Dynamic Languages: ASP vs. PHP

March 30, 2009

Dynamic Languages: ASP vs. PHP

There are many tools available that will help you create dynamic web pages. Two of the most common technologies on the market today are ASP and PHP. While the languages essentially strive to meet the same goals, they are quite diverse, each with their advantages and disadvantages. In this article we will overview both and try to help you make the determination on which technology is right for you.

PHP

Short for Hypertext Protocol, PHP is a mature server-side programming languages and one of the most widely in the world. At the time of this article, PHP is responsible for the creation of millions of pages on the web. Aside from its power, the major draw to this language is an open-source license that allows it to be used freely. Additionally, PHP is largely supported and compatible with operating systems that range from Linux and Unix to Windows and Mac OS X.

In comparison to ASP, PHP tends to be easier to pick up with a shorter learning curve. Experts suggest that the language makes an excellent first choice for beginners and hobbyist developers.

Despite its popularity, PHP is not as widely embraced on the corporate level. Why? Well, a large number of companies are currently running operating systems such as Windows NT or Windows Server 2003, platforms that have been specifically designed to Microsoft's propriety ASP language. Many companies are skeptical about switching technologies and moving away from something they feel comfortable with. Therefore, even though PHP reached a new level of functionality with the release of version 5.0, extensive training and the inevitable woes of transition have kept some would-be new users away.

ASP

Short for Active Server Pages, ASP is a server-side programming language integrated into IIS (Internet Information Services), Microsoft's namesake web server application. The language is included into platforms such as Windows 2003/2008 and NT. Although the technology is available on XP, you would actually have to purchase a costly upgrade to XP Professional in order to begin your career as an ASP programmer.

In regard to programming, ASP is not as comprehensive as PHP, even though it does offer a level of simplicity due its characteristics of the VB client-side language. The fact that ASP has so many objects and components tends to make it a bit more difficult to learn. Furthermore, there is less information freely available on the web, unlike PHP which is supported by the open-source community. If you really want to pick up on ASP, it might cost you initially in order to obtain a quality education.

Complexity aside, both ASP and its successor, ASP.NET, are widely deployed in the corporate world. In fact, if you are looking for a high paying job as a developer, these Microsoft technologies make a fine option. When searching jobs on sites like Monster and Career Builder, you will find that ASP programming jobs outweigh PHP by far.

Conclusion

In the end, the choice between ASP and PHP all boils down to preference. Even though ASP is somewhat more complex, it can be learned fairly quickly with a little dedication, especially if you are familiar with Microsoft programming technologies. And although PHP is less common in the business world, more companies are beginning to embrace the language for corporate applications. As far as results go, its hard to deny either because both have proven to be effective.

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