Difference between PHP and ASP

Sunday, 28 November 2010

PHP and ASP are similar in function as they can perform nearly as well as each other.  PHP, or Pre-Hypertext Processor, is server side software that can cross platform and is similar in syntax to Java or C.  ASP or Active Server Pages are a basic syntax that is possible with IIS (Internet Information Services on Windows).  PHP is designed to work in many environments, thus is compatible with both Microsoft OS Products and Linux based Operating Systems.  ASP relies on the IIS service, meaning that it is native on Microsoft Windows but can be made compatible with Linux servers if all of the correct physical components are installed and registered for use. Hosting possibilities are mixed for both languages.  ASP works with both Windows and Linux servers but will tend to fare better with the native Windows structure.  Although PHP is capable of running on both server types, it naturally works much faster on Linux due to the low amount of resources needed and how much resources the operating system takes up on the server.

Comparing PHP and ASP

Both PHP and ASP are great solutions for most projects that need the server power and capabilities available with them.  Both ASP and PHP have several tools and available options with their GUI options.PHP is capable of being installed quickly and easily with many tools server side which can include image manipulation, uploading, email systems and much more.  ASP is designed to require registration of components and modules to make each tool possible.  ASP will usually require paying for each component upgrade as well.

There are noticeable speed issues between ASP and PHP.  ASP tends to be slower and can handle a low amount of requests before accessibility starts to lag and become labored on the server.  PHP tends to be much faster and can handle thousands of requests before strain begins to become an issue.  When connecting to a database, ASP will tend to work better with SQL Servers and Access.  Although it is capable of running MySQL, it is more difficult to get working on just any server.  PHP has better accessibility to MySQL and other options for database connectivity.

The way to figure out which is necessary for a certain type of server can be done with some simple deliberation on the servers.  If the server is Microsoft based, then the use of ASP with options such as SQL Server should be considered.  On the other hand, if the server is Linux, BSD, or any form of Unix, then the use of a PHP and MySQL configuration is best suited.

When using ASP it is important to remember that costs behind hosting and all components that are needed can be exceedingly high for most budgets.  PHP is much more versatile in terms of budget constraints and has a variety of free and opened sourced tools available for use alongside the commercial products as well.  Whatever the case is for power and function, both ASP and PHP can perform well under their optimal configurations with a server.