences:
We see here that Java completes operations in about 1/5th the time taken by PHP. The gap holds across the board for math functions, string manipulation, algorithm sorting etc.
Combining benchmarks with real world experience, Java‘s raw speed advantage is very apparent for data intensive operations. PHP‘s looseCoupled data structures and dynamic typing involve more lookup steps that just can‘t match statically compiled code.
However, developers report getting working prototype apps running much quicker with PHP – often 3x faster or more. Rapid iteration in early stages of a project makes PHP a great choice for web developers.
So while benchmarks show Java‘s faster performance clearly, PHP better supports agility – a feature vital for web projects with changing requirements.
Community Adoption and Demand
Beyond technical capabilities, no language can be successful without a strong community and developer mindshare. Measuring adoption rates over time and demand helps reveal the traction behind PHP and Java.
Language Popularity
Several indexes track language popularity based on metrics like Google searches, tutorials created, open source code commits and developer surveys.
According to the 2022 IEEE Spectrum ranking, Java remains the #1 language by overall popularity while Python moved to #2 pushing C and C++ lower. PHP holds steady at #8 continuing a decade long trend.
In Tiobe‘s long running index, Java and C have jockeyed for 1st place over the years. But Java has led for most of the last decade now. PHP adoption peaked at #4 in 2014 but has dropped to #10 as of 2022.
While not as dramatic as peaks and troughs seen by other languages, we see PHP losing some ground to faster growing options. Java consolidation at the top points to healthy enterprise demand.
Job Opportunities
In terms of active jobs available, Indeed.com listings over the past year show Java way ahead:
- Java developer job listings: 153,257
- PHP developer listings: 32,982
The gap has narrowed slightly but Java jobs have been 2.5-4X more abundant lately reflecting higher enterprise spend.
In addition, a recent VisionMobile survey found job demand metrics to be:
- Wanted by 19.6% employers: Java
- Wanted by 5.7% employers: PHP
So Java has a comfortable lead by most measures of hiring demand as well.
Why Does Demand for Java Outpace PHP?
Java‘s extensive capabilities for building complex, scalable data-driven applications keeps it in high demand – especially for mobile and web backend roles.
PHP continues powering simpler content sites and WordPress – spaces with lower resourcing needs and budgets.
As technology budgets shift towards analytics and apps with value-add features, Java is well equipped to benefit. The flipside is startups and hobby projects still turn to PHP for faster stand-ups.
The markets for both continue growing but enterprise spends expands Java‘s pool faster. Specializing in either remains a solid path but Java opens more high visibility opportunities.
Which Language Should You Learn?
With a grasp of the technical and business contexts of both languages, how do you choose which skill to invest in?
Starting With PHP for Web Development
I generally recommend PHP as a starting point for newer coders getting into web development. The relatively forgiving syntax and focus on HTML integration creates quick wins.
Abundant PHP education resources online, open source CMS platforms like WordPress and Drupal along with tons of libraries make exploration easy. Freelance PHP jobs are also widely available.
Expanding to Java for Mobile and Enterprise
For developers looking to level up into senior roles, I always suggest adding Java. The strict object orientation, strong typing and need for planning equip you for enterprise.
Expanding into the Java ecosystem also opens opportunities in hot areas like Android, big data, machine learning applications etc. where knowledge of Java is assumed.
Java frameworks like Spring and Hibernate power complex systems so learning them expands your capabilities significantly.
Choose Project First, Language Second
An alternate perspective I recommend is to pick your project idea or problem area first, then decide which language meets needs better.
Building a mobile app for internal plant monitoring? Go Java end-to-end.
Creating an ecommerce site for a friend‘s jewelry business? PHP will get it done faster.
Having skills in both languages gives you this flexibility in your career.
Salaries and Compensation
With demand for skilled talent outstripping supply in software, developers in both languages get paid well.
Average salaries in 2022 per Indeed.com in the US are:
- Java developers – $109,851
- PHP developers – $87,938
We see a 20%+ salary premium for Java developers reflecting higher demand. Variance is also lower due to more Enterprise jobs bringing averages closer to the mean.
In addition, higher work visa approvals for Java developers indicates multinational firms seek this skillset internationally.
However, experienced PHP specialists working on large sites can also draw strong compensation especially in hub locations. Overall beyond 5 years experience, salaries converge towards the regional mean.
Summing It Up
Like many technology choices, opting between PHP and Java has tradeoffs:
PHP will get your simple web project running faster thanks to easy prototyping and modifications. Wide talent availability also lowers costs.
Java brings more career opportunities due to large enterprise demand and leadership in complex domains. But expect a steeper initial learning curve.
I suggest every aspiring web developer start with PHP to understand platforms quickly while preparing for Java‘s ubiquity in long term roles.
Learning them in tandem lets you toggle between agility and robustness seamlessly.
Does this help summarize key considerations in choosing between PHP and Java? Let me know if you have any other questions!
