If you are looking for web development services for your business but are confused between PHP and ASP.NET technologies, we have got you covered. This article consists of an unbiased comparison between the two very popular technologies, i.e., ASP.NET and PHP. 

To give you a brief of both the programming languages, PHP is an open-source and a free platform used for web development, whereas ASP.NET is a paid Microsoft Platform. PHP is a combination of different programming languages and a framework leveraged for web development, whereas .NET is a straight application framework. 

Let us now compare PHP and ASP.NET to have a clear understanding of what will work best for you. 

Introduction to ASP.NET

It is an open-source framework leveraged to build server-side applications established by Microsoft. ASP.NET adds several things to the .NET platform, including libraries and common web patterns, such as the Model View controller, authentication system, web page template syntax, editor’s extensions, and much more. This framework is open-source on Github that has a user community of 3700 companies and over 60,000 developers. The number is growing consistently at a rapid pace. 

Pros and Cons of ASP.NET

Pros

• It has an excellent reputation in the web development industry since Microsoft owns it. 
• One of the best platforms for developing enterprise applications. 
• ASP.NET is highly scalable and is widening at a rapid pace. 
• It has an excellent UI for web developers. 
• Developers can obtain the benefits of several pre-coded options that make the development process faster. 
• Innumerable tools and features provided to support programming. 
• All major programming languages are supported and are relatively compatible with both C# and app. 

 Cons

• ASP.NET works only with Microsoft Servers. 
• More sophisticated as compared to PHP. 
• For web development, ASP.NET is less productive than PHP. 
• The developer community that supports it is considerably smaller. 
• It is grounded on closed-source technology. 
• An expensive choice since it requires the purchase of a Microsoft license. 

Introduction to PHP

PHP is an open-source platform that enables the development of web applications and concentrates on server-side scripting. It handles the backend, and the front-end is generally based on HTML. The language is applicable for collecting form data, sending and receiving cookies, generating dynamic page content, and many more. PHP scripts are commonly used for command-line scripting, server-side scripting, and desktop application writing. PHP can be used for all significant operating systems, such as Linux, Microsoft Windows, macOS, etc. 

Pros and Cons of PHP

Pros

• A vast community that consists of dedicated developers from around the world. 
• It can be customized as per needs and highly scalable. 
• An open-source platform and free for users. 
• The perfect choice for web-based scripts such as web content. 
• Cost-efficient and easy to code, learn and pick up. 
• The best choice for all large-scale projects, such as Facebook. 

Cons

• PHP applications tend to run slower than other apps built using different programming languages. 
• Customization options may lead to poor coding, bugs, etc. 
• Not suitable for web applications, as web applications are usually targeted. 
• As compared to the other programming languages, it lacks efficiency when handling errors are concerned. That said, the detection of mistakes takes time.

Significant Differences Between PHP and ASP.NET

• Speed and Performance

 The speed of web applications developed determines the performance of both ASP.NET and PHP. Both the frameworks are equipped with technologies that can access the file systems, look for images, and display web pages on servers. A website’s speed is based on numerous factors that include bandwidth, servers, and many more. Simultaneously, ASP.NET’s irregularities in codes are avoided by ASP.NET and restrict business apps from writing more accessible and better codes. At the same time, building websites is easy and tech-sufficient for PHP developers. 

• Security

Security features are provided by both platforms but differently. ASP.NET has a built-in security feature that includes SQL injection, whereas PHP offers tools to structure the web application security. That said, developers find it easy and reliable to integrate security features using ASP.NET, whereas PHP provides only the required tools. It often lets several PHP developers overlook the security features, which further results in the application vulnerability. Whereas security features of ASP.NET are the best since they are in-built and save many developers’ effort. 

• Cost

LAMP is a popular choice among several hosting companies. That said, the hosting cost is less than the other Window hosting options. However, if you purchase Windows OS, ASP.NET comes free. Though there will still be licensing costs for MS SQL Server, MS Windows Server, and future updates. On the contrary, PHP is open-source and free of charge, making web development more cost-efficient for a PHP development company. Additionally, it comes with free web hosting. 

• Support

As LAMP is open-source, several developers update, support, and enhance the platforms globally. If you are looking for a change of functionality, simply post a question on the PHP forum, and you will receive plenty of answers from experts. Developers and support resources for LAMP platforms and PHP are continuously growing. On the other hand, ASP.NET relies on a minimal number of developers from the Microsoft platform. That said, when you need help with ASP.NET development, only a few developers will be available. 

• Platform Dependency

 PHP is independent of any platform. That said, it can run efficiently on any platform, that includes UNIX, Linux, Windows, and macOS X. Whereas, as far as ASP.NET is concerned, it runs on a Windows platform only. One of the primary reasons why the PHP community is so large and powerful. 

Conclusion: ASP.NET vs. PHP: What to choose? 

Although PHP development is a robust framework, with numerous open-source, free libraries, ASP.NET has several advantages. ASP.NET is highly beneficial for enterprise companies that prefer Microsoft technologies. Evaluate your project needs to decide between PHP development and ASP.NET development services. 

PHP has a vast open-source community; developers can reach out to find development solutions online. At the same time, ASP.NET has a separate community of .NET developers for assistance. 

You should know the technical requirements of a particular project precisely and estimate each technology’s benefits correctly to obtain maximum benefits. Before picking the right technology, always choose to consult experienced and professional web development experts.