This could have been a classic Western story about a battle between two old friends who have parted ways. Two such that the connection between them was so perfect that no one expected what was going to happen.
As always, the problem started when one of the parties began to express a growing interest in an area that was identified with his former friend (and current rival). This is how we can begin our Hollywood story, full of passions and tensions, about Node.js. The trigger that led to the development of a fierce battle between PHP and JavaScript (until recently two partners who together dominated the Internet).
The partnership between PHP and JavaScript was simple and clear. JavaScript handled small details in the browser and PHP managed all the server-side tasks that went out between port 80 and MySQL. Those were happy days of harmony. The Internet was flooded with open source systems like WordPress, Drupal and Facebook, and it was impossible to be online for more than a minute without reaching a PHP sheet.
The idyll changed when a young (and cheeky!) programmer discovered he could make JavaScript run on the server. All of a sudden, there was no need for PHP to develop the next generation of server tasks. Only one language was needed to build Node.js and the work environments were run at the client. "JavaScript Everywhere" has become a worldview.
Tango of text and code is PHP
Suppose you want to enter content to the site and at the same time add another branch to the process. For example, an "If-Then" A small one based on parameters in the URL. In such cases, PHP is a better solution than Node.js. With PHP you can unlock the magic of PHP tags and write code in a matter of seconds. No need for templates as everything is a template. You do not need additional files or elaborate architecture. All that is needed is logic programming capabilities at your fingertips.
Node.js and the doctrine of separation of powers
Combining PHP code and text can be a broken reed support. Although the first few times you do it you may think it's fun to combine PHP with HTML, but you'll soon discover that your code base has become an organized mess. Serious programmers know how to develop correct architectural structures and separate the cosmetic layer from the logical neighbor. This is a technique that makes the code easier to read and improves the ability to manipulate it later. The workspaces that run on Node.js were built by programmers who know how much more beautiful life is when the model, display and control are separated.
Simplicity wins - PHP
PHP is known for being a simple code and this is one of its great advantages. It can be defined in total as a few basic and variable functions that allow to "play" with queries and loops. It's a thin layer that doesn't do too much other than transfer information from detail 80 to the database and back. This is his goal. Quite a few programmers and developers will agree with the statement that PHP is complicated to the exact degree for a job that should not be complicated at all.
complexity wins – Node.js
Everyone knows that JavaScript has some behavioral tendencies (not to mention ADHD) that can throw a developer out of whack. However, in most cases it is a modern programming language that supports up-to-date syntax with some useful features such as loops. Developers can easily rearrange the JavaScript and extend it according to their needs. In short, if you can skip functionality without effort, why limit yourself?
PHP – Download it, customize it, use it
The web is full of PHP code and the popular platforms for this are websites written in this language (such as WordPress,Joomla and Drupal). The issue here is not only the website itself but also the plugins that are implanted in it to improve performance. PHP is everywhere and it is waiting for you in every corner. Download it, adapt it to your needs and use it to your heart's content.
Node.js declares new code = modern features
There is no doubt that there are hundreds of thousands of open source files that are written in PHP and are the glory of creation. However, a significant part of them are old files, many of which were written 7-8 years ago (eternal concepts on the Internet). Here's a question, who wants to spend hours (if not days or weeks) on overhauling code that was written when Yair Lapid was still a presenter on Channel 2 news. Well, Node.js isn't just newer. The plugins that are written with its help are based on knowledge from the most advanced architectural approaches. Behind the materials written using Node.js are developers who understand that modern network applications must push their full intelligence to the client.
The story that is not over yet
The end has yet to be written. For every coder who raves about the benefits of Node.js and miraculously proclaims the simplicity of JavaScript, there is always another who prefers the deep, basic, and stable (as well as familiar and beloved) programming of PHP. In the short list before you we reviewed six interesting points in the struggle (the end of which has not yet been counted).
Article writer: Peter Wayner, Infowars , Translation and editing: Shahar Danieli