Reasons to Migrate to Python from PHP — Insights of a Python Development Company

When it comes to backend development, PHP and Python are two of the most popular programming languages that both companies and developers choose for web development. However, which of the two to choose is a question to many. Even though a huge number of websites are made in PHP, there has been a sharp upward trend in Python development over the past two years. If you are leaning towards choosing Python over PHP as your preferred language, then this article is for you. So, what are the reasons to migrate your online project to Python? What are the advantages of the latter? Let us begin with some facts.

PHP outnumbers Python in the total volume of websites developed in 2019. However, the trend has changed. After being used by popular companies like YouTube, Instagram, Quora, Facebook, Pinterest, Reddit, Google, Netflix, and Spotify, Python has become a new favorite. It is no wonder that every second company strives for software development using Python as its main programming language. In the last 2 years, the annual growth of Python in the US and UK market was much higher than the growth rate of PHP. And the tendency is quite stable now. So, let’s take a look at the greatest benefits of Python that have contributed to this growth.

#1 — Convenient Syntax

Python’s syntax is simple; it looks natural and easy to read. Therefore, the application code is easy to write and work with. This speeds up the development of programs and makes the work of the dev team easier. On top of that, readable code is easier to maintain, inspect, and fix.

#2 — Wide Range of Libraries

Python libraries provide a huge number of ready-made solutions. Hence, developers don’t have to waste time reinventing the wheel every time.

#3 — Asynchronous Programming

It doesn’t take much effort to write and maintain asynchronous code written in Python since deadlocks, resource contention, and similar issues do not occur. Each block of this code is executed separately, which improves the performance and responsiveness of web applications.

#4 — Python Is Ideal for Prototyping and MVP

The speed of development makes Python the optimal choice for prototyping and building MVPs — minimum viable products. Language versatility and flexibility allow you to quickly refactor and develop the final product from a prototype.

#5 — Python Has All the Advantages of a Dynamic Language

In dynamic languages, the meaning of variables can change. This makes the code faster. No compilation time wasted. Programming results are visible in real-time. With short development cycles, there is no need to blow the class hierarchy for a long time. Less code means it’s easier to maintain and update.

#6 — Integration with Other Languages

Python can be easily integrated with other languages ​​used by corporations, such as Java and .Net. Besides, Python can call C and C ++ code directly. Python was originally designed for integration. Therefore, it is suitable for customizing large applications and creating extensions for them. Python can be used to collect snippets of code infrastructure, which is often required in large and lengthy projects. With all these in mind, it is no wonder that Python is often referred to as the “gluing language.”

#7 — Easy, Fast, Effective Testing

Python is suitable for test automation. QA specialists often write scripts in Python because it is easy to learn, and the Python code can be written faster than the one in C-like languages.

#8 — Data Visualization

Python is good for visualizing reports and statistics. Some libraries have been developed for this purpose, and Matplotlib and Plotly are some of these. Therefore, in many Internet applications based on the collection and visualization of data, it is Python that is used most often.

#9 — Open Source Benefits

Python is free to use. And an open license makes it easy to distribute and optimize applications and improve the language itself.

#10 — Large Community

Almost any question related to Python programming can be answered on dedicated forums, such as Stackoverflow. Also, the popularity of the language leads to the growth of the repository of ready-made solutions. And the low entry threshold contributes to a constant influx of young professionals.

What Does It Mean?

If you are still wondering what programming language to use as the key basis for your project, then Python is a good option. It will provide you with a solid pack of benefits.