.NET vs. PHP: Deciding What’s Best For You

The majority of programming platforms are capable of solving several digital problems, but there are two that remain popular in the marketing world: .NET and PHP. This is where the debate of .NET vs. PHP and several questions arise.

What is best for your company? How will each allow you to accommodate the needs of your company? How will you address any problems that surface?

To address these questions and all things .NET vs. PHP, we’ve highlighted some important facts, advantages, and disadvantages of each in order to help you make your decision.

.NET

.NET is a software framework developed by Microsoft that runs primarily on Microsoft Windows and is more or less tied to Windows-related web work. Development in the .NET framework generally caters to a more corporate-driven environment.

Advantages:

.NET supports multiple languages such as C++, C#, VB, or Java. These .NET languages have more reusability and give you more control due to their object-oriented writing. With .NET developers being trained more extensively, their skills are more likely to translate to application development, whereas PHP is strictly a web programming language. Additionally, ASP, a .NET framework, was designed to take on an enterprise-level framework that could handle major large web applications. The cost may increase, but the framework is more secure and can tie into existing networks.

Drawbacks:

Because of the detail, .NET languages are harder to learn and master. Therefore, developers might want to consider either a general .NET certification or a specialty certification in order to be more useful in support and to code more optimally. This also means finding talent for development will generally be a bit more expensive. Because of the education required, the price for .NET development will generally be higher. Also, coding in .NET languages requires more overhead maintenance behind the scenes, and site migration is more difficult. Development in this language doesn’t have the entry-level accessibility that other languages boast.

PHP

PHP was designed to be a simple and straightforward programming language. With PHP, it is possible to build a program from scratch with fewer lines of code while in other languages, complexity is required to get a program to execute. PHP was created for the web, and because of its widespread use, it has many resources for education and support. Because of its application, PHP is an excellent tool for enterprise-level development.

Advantages:

The language is open-source. It’s easy to get started and pick up the language, and since it’s dynamic, it’s flexible for solving problems. PHP is popular for a variety of development tasks such as application development interacting with WordPress, Wix, or other content management systems. PHP is just as powerful as .NET languages but can reach a wider audience.

The community of PHP developers is one of its strong points. If you need a specific piece of code for a particular web property, it has likely been written already by someone in the community, and thus accessible because it is open-source. PHP has multiple frameworks for development, and bringing an idea from concept to production is much easier.

Drawbacks:

When it comes to learning the language, because of complexity, on occasion, the same piece of code can mean something different depending on the context, and errors become difficult to track and fix. Also, due to the open-source platform, support in PHP generally comes from the developer community rather than a specific name or brand that can be held accountable for mistakes.

Comparing .NET and PHP

There are a few designations that separate these two programming platforms, the first being the difference between open source and proprietary. Proprietary languages such as those in the .NET framework require you to pay extra for the support and server space. Frameworks for PHP generally come free, aside from server costs and software to run certain frameworks like Zend.

On the other end, the open-source nature of PHP means that setting up a server and running a website will be more inexpensive. The philosophy behind PHP’s open-source programming can generally lend it’s way to more creativity in coding and open-mindedness in new unique ideas for web development – a .NET developer will be limited to the constructs of the .NET framework,

Making the Decision

In order to determine which path is the proper direction for your business’s digital presence, there are a few questions you should consider to help ensure you pick the right programming track:

• What are my existing tools and sites?
• Do I want to create applications on Windows or Linux?
• What developer experience do I have at my disposal?
• What 3rd party CRMs and integrations do I plan on using?
• What user scenarios are most likely for my web presence?
• How scalable does my site or application need to be?

With a development team that has experience in PHP, you might be better off leaving .NET behind. If you need a strong foundation with high security, and you are just getting started, .NET could be your best choice for support. If you need easier deployment and fully custom web properties, PHP is right for you.

Do you need help with your website or deciding what’s best for you? Contact Pyxl to discover how we can help take your website to the next level.

Updated: Apr 13, 2022