The blog post “Why Developers Hate PHP” on Je suis un dev highlights various criticisms of PHP, often citing historical issues, perceived inconsistencies, and its widespread use as reasons for disdain. However, many of these criticisms overlook significant advancements and the context in which PHP thrives. This counter-argument aims to address these points and provide a balanced view of PHP’s place in the modern development landscape.

Historical Context and Evolution Link to heading

PHP’s Origin and Growth Link to heading

The blog post begins with PHP’s origin story, tracing its roots back to Rasmus Lerdorf’s personal project in 1994. While it’s true that PHP started as a set of tools rather than a full-fledged programming language, this is not a unique origin story. Many widely-used technologies, including Unix, began as personal projects. The iterative and community-driven evolution of PHP is a strength, reflecting its adaptability and resilience.

Substantial Improvements Link to heading

PHP has undergone substantial improvements since its inception. The transition from PHP/FI to PHP 7 represents a significant evolution in performance, stability, and features. Criticizing PHP for its early iterations is akin to dismissing JavaScript because of its chaotic early years before the advent of modern frameworks like React and Vue.js. Modern PHP, especially versions 7 and 8, offers robust performance and contemporary features like scalar type declarations and anonymous classes.

Performance and Stability Link to heading

PHP 7 introduced significant performance improvements over PHP 5, with up to twice the speed for common tasks and much lower memory consumption. PHP 8 further builds on these enhancements with Just-In-Time (JIT) compilation, which can bring substantial performance boosts for some workloads.

Code Examples Link to heading

Here are some code examples to illustrate the evolution of PHP from version 5 to version 8:

PHP 5 Example Link to heading 

<?php
// No type hints
function addNumbers($a, $b) {
    return $a + $b;
}

echo addNumbers(2, 3); // Outputs: 5

PHP 7 Example Link to heading 

<?php
// Scalar type declarations and return type declarations
function addNumbers(int $a, int $b): int {
    return $a + $b;
}

echo addNumbers(2, 3); // Outputs: 5

PHP 8 Example Link to heading 

<?php
// Improved type system with union types and JIT compilation
function addNumbers(int|float $a, int|float $b): int|float {
    return $a + $b;
}

echo addNumbers(2, 3.5); // Outputs: 5.5

Contemporary Features Link to heading

Modern PHP includes features like anonymous classes and improved error handling, which were not available in earlier versions. These features make PHP a more robust and versatile language for modern web development.

Anonymous Classes in PHP 7+ Link to heading 
<?php
$logger = new class {
    public function log($msg) {
        echo $msg;
    }
};

$logger->log('Hello, World!'); // Outputs: Hello, World!

The advancements from PHP 5 to PHP 7 and 8 demonstrate the language’s significant improvements in performance, stability, and feature set. These enhancements address many of the criticisms levied against PHP, making it a powerful tool for modern web development.

Consistency and Design Link to heading

Inconsistency in Function Naming Link to heading

One of the common criticisms of PHP is its inconsistent function naming conventions. While this is a valid concern, it’s also important to note that this inconsistency is largely a legacy issue. PHP’s core functions reflect its organic growth and diverse contributions from the global community. Efforts like the PHP-FIG (Framework Interoperability Group) aim to standardize and improve PHP coding practices. Moreover, modern IDEs and tools mitigate these inconsistencies by providing auto-completion and documentation.

Syntax and Typing Link to heading

The blog post mentions PHP’s “disgusting” syntax and lack of typing. However, PHP 7 introduced scalar type hints and return type declarations, addressing many concerns about type safety. The language’s flexibility is often mistaken for unpredictability, but in reality, it allows for rapid development and prototyping. This flexibility is a double-edged sword that, when used by disciplined developers, can lead to highly efficient codebases.

The introduction of scalar type hints, return type declarations, and improved error handling in PHP 7 and beyond has significantly enhanced the language’s robustness and developer experience. These features demonstrate PHP’s evolution into a modern, efficient, and flexible language suitable for a wide range of applications.

Security and Code Quality Link to heading

Ease of Writing Bad Code Link to heading

PHP is often criticized for making it easy to write bad code. However, this issue is not unique to PHP; any powerful and flexible language can be misused. The real issue lies in the quality of the developer, not the language itself. Frameworks like Laravel and Symfony enforce best practices and provide built-in security features, encouraging developers to write secure and maintainable code.

Security Concerns Link to heading

Regarding security, PHP has made significant strides. Regular updates and a proactive security team ensure that vulnerabilities are patched promptly. The language itself is no more insecure than any other when used correctly. It’s the responsibility of the developer to follow best practices, which is true for all programming languages.

Popularity and Ubiquity Link to heading

Victim of Its Success Link to heading

The blog post argues that PHP is hated because it is everywhere, and this ubiquity means developers often have to deal with poorly written PHP code. This criticism is more about the quality of the developer community than the language itself. PHP powers approximately 80% of the web, including major platforms like Facebook, Wikipedia, and WordPress. Its widespread use is a testament to its capability and reliability.

Scalar Type Hints and Return Type Declarations Link to heading

PHP 7 introduced scalar type hints and return type declarations, allowing developers to specify the expected data types for function arguments and return values. This feature improves code reliability and readability.

PHP 5 Example Link to heading 

<?php
// No type hints or return type declarations
function multiply($a, $b) {
    return $a * $b;
}

echo multiply(2, '3'); // Outputs: 6
?>

PHP 7 Example Link to heading 

<?php
// Scalar type hints and return type declarations
function multiply(int $a, int $b): int {
    return $a * $b;
}

echo multiply(2, 3); // Outputs: 6
?>

PHP 8 Example with Union Types Link to heading 

<?php
// Union types and return type declarations
function multiply(int|float $a, int|float $b): int|float {
    return $a * $b;
}

echo multiply(2, 3.5); // Outputs: 7
?>

Improved Error Handling Link to heading

PHP 7 also introduced improvements in error handling, making it easier to manage exceptions and errors in a clean and consistent manner.

PHP 5 Example Link to heading 

<?php
function divide($a, $b) {
    if ($b == 0) {
        trigger_error("Division by zero", E_USER_ERROR);
    }
    return $a / $b;
}

echo divide(4, 2); // Outputs: 2
echo divide(4, 0); // Triggers error
?>

PHP 7 Example Link to heading 

<?php
function divide(int $a, int $b): float {
    if ($b === 0) {
        throw new \InvalidArgumentException("Division by zero");
    }
    return $a / $b;
}

try {
    echo divide(4, 2); // Outputs: 2
    echo divide(4, 0); // Throws exception
} catch (\InvalidArgumentException $e) {
    echo $e->getMessage(); // Outputs: Division by zero
}
?>

The WordPress Factor Link to heading

Many criticisms of PHP stem from experiences with WordPress, which is built on PHP. While WordPress has its issues, conflating WordPress’s shortcomings with PHP’s is unfair. PHP itself is a versatile language used in a variety of contexts far beyond content management systems.

Performance and Modern Usage Link to heading

Performance Improvements Link to heading

The claim that PHP is slow is outdated. PHP 7 introduced significant performance improvements, making it faster than many competing languages in common use cases. Benchmarks show that PHP 7 can outperform Python and Ruby, debunking the myth of PHP being inherently slow. The inclusion of JIT compilation in PHP 8 further boosts its performance capabilities.

Performance Comparisons Link to heading

PHP 7 vs PHP 5 Link to heading

PHP 7 brought substantial performance enhancements over PHP 5, including up to twice the speed for common tasks and significantly lower memory consumption. This was achieved through the new Zend Engine 3.0, which optimized various aspects of the language’s execution.

PHP 5 Example Link to heading 
<?php
// Simple script to demonstrate performance differences
function fibonacci($n) {
    if ($n <= 1) return $n;
    return fibonacci($n - 1) + fibonacci($n - 2);
}
echo fibonacci(30); // Outputs: 832040
?>
PHP 7 Example Link to heading 
<?php
// The same script running on PHP 7
function fibonacci(int $n): int {
    if ($n <= 1) return $n;
    return fibonacci($n - 1) + fibonacci($n - 2);
}
echo fibonacci(30); // Outputs: 832040
?>

PHP 7 vs Python and Ruby Link to heading

Benchmarks show PHP 7 outperforming Python and Ruby in various web application scenarios. For instance, TechEmpower benchmarks illustrate that PHP 7.4 can handle more requests per second than Python 3.9 and Ruby 2.7 Python VS Php benchmarks, Which programming language or compiler is faster PHP vs Python vs Ruby: Detailed Comparison & Analysis](https://www.pixelcrayons.com/blog/dedicated-teams/php-vs-python-vs-ruby-comparison/).

PHP 8 with JIT Compilation Link to heading

PHP 8 introduced Just-In-Time (JIT) compilation, which can significantly boost performance for computationally intensive tasks. This makes PHP 8 not only a strong contender against Python and Ruby but also competitive with languages like Go.

PHP 8 Example with JIT Link to heading 
<?php
// Example leveraging JIT compilation in PHP 8
function calculate_prime_numbers($limit) {
    $primes = [];
    for ($i = 2; $i < $limit; $i++) {
        $is_prime = true;
        for ($j = 2; $j <= sqrt($i); $j++) {
            if ($i % $j == 0) {
                $is_prime = false;
                break;
            }
        }
        if ($is_prime) $primes[] = $i;
    }
    return $primes;
}
print_r(calculate_prime_numbers(1000)); // Outputs prime numbers up to 1000
?>

Comparing PHP with Other Languages Link to heading

PHP vs Python Link to heading

Python is known for its simplicity and readability, making it a favorite for beginners and data-centric applications. However, when it comes to raw web performance, PHP often has the upper hand, especially with the improvements in PHP 7 and PHP 8 PHP vs Python: A Detailed Comparison Between the Two Languages - Kinsta®. PHP’s Zend Engine and the introduction of JIT in PHP 8 provide a significant performance boost, making PHP faster in many web application benchmarks PHP vs Python: A Complete Comparative Guide | EPAM Anywhere.

PHP vs Ruby Link to heading

Ruby, particularly with the Rails framework, emphasizes developer happiness and convention over configuration. However, PHP’s performance improvements in recent years have made it a faster choice for web applications. Benchmarks indicate that PHP 7.4 and PHP 8 outperform Ruby 2.7 in terms of request handling and execution speed PHP vs Python vs Ruby: Detailed Comparison & Analysis.

Modern PHP Link to heading

Modern PHP supports features like anonymous functions, generators, and namespaces, making it suitable for complex applications. The PHP community is vibrant and continuously innovating, as seen with tools like Composer for dependency management and PHPUnit for testing.

PHP’s Resilience and Future Link to heading

Longevity and Stability Link to heading

Despite predictions of its demise, PHP remains a dominant force in web development. Its longevity is a testament to its utility and the ongoing efforts of its community to keep it relevant. PHP evolves while maintaining backward compatibility, a crucial factor for its widespread adoption.

Community and Ecosystem Link to heading

The PHP community is one of its greatest strengths. The language boasts a rich ecosystem of frameworks, libraries, and tools that streamline development. Community-driven projects like Laravel demonstrate PHP’s potential for building modern, scalable applications.

Conclusion Link to heading

PHP, like any technology, has its flaws. However, many criticisms leveled against it are based on outdated information or a lack of understanding of its evolution. Modern PHP is a powerful, efficient, and flexible language capable of powering complex applications. Its widespread use is not a liability but a testament to its robustness and versatility. Developers who dismiss PHP without understanding its current capabilities are missing out on a language that continues to be a cornerstone of web development.