PHP is used by 79% of all websites that use a known server side programming language, according to W3Techs, which, according to its description, provides information on various technologies used on the internet. In fact, the percentage of websites that use PHP has roughly remained the same between 20219 and 2020. So much for claims that PHP is nearing its end in 2019! Hence, to clear the air, our PHP app development company in Delhi brings this article to clear the air about the demise of PHP.

Trend in PHP Market Share

To be honest, these numbers are not exactly surprising. After all, over a third of all websites on the internet are powered by WordPress, which makes use of PHP. Additionally, WordPress is acquiring nearly twice as many new users as the next-best content management system. In point of fact, as a PHP development company, we create WordPress websites for a wide range of applications, and these figures support our belief in both PHP and WordPress.

What's The Fuss About PHP's Demise?

PHP's deserving death is distinct from PHP's desire for its demise. With other languages slowly taking over the development industry, it is possible that PHP might get less importance than it did before. However, to think that it is completely off the market is not a true statement. PHP has been in the development industry for quite a while, and while other languages may come and go, its benefits are heavily respected in the app development market.

Additionally, it is pertinent to investigate whether the arguments made by those asserting that PHP is dead are supported by the facts. Let us examine each one separately.

Scalability

PHP app development services are extremely scalable, which disappoints those who claim it is not scalable. As previously stated, it powers WordPress, a powerful content management system (CMS) utilized by individuals as well as businesses like Microsoft, Walt Disney, and The Washington Post. In point of fact, we have previously discussed the reasons why businesses should select WordPress despite their concerns regarding scalability.

Additionally, other giants like Wikipedia, Facebook, and Pinterest make use of PHP. Without exerting any effort, all three websites accommodate millions of visitors worldwide each day. Therefore, the assertion that PHP is not scalable is incorrect.

PHP is (Not) Slow

With each new version, PHP's speed has increased exponentially. In the majority of their benchmark tests, Kinsta, a managed WordPress hosting provider, said that PHP 7.X performed two to three times faster than PHP 5.6. And PHP 7.X outperforms not only its older versions in every way. Additionally, PHP 7.3 is faster than Python 3.8.0, a programming language that it is frequently and unfairly compared to. This is because Python is more of a general purpose programming language than PHP, which is more commonly used for web development.

PHP is (Not) Safe

PHP is not safe, but again that is not true. PHP is a well established programming language. Additionally, it is among the easiest to learn. Together, these two factors reduced the entry barrier to learning PHP, which resulted in an increase in the number of PHP programmers with questionable or insufficient skills. People inevitably asked the wrong question, namely, "Is PHP not secure?" when using products written by such programmers. Where can one find a competent PHP programmer, rather than asking the appropriate question?

The security of your PHP-based product is only as good as the PHP developers who built it, is what we mean. It is also important to note that the majority of older PHP versions lack features and are less secure. Additionally, it is unfortunate that many PHP-based websites use older versions. According to WordPress, almost 60% of WordPress websites use PHP 7.0 or later, with almost 24% using PHP 5.6 alone.

Security Updates For PHP Versions

Constant security updates are more important for PHP because older versions of PHP lose security and active support over time. For instance, if PHP versions older than 7.0 have not received active support in a while and, more importantly, then they will not receive security updates after January 1, 2020. The bottom line is that security should not be a problem for you if you use PHP 7.X and work with a reputable PHP developer or PHP development company.

Why Should PHP Be Chosen?

Because PHP is the most widely used programming language, it is simple to find PHP developers to build your product. Most importantly, PHP has a large pool of experienced programmers, which is not the case with Python or other recent competitors. You can create an MVP more quickly and at a higher quality level by working with a company that specializes in web application development or PHP development.

Because PHP is an open-source server-side programming language, you do not have to pay anything to use it. This means that PHP development costs are lower. The fact that PHP development costs are significantly lower than those of other languages is another advantage of its popularity. Additionally, for entrepreneurs on a limited budget, PHP's ability to save time while developing can mean the difference between success and failure.

The enormous PHP community is yet another benefit that can be attributed to PHP's widespread popularity. When problems arise for your developers, forums are a great resource. They can help you concentrate on the bigger picture rather than having to come up with a new solution for each small issue. You can also use the tutorials and documentation provided by the PHP community to train your developer staff or solve problems.