PHP Alternatives

PHP is described as 'widely-used general-purpose scripting language that is especially suited for Web development and can be embedded into HTML' and is a very popular programming language in the development category. There are more than 25 alternatives to PHP for a variety of platforms, including Windows, Linux, Mac, BSD and Haiku. The best alternative is Python, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like PHP are JavaScript, Java, Ruby and Lua.

PHP alternatives are mainly Programming Languages but may also be Game Development Tools. Filter by these if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of PHP.

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PHP

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Free • Open Source
Programming Language

Mac
Windows
Linux
BSD
PHP

PHP is a widely-used general-purpose scripting language that is especially suited for Web development and can be embedded...

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Python
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Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Programming Language
Mac
Windows
Linux
Symbian S60
BSD
AROS
Haiku
AmigaOS
OpenSolaris
MorphOS
78 alternatives to Python
Python is an interpreted, interactive, object-oriented, extensible programming language. It provides an extraordinary combination of clarity and versatility, and is free and comprehensively ported.
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Python Features
1. LightweightPython consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
2. Support for scriptingPython supports scripts and macros to automate or customize tasks.
3. PortablePython can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
High Level
Object-oriented Language
Modular System
Dynamic typing
Garbage Collection
Interpreted language
Rad
Python vs PHP opinions
Almost everyone thinks Python is a great alternative to PHP.
JavaScript
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Programming Language
Mac
Windows
Linux
Online
Android
iPhone
Chrome OS
BSD
iPad
AROS
Haiku
60 alternatives to JavaScript
JavaScript (sometimes shortened to JS) is a lightweight, interpreted, object-oriented language with first-class functions, most known as the scripting language for Web pages, but also used in many non-browser environments.
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JavaScript Features
1. Support for scriptingJavaScript supports scripts and macros to automate or customize tasks.
2. LightweightJavaScript consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
3. PortableJavaScript can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
Asynchronous
Interpreted language
Multiplatform
Dynamic typing
Programmers Documentation
Extensibility
Prototype-based inheritance
JavaScript vs PHP opinions
Almost everyone thinks JavaScript is a great alternative to PHP.
Guest
NodeJS is faster and more secure than PHP
Positive comment•
-4

Guest
JavaScript is good for back-end, node.js can do everything, has a lot of advantages compared to php, for example node.js do better routing.
Positive comment•
4

Guest
Javascript is for front end code
Negative comment•
-20
Java
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free Personal • Open Source
Programming Language
Mac
Windows
Linux
Online
Android
Java Mobile
Symbian S60
HP webOS
Blackberry
Android Tablet
BSD
Blackberry 10
PlayBook
Kindle Fire
58 alternatives to Java
Java is a general-purpose computer programming language that is concurrent, class-based, object-oriented, and specifically designed to have as few implementation dependencies as possible.
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Java Features
Garbage Collection
Object-oriented Language
Statically Typed Language
Coding
X86/x64 Compatibility
Stringent Programming Language
Java vs PHP opinions
Ruby
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Programming Language
Mac
Windows
Linux
BSD
Haiku
67 alternatives to Ruby
Ruby is a dynamic, reflective, general purpose object-oriented programming language that combines syntax inspired by Perl with Smalltalk-like features. Ruby originated in Japan during the mid-1990s and was initially developed and designed by Yukihiro "Matz" Matsumoto.
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Ruby Features
Blocks
Dynamic typing
Object-oriented Language
Text processing
Interpreter
Native extension libraries
Lua
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Programming Language
Mac
Windows
Linux
Android
iPhone
Android Tablet
BSD
iPad
Android Wear
Haiku
AmigaOS
Playstation
MorphOS
67 alternatives to Lua
Lua is a powerful, fast, lightweight, embeddable scripting language.

Lua combines simple procedural syntax with powerful data description constructs based on associative arrays and extensible semantics. Lua is dynamically typed, runs by interpreting bytecode for a register-based.
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Lua Features
1. LightweightLua consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
2. Support for scriptingLua supports scripts and macros to automate or customize tasks.
Embeddable
Configuration
Lua vs PHP opinions
pros, cons and recent comments
Guest
Can do all that PHP does. Usable for all sorts of software, not just web. Super slim, the opposite of bloatware. Summary: maximum benefit, minimum burden.
Positive comment•
-2
Perl
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Programming Language
Mac
Windows
Linux
BSD
Haiku
64 alternatives to Perl
Perl is a high-level, general-purpose, interpreted, dynamic programming language with over 22 years of development.
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Perl Features
Shell integration
Text processing
Add a screenshot
Haskell
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Programming Language
Mac
Windows
Linux
BSD
52 alternatives to Haskell
Haskell is an advanced purely-functional programming language. An open-source product of more than twenty years of cutting-edge research, it allows rapid development of robust, concise, correct software.
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Haskell Features
1. LightweightHaskell consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
2. Support for scriptingHaskell supports scripts and macros to automate or customize tasks.
Functional Language
Tail Call Optimization
Static typing
D (Programming Language)
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Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Programming Language
Mac
Windows
Linux
BSD
50 alternatives to D (Programming Language)
D is a language with C-like syntax and static typing. It pragmatically combines efficiency, control, and modeling power, with safety and programmer productivity.
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D (Programming Language) Features
Multiparadigm
Compiled Language
Object-oriented Language
High Level
Contract programming
Functional Language
Haxe
Do you think this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Programming Language
Mac
Windows
Linux
Raspberry Pi
57 alternatives to Haxe
Haxe is an open source toolkit based on a modern high level strictly typed programming language, a state-of-the-art light-speed cross-compiler, a complete cross-platform standard library, and ways to access to each platform's native capabilities.
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Haxe Features
Pattern matching
Object-oriented Language
Scala
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Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Mac
Windows
Linux
BSD
63 alternatives to Scala
Scala is a modern multi-paradigm programming language based on the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) designed to express common programming patterns in a concise, elegant, and type-safe way.
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Scala Features
Functional Language
OOP
Java based
Object-oriented Language
Compiled Language