Is PHP Losing to Node.js as a Backend Solution?

PHP and Node.js are two of the most significant technologies used in the backend of web applications. PHP is the older one and has been the market leader for the past few decades. Node.js, on the other hand, is a newcomer but quickly became one of the most beloved technologies among developers worldwide.

In the 90s and early 2000s, PHP and JavaScript were seen as fundamentally different technologies. The former handled the "brains," while the latter manipulated the DOM to create dynamic and visually appealing web pages.

But at some point, developers began to see JavaScript as a general-purpose language. Its syntax and versatility made it a good starting point for beginners and an excellent tool for rapid application and script development. Thus Node.js was born, and suddenly a language meant for the frontend became a universal solution for web development.

What is PHP?

PHP is a recursive acronym for PHP Hypertext Preprocessor. PHP is an open-source server-side scripting language designed specifically for web development. Although it was originally conceived solely as a server-side scripting language, many developers have started using it as a general-purpose scripting language.

Think of it this way. Imagine a web page is like a human: when we interact with someone and that person talks to us, millions of instructions are transmitted from the brain to the mouth. In this analogy, the brain is the server, and PHP is the set of instructions that tell the brain what to do.

Facebook, Wikipedia, Slack, Tumblr — these are just a few of the most well-known websites that use PHP as their primary backend solution. Given their stability and widespread adoption, it's easy to see why PHP has stood the test of time.

It can't be said that this language has no detractors. As the story goes, PHP started as a tool to make coding in C easier, but it kept growing until it became independent. However, writing a tool for personal use is very different from writing a programming language, so PHP suffers from inconsistencies and poor design decisions.

But how can it be so popular and yet have such a bad reputation? PHP does what it set out to do: after all, at the time of its inception, PHP was extremely friendly compared to other options. However, it still has many nuances, and getting the most out of it is quite difficult, especially compared to newer languages.

Overall, PHP still powers 80% of the internet. Frameworks like Laravel are hugely popular, and with each new release, PHP becomes more user-friendly. Moreover, knowledge of PHP is one of the core skills required for hiring as a full-time back-end developer.

Why Node.js?

Node.js is an open-source server-side JavaScript runtime environment built on Chrome's JavaScript Engine (V8). Typically, JavaScript runs only in the browser, but with Node.js, it can run independently, opening up possibilities for building applications based solely on JavaScript.

Node.js was created as an alternative to the client/server model where the server responds to a client request only to then close the connection. Node.js creates a two-way bridge that can establish interactive communication between server and client, achieving low latency and high throughput.

Node.js is used to build fast and scalable applications, and it features an event-driven, non-blocking I/O model. All this means one of Node.js's strongest advantages over PHP: its asynchronicity. What does that mean?

Imagine a restaurant where a waiter, after taking an order, can't do anything else until it's delivered to the table. That's not how it works, right? Usually, a waiter handles multiple tables simultaneously, clearing tables, serving drinks, and performing other tasks while the order is being prepared.

Synchronous solutions like PHP are that restaurant where the waiter can't do anything until the order is served. Essentially, each line of code executes in order, regardless of how long it takes to resolve.

Node.js, on the other hand, doesn't necessarily wait for resolution: it can continue executing the script while waiting for a function to return something. For example, if the server needs to access a database, it can perform other non-data-related tasks while waiting.

What does all this mean? A huge performance boost, sometimes up to 50%.

Is PHP on the Brink of Extinction?

No, Node.js is not killing PHP. Admittedly, PHP is outdated by modern standards, as some of its logic patterns are based on how the web worked 25 years ago, which isn't necessarily bad.

For example, PHP's built-in database support is nearly seamless, largely because SQL database technology has remained relatively stable since the last century. In contrast, Node.js follows the modern trend of modularity and relies on libraries for database communication.

PHP is still actively developed, and millions of websites today rely on this scripting language. Many of them have no intention of changing their backend anytime soon, as the cost of labor and effort significantly outweighs the potential benefit, at least in the short term. The world still needs PHP and can derive a lot of value from it.

On the other hand, if there is a technology worthy of challenging a two-decade-old institution, it is Node.js. It's a reliable backend solution that is evolving rapidly, which is one of the advantages of such a huge community and is based on one of the most popular programming languages on the planet.

Simply put, Node.js is closer to the requirements of the modern industry because it scales more easily, is lighter, and more friendly in a cloud computing environment. Except for very specific cases, it's hard not to recommend Node.js for a new business or a new project.