Why PHP Remains the Powerhouse of Web Development in 2024

Over a span of 3 decades, PHP has evolved tremendously in terms of scalability, robustness, and efficiency.

Despite severe competition from NodeJs, Python, and other languages, PHP has maintained its fair-share as the widely used language. As of 2024, approximately 77% of the live websites use PHP as their server-side programming language. This list included popular websites such as Facebook, Wikipedia, WordPress, and many more.

With constant updates and an active community of developers PHP web development continues to be highly relevant in 2024. 25.8% of web developers prefer PHP and 81% of all uses for PHP are still for web development. In the subsequent sections of this blog let’s understand the underlying reasons for this statistics. Let’s look at what factors make developers and businesses prefer PHP for their web development projects.

Historical Context and Evolution of PHP

When PHP was originally launched in 1994, it started as a simple set of Common Gateway Interface binaries written in C, known as ‘Personal Home Page Tools”. Over time it then evolved into a full-fledged scripting language, getting the acronym of PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor.

The real breakthrough came in 1997 with the launch of PHP3, a more robust and versatile engine. The release of PHP4 in 2000 further improved performance and introduced powerful features, solidifying PHP’s role in web development.

Then came PHP5 in 2004, introducing object-oriented programming capabilities. The subsequent versions PHP7 and PHP8 in the subsequent years of 2015 and 2020 brought in significant performance improvements and advanced features such as the Just-In-Time (JIT) compiler. This is how PHP web development became a powerful, efficient, and reliable language for web development over the years.

Let’s look at the reasons why php web development services have gained prominence.

1. WideSpread Use and Community Support

The widespread use of PHP in itself is a testament of its reliability and functionality. It has been consistently ranked among the top programming languages for web development, with its application being popular among millions of developers globally.

One of the strongest assets is its active community of developers offering extensive support, resources, and regular updates. This kind of community-driven approach ensures that PHP remains updated, efficient, and secure. The open-source nature encourages contributions from developers globally for enhanced features and functionalities. This collaborative spirit fosters innovation and ensures PHP web development is relevant with the latest web development trends.

2. Performance and Scalability

Being renowned for its speed and efficiency, PHP processes data quickly, making it ideal for dynamic web page development. There is scope for significant performance improvements with JIT compiler and several such features in the latest PHP8 version boosting the execution speed.

PHP 8 brings numerous enhancements such as:

Improved syntax
Error handling
Performance optimization

PHP is also regarded for its ability to efficiently handle high-traffic websites for modern web app development. The scalable architecture helps manage increased traffic to the website with uncompromised performance.

3. Cost-Effectiveness

The open-source nature of PHP makes it cost-effective, eliminating the licensing fees. In addition to its affordable development and maintenance, the availability of a vast array of frameworks and tools reduces the development time and costs.

The open-source nature of PHP reduces the development costs by offering numerous free tools, frameworks, and libraries. This accessibility is how PHP is used in web development for businesses of all sizes. Additionally, the large network of skilled PHP developers makes it easier and affordable to hire talent. This abundant availability of talent offers high-quality development services at competitive rates.

4. Flexibility and Compatibility

PHP is compatible with multiple databases such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQLite. This enhances its flexibility and allows developers to choose the best candidates for their specific project needs. From simple websites to complex APIs and content management systems, PHP’s versatility makes it suitable for custom PHP web development services.

In addition to its adaptability, another key reason for its enduring popularity is its cross-platform compatibility. PHP can work seamlessly across multiple platforms including Windows, Linux, and macOS. This ensures that applications run efficiently in diverse work environments.

5. Security Features

Security was, is, and will always remain a paramount concern in web development. PHP has built-in security functions such as SQL injection and cross-site scripting offering protection against common vulnerabilities. This feature makes PHP a secure choice for web development.

The PHP community also offers best practices for secure coding, facilitating the development of robust and secure applications. With regular release updates and patches to address these threats, PHP’s proactive approach maintains the integrity, security, and reliability of web applications.

6. Frameworks and Tools

PHP offers a multitude of frameworks such as Laravel, CodeIgniter, and Symfony. These frameworks help streamline the development process for enhanced productivity with robust features for complex app development.

PHP developers can enhance the development process and improve the code quality by having access to a wealth of development tools and resources. This includes IDEs, debuggers, and testing frameworks. The use of PHP framework ensures code consistency, accelerates development, and offers built-in security features. This is why PHP web development is a popular choice among developers.

7. PHP in modern web landscape

The use case of PHP is not confined to any particular niche or industry, it’s versatile to be used in e-commerce platforms, content management systems, and web applications. Compared to other languages such as JavaScript, Python, and Ruby, PHP has its unique set of advantages. This includes cost, performance, and community support contributing to its continued relevance in web development.

PHP is constantly evolving, adapting to technological advancements and industry trends. These innovations in regular intervals ensure that PHP remains a cutting-edge technology for web development.

How Uplers Will Help You Hire Top PHP Developers

Now that you are informed about the widespread benefits of using PHP for your web development needs, it’s time to hire a PHP developer or to multiply your existing PHP team. If you are wondering where you can find the right talent, how you can attract skilled professionals, and how you can employ competent talent at cost-effective rates, Uplers will be your one-stop answer.

With over 1M+ talent network spread across 5+ time zones Uplers can bridge the demand-supply gap. How? It’s a simple 4-step vetting process as under:

Prepare a well-drafted job description where all the specifics of the jobs are outlined. This will lay the groundwork for us to find an appropriate match for the job, therefore make it detailed yet concise.

2. At Uplers we conduct a rigorous 4-step vetting process to evaluate the applicants based on aspects like:

language proficiency
aptitude evaluation
cultural competency
skills assessment.

We curate a pool of the top 3.5% of AI-vetted Indian remote talent from our 1M+ talent network. These are then sent in your inbox within 48-72 hours of the hiring request.

3. An interview slot is scheduled by us at your convenient time. By asking the right set of technical and behavioral questions you can shortlist an ideal PHP developer for your project.

4. We take it from there and handle all the onboarding formalities to make it effortless for you as well as the talent.

What are the benefits of partnering with Uplers?

Zero hiring hassle
Up to 40% cost-savings
JdPro tool to help you create a JD (in case you don’t have one) in no time.
2-week risk-free trial
30-days talent cancellation policy
Free lifetime talent replacement policy

Additionally, the Uplers salary analysis tool can help you stay on top of the existing salary trends. By providing a comparative salary analysis for free, our tool helps you align your compensation strategy with the industry benchmarks to eliminate any prejudice or underpayment. You get to compare the salary of a PHP developer in your country to that of India so that you can find cost-effective good quality talent.

Final Thoughts on Choosing PHP for Web Development

Whether you are considering PHP web development for the present in 2024 or in the future context, the decision seems to be fruitful. With hiring partners like Uplers connecting with the right talent doesn’t seem like a far-fetched goal. PHP will continue to remain a powerhouse in web development with its performance, scalability, and cost-effectiveness.

You can optimally leverage the power of PHP with the right developers and build and maintain a high-performing web application that propels business growth in 2024 and beyond.