Is PHP Dying? This question is often asked by Businesses and Coders alike! In this blog, we will find an answer of this question through various stats and facts. So, let’s begin!
PHP has been an integral part of the web development community since it was first released in 1994. The open-source language, which serves as the foundation for WordPress, Facebook, Drupal, and many other popular applications and websites, has completed its 28th anniversary in 2022.
PHP has been getting competition from newer alternatives such as Python, Java, NodeJS, and Ruby on Rails. While PHP continues to see widespread adoption among web developers today, some predict that PHP will gradually fade into obsolescence over the next ten years. If these predictions prove true,
- What does this mean for the future of web development?
- What do PHP developers need to know about how to prepare themselves?
- How can software companies prepare their services to avoid disruption?
Let’s find out answer here:
6 Top Reasons Which Supports PHP is Dying Soon
Here are some reasons why a large portion of the tech community thinks PHP is slowly dying:
PHP is Dying Reason 1: PHP is losing popularity among coders
As per the Tiobe index for August 2022, PHP is losing popularity. It ranked eighth in August 2021, dropping to tenth in August 2022. On the other hand, its counterparts are gaining popularity every year. Python has now become the top programming language.
PHP is also losing its popularity yearly, whereas Python is gaining it yearly. Check this YoY popularity graph of both PHP and Python:
A quick Python vs PHP Comparison:
PHP is Dying Reason 2: Limited Fields or Use Cases
However, as software developers continue to look beyond the Internet and into Artificial Intelligence (AI), Virtual Reality (VR), and Augmented Reality (AR), the future of PHP seems bleak. PHP use-cases are limited. It can’t be used for Machine Learning, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence or Automation tasks.
Gone are those when coders are looking for language only for website development. They are looking for an all-rounder programming language that can do various programming tasks with little effort. With the growing demand for new features and languages that allow you to do things with your data, such as machine learning, data science, artificial intelligence, and automation, I think we’ll see PHP shrink even more in 2023.
PHP is Dying Reason 3: Debugging & Performance is Slower
Debugging in the PHP programming language is much slower than in other languages. This is because PHP is interpreted rather than compiled. This means that each time a change is made, the code must be re-interpreted, which can take a lot of time. Additionally, there are now many alternatives to PHP which are faster and more efficient. For example:
- Google’s Go language is reportedly up to 10x as fast as C++ in some tasks.
- NodeJS has been gaining popularity among developers for its ease of use in developing server-side applications using only JavaScript without needing any knowledge of backend programming languages like PHP.
PHP is Dying Reason 4: Security Issues due to Its Open Source Nature
PHP is an open-source language that is not as secure as it could be as the ASCII text files are often readily available. There have been a plethora of high-profile breaches in recent years where hackers could access server information because the site ran a version of PHP with known vulnerabilities.
For example, in 2014, Yahoo! announced that 500 million user accounts had been compromised after hackers stole data from one of their servers running a vulnerable version of PHP. Though they quickly took down the vulnerability, there have been other breaches.
PHP is Dying Reason 5: Doesn’t Allow Modification in Core Behavior
PHP doesn’t allow for change or modification in core behavior, so if you want to add or remove features, you must write an entirely new script. This can be a massive pain, especially if you are trying to customize an existing application. Worse yet, if you make a mistake in your code, there’s no easy way to fix it. You either have to start over from scratch or find a workaround. These limitations mean that a poorly-coded PHP application will remain bad forever, and developers are often stuck with workarounds that may not even work well.
PHP also lacks flexibility regarding data types; for example, integers must be specified as strings such as 123 instead of 123. While this is easy for small projects, it can become cumbersome with more extensive applications. In contrast, modern programming languages like Java and Ruby offer the ability to extend their core functionality by adding modules (libraries) and interfaces (frameworks).
PHP is Dying Reason 6: Not Suitable for Large Content-based Web Applications
PHP is not suitable for sizeable content-based web applications for several reasons.
- First, PHP is not very efficient in handling large amounts of data.
- Second, PHP is not very scalable, so it can’t handle much traffic without slowing down.
- Third, PHP is not very secure, so your website is at risk of being hacked if you use PHP.
- Fourth, PHP is not very flexible, so you may have to make many changes to your code if you would like to add new features or change existing ones.
- Fifth, PHP is not very well supported, so you may have difficulty finding help if you run into problems.
PHP is Dying Reason 7: PHP Requires More Resources
PHP is a resource-intensive language that may slow down websites. It requires more RAM and CPU power than other languages, which can cause your server to crash. Additionally, PHP is not as efficient as other languages regarding code execution. Your website will take longer to load, which can frustrate users. You can optimize your website’s performance in many ways, but some may be out of reach for people who do not have the budget or expertise. If you are new to web development, you may want to avoid using PHP because it is challenging to learn the intricacies of this language. php is dead, php is dead, php is dead
Top Reasons Which Ensures PHP Will Remain Alive & Kicking For Centuries to Come
PHP programming language has been around us for more than two decades and shows no signs of going away soon. With new functionality and features being added all the time, PHP will only become more robust and full-featured in the future. So why is PHP so popular? It certainly isn’t because it’s challenging to learn or lacks features other programming languages provide. No, the reason why PHP hasn’t died yet (and hopefully never will) is because of these reasons:
The world’s top websites use PHP
PHP powers some of the world’s top websites, including Facebook, Wikipedia, and WordPress. Tumblr, Slack, MailChimp, Etsy, WordPress, and Magento are all built with PHP. A whopping 45%+ of the top 10 million websites use PHP. Have a look at recent stats by Statista:
New Frameworks are constantly being created
There is always something new on the horizon when it comes to PHP. New frameworks are being created, ensuring the language stays relevant and up-to-date. Plus, with the help of these new frameworks, developers can create more innovative and efficient applications. In short, PHP is constantly evolving – and that’s a good thing.
Community support is extremely strong
One of the reasons that PHP has become so popular is because of the supportive community that has grown around it. Developers and programmers worldwide have contributed to making PHP what it is today. If you have ever encountered a problem while coding in PHP, there is already a community-made solution for you.
Pretty affordable due to open source
When it comes to custom website development, one of the most critical factors is affordability. And regarding affordability, PHP has a significant advantage over other languages because it is open source. This means that no licensing fees are associated with using PHP, which can make a big difference for small businesses or individual developers working on a tight budget. This makes it an excellent option for small businesses looking to create a website on a budget. Additionally, because PHP is so widely used, plenty of free resources and tutorials are available online.
Other Reasons
Due to the recent rise in DevOps and cloud computing, there has been a significant demand for PHP developers. This means that PHP skills are constantly being replenished by new graduates and experienced programmers looking to break into the industry. The result is that PHP developers can command high salaries and enjoy many employment opportunities, ensuring our profession’s continued growth.
Conclusion
When considering whether PHP is dying in 2023, it’s essential to look at the language’s popularity and prospects. While PHP has been declining in popularity over the past few years, it remains one of the most popular languages today. For this reason, some have argued that PHP isn’t dying in 2023. However, as more developers are looking for alternatives like Python or Ruby for their projects, it could lead to a situation where there are not enough programmers with expertise in the language to maintain all existing software written in PHP.
What’s your thought on “Is PHP Dying” Analysis? Let’s discuss this in the comment box!
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Yes, I also think that PHP is not dying in 2023 due to its long history and wide use case.. Thanks for the article
Hey! thanks for providing research for this blog.. Definitely, PHP is not dying soon! totally agree.. but they have to work hard in this competition.
Thanks Jason for the feedback