From a developer’s perspective, PHP is often labeled as a “legacy” language,
and some in the community even consider this “bad.” Wondering why?
This general-purpose scripting language wasn’t
created with a clear vision or goal from the start, which made it feel somewhat
directionless in its early days. It wasn’t until the mid-2000s, when major CMS platforms like WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla adopted it, that PHP began to earn
recognition as a serious programming language.
While it’s true that PHP carries the weight of
being a mature language with legacy
status, its recent versions and seamless integration with frameworks like Laravel show that it’s far from
outdated. PHP still powers a huge part of the web today (over 75% of websites),
proving its relevance time and again.
If you’re unsure whether learning PHP is worth the effort in today’s changing tech landscape, let’s break it down and see why this widely-used language may still be a smart investment.
A Glance at PHP’s Current Market Share and Usage
Even today, over 18.2% of developers prefer using PHP as their primary scripting language.
According to W3techs, 75.7% of websites, including Facebook, Microsoft, Wikipedia, WordPress, Vimeo, etc.,
use it for server-side programming.
Within the PHP tech stack, CodeIgniter is the most used technology framework, followed by WordPress and Laravel. (Source)
Latest Developments in PHP
All PHP updates have significantly enhanced its
capabilities. However, the most recent ones, the 8.x versions marked a turning
point, offering several performance enhancements and developer-friendly
features to make it suitable for modern web development. With faster execution
speeds, cleaner syntax, and new tools for debugging, they aim to modernize the
“legacy” aspect associated with PHP.
The image below shows the portion of websites
using different PHP versions:
Here are some key developments observed in PHP 7.x and onwards:
1. New Array Find Functions
In PHP 8.4, the most recent update scheduled to go live on November 21, 2024, and several array find functions will be introduced to enhance how developers search, filter, and validate data within arrays. These functions help create more concise and readable code while minimizing the need for complex loops and custom logic.
●
array_find():
returns the first element in an array that matches a given
condition.
●
array_find_key():
returns the key of the first matching element instead of the value.
●
array_any():
returns true if any element in the array matches the given condition.
● array_all(): returns true only if all elements in the array meet the specified condition.
2. PHP Property Hooks
Property hooks allow developers to intercept and customize how object properties are accessed or modified. This new feature brings more flexibility and control when interacting with object properties, which was previously difficult to achieve. Developers can now define the logic that triggers automatically when properties are read, written, or unset.
3. Performance Boosts with JIT (Just-In-Time) Compiler
The JIT compiler in PHP 8 significantly improves runtime performance, especially for CPU-heavy operations. This makes PHP more competitive, even for large-scale applications.
4. Enhanced Error Handling
PHP 8.x versions introduce more descriptive exceptions and error messages, helping developers pinpoint issues faster and reducing debugging time.
5. Security Improvements
PHP continues to enhance password hashing
algorithms and offers better built-in protections against common web
vulnerabilities, reinforcing its security posture.
Possible Challenges in PHP Development
With PHP being a legacy programming language,
developers may encounter certain issues during the development process. Some of
them include:
●
Backward compatibility issues
may arise with updates, complicating migrations.
●
Pre-built components can
introduce security vulnerabilities or compatibility problems.
●
The JIT compiler may offer
limited performance gains for typical web-based I/O tasks.
● Migration from older PHP versions can be complex and time-consuming.
Despite the challenges, many businesses continue
to use PHP backends. At the same time, PHP has regained developer confidence,
particularly after the release of PHP 7.x and PHP 8.x. These enhancements have
aligned many of PHP’s features with relatively modern scripting languages.
Is PHP Still a Contender for Web Development?
PHP has maintained its position as a top web
development technology due to its mature ecosystem, active community support,
easy integration with all database and web server technologies, and
adaptability to modern development practices.
1. Mature and Stable Ecosystem
With over two decades of active upgrades and
development, PHP is known to power some of the greatest websites (as seen
above) with its expansive ecosystem of tools, libraries, frameworks, platforms,
and community resources. Here’s all that comes with PHP development:
●
Framework
Compatibility: Laravel, Symfony, CodeIgniter, Yii, Zend,
etc.
●
Hosting
Platforms and Cloud Services: cPanel-based servers, AWS,
Azure, and Google Cloud
●
Database
Technologies: MySQL, PostgreSQL, MariaDB, SQLite, MongoDB,
etc.
●
DevOps
and Modern Tools: Docker, Kubernetes, etc.
2. Cost-Effective Development
PHP development is often a cost-effective option
because it is open-source. Its easy
integration with frameworks like Laravel, Symfony, CodeIgniter, etc., allows
you to benefit from pre-built libraries and several reusable components. This
saves time and resources spent coding from scratch.
3. Large Talent Pool and Active Community Support
Over the last two decades, PHP has garnered a vast community of developers, making it easier
for businesses to hire PHP
developers with specialized skills. Moreover, many developers
actively contribute to the language through platforms like Stack Overflow,
GitHub, and PHP.net, offering abundant resources for troubleshooting common
issues and providing collaboration opportunities.
4. Excellent Web Performance
The last few PHP updates (7.x and 8.x) have
offered significant performance
enhancements. JIT compiles PHP code at runtime into native machine code,
improving performance, especially for CPU-intensive operations, by skipping the
traditional Zend Engine interpretation step. It also offers newer capabilities for
scientific computing, data analysis, and graphics rendering-related tasks,
which see noticeable improvements.
5. Security-Focused Web Development
The latest PHP versions also offer enhanced
security standards. There is native support for password hashing (bcrypt and Argon2), built-in methods to handle input sanitization, and protection against SQL injection, XSS
attacks, and CSRF vulnerabilities.
6. Long-Term Support and Flexibility
PHP offers backward compatibility, long-term
support, and regular updates, making it a reliable option for those requiring
futuristic web solutions. It is a highly flexible language that allows
developers to maintain older applications while gradually helping them
transition to new versions and technologies.
7. Compatibility with Modern Development Practices
PHP is highly adaptable. It integrates well with
containerization tools and technologies like Docker and Kubernetes. It is also
compatible with headless CMS architectures, where PHP-powered backends deliver
content to JavaScript frontends built using frameworks like React, Vue, and
Angular.
So, is PHP still
relevant? Looks like it is.
Comparing PHP with Other Technologies
If you’re looking for robust server-side
technology, there are many options. While PHP is a powerful option for web
development with its frameworks, scalability, and affordability, other
technologies like Node.js, ASP.NET Core,
Python, JavaScript, and Go are also widely used. Let’s see how PHP compares
to them.
1. PHP vs. Node.js
PHP is typically an ideal language for
server-side programming in content-heavy websites, like blogs, CMS platforms,
and eCommerce stores. Combined with frameworks like Laravel, it fastens
development cycles, particularly for secure data handling and database-driven
operations.
On the other hand, Node.js is widely used for
applications requiring real-time data transfers due to its non-blocking I/O
model, which makes it better suited for asynchronous operations.
2. PHP vs. JavaScript
With its extensive ecosystem and library
support, PHP is often used for secure, fast back-end operations in dynamic web
applications.
Contrarily, JavaScript is widely used for
front-end programming through frameworks such as React, Vue, and Angular.
Although Node.js extends JavaScript to the back end, PHP remains a preferred
choice for stable back-end solutions.
3. PHP vs. ASP.NET Core
PHP offers affordable, open-source web
development through frameworks like Laravel and Symfony, making it a go-to
choice for startups and small-scale businesses. In fact, its cost-effectiveness
is often a deciding factor for companies not tied to Microsoft’s ecosystem.
Similarly, ASP.NET is another open-source web
development framework backed by Microsoft. It offers excellent integration with
Microsoft Azure and the broader Microsoft stack, making it ideal for
organizations relying on Microsoft products for enterprise-scale solutions.
4. PHP vs. Go
Being a mature language, PHP is widely adopted
for monolithic applications and database-driven websites that perform well in
traditional web hosting environments.
Go, on the other hand, offers exceptional performance
and concurrency. It is ideal for microservices and cloud-native architectures,
where handling thousands of simultaneous operations efficiently is critical.
However, it has a steep learning curve, especially if you’re using it for
distributed systems and performance-critical applications.
5. PHP vs. Python
PHP has made its mark in building
database-driven web applications that require secure and easy integrations with
CMS, third-party APIs, and other systems. Its low learning curve makes it an
ideal back-end scripting language for developers starting out in traditional
web development.
Python, on the other hand, shines in areas
beyond web development, particularly in AI, data science, and ML. Its seamless
integration with frameworks like Django and Flask makes Python a viable option
for data-intensive tasks. However, Python’s general-purpose nature may require
more setup and configurations for pure web development projects than PHP.
Should you Invest in Learning PHP in 2025?
Let’s consider a few aspects to see whether PHP
stacks up to your learning and growth aspirations in 2025.
➔ Learning Curve
Its low learning curve makes it an excellent
choice for beginners entering web development. PHP’s simple, readable syntax
ensures new developers can quickly grasp core concepts. Additionally, thanks to
its legacy presence, extensive documentation, tutorials, and community support
are readily available, helping developers ramp up their skills efficiently.
➔ Job Market
The job market is a little uncertain at the
moment. Regions like the USA and the UK face a slump in core PHP jobs. However,
if you’re equipped to handle PHP + Laravel/Symphony, you still have a bright
future in the coming few years. If you’re in the region, you can consider
expanding your skills to other frameworks, such as Node.js and Python, or
specialize in full-stack/cloud application development.
Contrarily, in certain Asia-Pacific regions,
including India, core PHP jobs are soaring high. This is probably because many
MNCs have outsourced their software projects to Indian companies and
developers, benefitting from reduced costs and specialized expertise.
➔ Career Prospects
Getting started with PHP to build a career in
web development can give you a good headstart. PHP developers often work on CMS
platforms (e.g., WordPress, Joomla) and eCommerce solutions using tools like
Magento and WooCommerce. Moreover, mastery of frameworks such as Laravel and
Symfony also opens doors to roles in more intricate web application development
and custom API integrations.
Many developers have stuck to the language,
while others have moved on to others. The former can later expand their
expertise to grow into specialized roles such as:
●
Full-Stack
Developer: Combining PHP with front-end technologies like
JavaScript.
●
DevOps
Engineer: Using PHP in combination with Docker and CI/CD pipelines for seamless
deployments.
●
API
Developer: Building and maintaining secure, scalable APIs
for web and mobile applications.
●
Technical
Consultant: Offering advisory and development support for
CMS implementations or platform migrations.
So
yeah, PHP isn’t dead, but you may have to expand your horizons.
End Note: Is PHP Still Relevant?
The future of PHP in 2025 offers a mixed but
largely promising picture. Having powered many renowned web applications and
platforms like WordPress, Joomla, etc., PHP has cemented its stature in the web
development space. Even today, its legacy remains relevant, and it is
considered a worthwhile investment for developers starting out.
However, with emerging technologies and a
changing job market, relying solely on PHP in 2025 might not be enough. On the
one hand, PHP-related jobs are still booming in regions like India and other
parts of the Asia-Pacific. This trend is likely driven by the fact that MNCs
are outsourcing their web development and software projects to PHP developers
in India, benefiting from lower costs and specialized expertise.
Conversely, in the USA and the UK, the market
for core PHP jobs has become stagnant, pushing developers to diversify their
skill sets with technologies like Node.js, Python, or cloud tools.
So take our word for it: investing in PHP is still worth it. Pair it with modern frameworks and complementary technologies to secure a stable and rewarding career in 2025 and beyond.
If you have any doubt related this post, let me know