PHP or C#

[AntiFreze]

I work for a fairly large company and they just branched out from .NET/C# exclusive to PHP and C#/.NET (depending on which is better for the given project). I have a general web programming background but havent done too much in the past 3 years. I use to do some light php and asp.

Basically, which is better in the long term for job security/advancement? Is one dying out sooner than the other? Is one used more by larger companies?

Any advice/guidance you can provide?

 

[blahblah99]

The .net platform is great until you run into framework bugs and have to find a workarounds. When that happens, you'd wish you had programmed in a different language.

On the upside, there are some libraries and support for .net that isn't available in PHP, depending on what you plan to do.

 

[VinylxScratches]

I see more .NET jobs out there than I do for PHP.

 

[DaveSimmons]

There will be plenty of work for good C# and PHP developers for the foreseeable future, so you could pick the one that interests you most.

The advantage of C# is it lets you work on more kinds of applications besides server code, including desktop, mobile and Silverlight apps. PHP work is 99% used for server page scripting.

 

[imported_Dhaval00]

Originally posted by: blahblah99
The .net platform is great until you run into framework bugs and have to find a workarounds. When that happens, you'd wish you had programmed in a different language.

On the upside, there are some libraries and support for .net that isn't available in PHP, depending on what you plan to do.

Care to share a few? Not that I'm advocating the Framework, but I'd like to know them (just in case).

 

[presidentender]

PHP will tie you to web development more than C# will. C# will tie you to .NET. I'd say either one will work in terms of career advancement, and can't recommend one over the other. We do both here.

 

[GodlessAstronomer]

Well in my area there are about 5 times as many C# jobs advertised on the biggest online job site over PHP, and the pay looks generally better. I'd do some more research if I were you, but from my quick glance the choice looks like a no-brainer. Add to that the fact that PHP is horrible to work with...

 

[AntiFreze]

and where does JAVA fall in comparison to C# within the .NET framework.. yay.. or nay?

 

[DaveSimmons]

Nay. Java is not a useful language for .Net development.

If you want to write java code, you'll probably be working on unix/linux servers with Apache and Oracle.

 

[OogyWaWa]

.net

 

[GodlessAstronomer]

Java is a great skill to learn, and we may see it pick up some steam after IBM's acquisition of Sun.

 

[sourceninja]

I'm in the process of getting java certified. Java can be a great server language. BTW, oracle is buying sun, not IBM.

Personally php is the easiest of the 3 to write, and the easiest of the 3 to write poorly. SO faster to get into, but easier to be an idiot with. I'm a php developer LOL.

 

[tarak]

Originally posted by: GodlessAstronomer
Java is a great skill to learn, and we may see it pick up some steam after Oracle's acquisition of Sun.

Fixed! But agreed, I think we will see Java pick up some momentum, especially in the corporate environment since Oracle can offer a pretty compelling stack with the app server, database and now language.

Without bashing PHP too much, C# and Java seem more for big business/enterprise. I think the pay scale for these jobs reflects this as well. I'd also be concerned as a PHP developer that serious development would move to a better designed language (Ruby, Python). That said, I'm quite bias as a C# developer.

 

[slugg]

Unofficially, I'd like to share the Disney uses a _LOT_ of Java. Fun little tidbit there...

 

[GodlessAstronomer]

Bah, yeah I meant Oracle. Getting hard to keep up with Sun news

 

[clamum]

I'm not positive but I would think there are more C# jobs available.

Personally, I started web development with PHP and have since got a job as a C# application developer -- Windows and Web -- and good lord if I'll ever go back to PHP if I don't have to. Ugh.

 

[KIAman]

Originally posted by: Dhaval00

Originally posted by: blahblah99
The .net platform is great until you run into framework bugs and have to find a workarounds. When that happens, you'd wish you had programmed in a different language.

On the upside, there are some libraries and support for .net that isn't available in PHP, depending on what you plan to do.

Care to share a few? Not that I'm advocating the Framework, but I'd like to know them (just in case).

The two big ones I personally am struggling with are MS Office automation (I know, just don't do it, but it is a major requirement) and Windows Server 2008 64 bit compatability. Drives me absolutely batty!

 

[invidia]

Both are good. I end up learning to use PHP. I work as a .NET developer but IMO, .NET jobs seem to be much more plentiful than PHP.

 

[Crusty]

Originally posted by: KIAman

Originally posted by: Dhaval00

Originally posted by: blahblah99
The .net platform is great until you run into framework bugs and have to find a workarounds. When that happens, you'd wish you had programmed in a different language.

On the upside, there are some libraries and support for .net that isn't available in PHP, depending on what you plan to do.

Care to share a few? Not that I'm advocating the Framework, but I'd like to know them (just in case).

The two big ones I personally am struggling with are MS Office automation (I know, just don't do it, but it is a major requirement) and Windows Server 2008 64 bit compatability. Drives me absolutely batty!

Don't get me started on VSTO. Automating Office applications is like pulling teeth out.

 

[Snapster]

Originally posted by: Crusty

Don't get me started on VSTO. Automating Office applications is like pulling teeth out.

I share the pain!

Although it's not really a .Net problem itself but more an issue of Office itself not being opened up, or at least available in proper managed code. Documentation is also sub-standard in this area.

 

[Crusty]

Originally posted by: Snapster

Originally posted by: Crusty

Don't get me started on VSTO. Automating Office applications is like pulling teeth out.

I share the pain!

Although it's not really a .Net problem itself but more an issue of Office itself not being opened up, or at least available in proper managed code. Documentation is also sub-standard in this area.

/agree

There's so many ways to get the same thing done, you don't even have to use VSTO to automate Office(if you like torture )! They need to get away from using COM Interop to automate Office and make the APIs integrate into .NET seamlessly.

I would imagine there's some anti-trust issues with including the APIs in the .NET specifications, which is why they might still be using COM wrappers to automate. Either way it's a clunky system that needs to be rethought IMHO.

 

[bsobel]

Originally posted by: GodlessAstronomer
Java is a great skill to learn, and we may see it pick up some steam after IBM's acquisition of Sun.

A C# person should be able to move to Java (and vice versa) extremely quickly.

 

[Crusty]

Originally posted by: bsobel

Originally posted by: GodlessAstronomer
Java is a great skill to learn, and we may see it pick up some steam after IBM's acquisition of Sun.

A C# person should be able to move to Java (and vice versa) extremely quickly.

Yep, I had zero issues going from Java -> C#. The hardest part IMO is getting used to the new tools and IDE.

 

[GodlessAstronomer]

Originally posted by: Crusty

Originally posted by: bsobel

Originally posted by: GodlessAstronomer
Java is a great skill to learn, and we may see it pick up some steam after IBM's acquisition of Sun.

A C# person should be able to move to Java (and vice versa) extremely quickly.

Yep, I had zero issues going from Java -> C#. The hardest part IMO is getting used to the new tools and IDE.

Same here. It's more a case of learning framework than language. But going from Java to C# you can (and should) spend a lot of time learning about the really cool language features that make C# really kick ass like delegates, LINQ, lambda expression trees etc.