Updated on 10 Jul 2019 | 4 Min Read
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PHP versus Node.js

Nowadays, Both PHP and Node.js is the most widely used web development technologies. Nonetheless, there is quite a big difference between both of the technologies as PHP is regarded as a high-level programming language, and Node.js is a JavaScript runtime environment. If you are going to face any Node.js interview questions, then keep following this article.

Brief Introduction of Node.js and PHP

Node.js is basically a JavaScript run-time environment, which is used for the execution of scripting code on the server-side. Nowadays, most of the IT organizations which are involved in providing optimal web – development based solutions are using Node.js. On the flip side, PHP is a web development server-side scripting language which is also regarded as general-purpose high-level programming-based language. This can be one of the important PHP interview questions. When PHP language is introduced, it is termed as Personal Home Page, but the recursive acronym of PHP is Hypertext pre-processor. All PHP scripts that are developed by the developer has a .php extension.

Related Article: How to Make RESTful API In node.js

Let's discuss why Node.js is better than PHP

# JSON support

In general, JSON is an abbreviated form of JavaScript Object Notation, which is a format that is used for the purpose of storing and transporting data between the files. Node.js is highly compatible and works better with JSON as compare to PHP. Most probably, Node.js uses JSON.Stringify() and JSON.parse() Functions.

# Concurrency

It is defined as an activity or a process in which two or more operations or transactions run one after another in one thread. Node.js uses a model which is driven and support Non-blocking I/O execution. In contrary to this, PHP uses multi-threaded Blocking I/O model in order to run a number of tasks simultaneously.

Note: These information are asked in any PHP interview questions. This blog can help you to clear those interviews.

# Complexity during the usage

Node.js is not complicated, as it requires lines of codes and proper understanding of call-back functions. While PHP is complex language as compared to Node.js because it supports a number of library functions.

# Task Execution speed (performance timing)

It is defined as the time that has been taken in order to accomplish a single process. It has been proved that Node.js possesses high execution speed due to its lightweight nature as compared to PHP.

# Database preferences

Node.js is also considered to be superior as compared to PHP due to its Database preferences.

Related Article: How to use async await in node js

# Databases supported by PHP

PHP supports traditional and relational databases such as PostgreSQL, MySQL, and MariaDB. These relational databases are not much reliable and secure of holding confidential data of organizations.

# Databases supported by Node.js

Node.js support highly secure databases such as MongoDB and CouchDB. As these advanced level databases are highly secured due to which the database vulnerability problems such as cyber threats are mitigated.

Note: These are the questions which can be asked in any Node JS interview questions. This blog can help you to clear those interviews.

# ACID (Atomicity, Concurrency, Isolation, and Durability)

PHP has not secured language as it supports relational databases which are associated with a number of ACID (Atomicity, Concurrency, Isolation, and Durability) properties related issues. Thus, there might be a possibility that the confidential data of organizations and customers might be lost due to weak security standard issues. While Node.js support advanced level of databases which are designed in such a manner which does not affect the ACID properties

Working of PHP vs. Node.js

Some of the points which prove that Node.js be better than PHP
  • Node.js perform its execution over the JavaScript runtime environment as it supports all functional libraries.
  • Node.js Highly superior technology as it is single-threaded, non-blocking, asynchronous, and concurrent connection building language.
  • Node.js language mitigates all negative aspects of PHP language by eradicating the use of an excess of RAM and CPU cycles.
  • Node.js is also better than PHP in context of Coding style as in PHP developer prior knows the flow for processing the particular code for the website while in case of Node.js developer writes the code in such as way that he/she can handle multiple requests of clients effectively.
  • There is a number of parameters such as ORM, Templating Engine, debugging, and testing through which it has been proved that Node.js is better than PHP.
Related Article: How to crack node js interviews

Conclusion

From the above discussion, it has been concluded that for the development of websites Node.js is better than PHP as it exhibits wider ranges of properties such as JSON support, Concurrency, usage compatibility, Task execution speed, working mechanism, ACID properties, and database preferences. In fact, “ Why Node.js is better than PHP” is the best interview question that has been asked by the interviewer to an interviewee from last few years and it should be important that developers must know the key difference between both of the web-based technologies.