Backend Runtime Data v2.4.0 Updated 2026-01-15

PHP

Battle-tested server-side scripting language

N/A N/A Unknown N/A
78 /100
Strong pick High confidence (95%)

Quick Verdict

Best For

  • Content management systems and blogs
  • E-commerce platforms (WooCommerce, Magento)
  • Rapid prototyping and MVPs
  • Teams with existing PHP expertise

Consider Alternatives If

  • Real-time applications (use Node.js)
  • CPU-intensive computations (use Go, Rust)
  • Mobile backends requiring GraphQL subscriptions

Top Alternatives

Node.js 85Bun 82

Score Breakdown

6 dimensions evaluated with transparent methodology

Performance
75 −25

Solid performance with PHP 8.x JIT compilation

  • PHP 8.3 JIT compiler improves CPU-bound tasks by 30-40%
  • OPcache provides bytecode caching out of the box
  • Async capabilities via Swoole, ReactPHP, Amphp
Why not 100%:
  • −12 Request-per-process model less efficient than Node.js event loop
  • −12 Native async support still maturing compared to other languages
Developer Experience
82 −18

Mature tooling with excellent IDE support

  • PHPStorm offers unmatched PHP IDE experience
  • Composer provides modern dependency management
  • Strong typing with PHP 8.x attributes and enums
Why not 100%:
  • −9 Historical baggage and inconsistent stdlib naming
  • −9 Configuration can be complex (php.ini, extensions)
Ecosystem
95 −5

The largest web development ecosystem

  • Packagist hosts 350K+ packages
  • Powers WordPress, Laravel, Symfony, Drupal
  • Every hosting provider supports PHP natively
Why not 100%:
  • −2 Many legacy packages with outdated practices
  • −2 Quality varies significantly across packages
Maintainability
80 −20

Regular releases with clear deprecation cycles

  • Annual major releases with 2-year active support
  • PHP Foundation ensures long-term sustainability
  • Strong static analysis with PHPStan and Psalm
Why not 100%:
  • −10 Legacy codebases common and hard to modernize
  • −10 Breaking changes between major versions
Cost Efficiency
90 −10

Extremely low hosting costs with wide availability

  • Cheapest hosting options in the industry
  • Shared hosting from $3/month supports PHP
  • No vendor lock-in, runs anywhere
Why not 100%:
  • −5 Complex apps may need VPS over shared hosting
  • −5 Some advanced features require paid extensions
Compliance
85 −15

Enterprise-ready with proven security track record

  • Regular security patches and CVE responses
  • Mature security libraries and practices
  • Enterprise adoption by major companies
Why not 100%:
  • −7 Requires discipline to avoid common vulnerabilities
  • −7 Many tutorials show insecure patterns

Compare Alternatives

How PHP stacks up against similar technologies

TechnologyOverallPerfDXEcosystem
Current PHP78758295
Node.js Event-driven, JS everywhere85———Compare →
Bun Faster runtime, all-in-one82———Compare →
Full comparison with Node.js

Sources & Methodology

How we calculate these scores: transparent and reproducible

Deterministic Scoring

Same inputs always produce the same outputs. We use versioned lookup tables, not LLM opinions. Every score is explainable and reproducible.

Learn how it works →
primary

GitHub

Repository activity, stars, contributors, issue resolution time

contextual

Community Signals

Stack Overflow activity, Discord engagement, developer surveys

secondary

OSV Database

Known vulnerabilities, security advisories, CVE tracking

Data version: 2.4.0 Last updated: 2026-01-15 Confidence: 95%

Frequently Asked