PHP V. Java
PHP, or PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor, is a server-side scripting language used to create dynamic Web pages, while Java is a programming language that can be used to write code for both Web and software applications. While they can, indeed, both be used for Web-delivered content, they have distinct differences in how they handle and deliver data. Additionally, Java code is written and compiled, while PHP commands are dynamic and rendered on the fly as accessed by server or Web browser.
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PHP
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Like Microsoft’s proprietary language ASP, PHP is a server-side language. Scripts written in server-side languages contain the specific scripts, HTML and content for that page or site, and are read and executed on a server, which may or may not be then rendered in a Web browser. PHP files are usually run in conjunction with MySQL, a free, open-source database program, although PHP can also be used with Oracle, Informix, sockets and other database formats. It is cross-platform and can be read on a variety of different platforms, such as Windows, Unix, Linux and Mac operating systems.
PHP Applications
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PHP can be used to create dynamic Web pages or a website, collect and email form data or create cookies, temporary programs that are stored on a user’s computer to collect and store information, such as passwords. PHP can also be used to control regularly executed, automatic scripts called “crons” through command line scripting, although PHP, used in conjunction with a database, server and browser to deliver Web content is its primary and most efficient function.
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Java
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Java is a full, object-oriented and class-based programming language based on a C and C++-based syntax. It is popular because, like PHP, Java applications can be developed and run on a variety of different platforms, operating systems and devices, as long as the machine has a virtual Java Runtime Environment (JRE) installed. The JRE is tailored for different machines, but it essentially creates a third, Java-friendly environment, in which all Java code can be translated into its intended application.
Java Applications
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In use, Java commonly builds applications for computers, laptops, gaming consoles and Blu-ray players. It can also be used as a networking language, since it can access data from many platforms, as long as those machines have a JRE. Java is less-commonly used to build Web pages, although it is often used to build small, dynamic programs called “applets,” which can be run alongside or embedded within a page. Applets often contain and run games, maps, calendars or interactive tools.
PHP vs. Java
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Ultimately, Java and PHP can be interchanged to perform many of the same functions. Programmers develop a preference for one or the other based on experience and familiarity. Developers also often debate scalability and speed when comparing the two languages. It is often thought that Java, as a traditional programming language, is easier to scale to contain code which can accommodate ever-increasing amounts of data. It is also often thought that the way in which Java interacts with databases makes it faster than PHP. However, O’Reilly author Jack Herrington states that this is not quite true and that by creating a logical architecture can allow PHP to scale and perform as well and quickly as Java.
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