Need Advice and Tips on web development programming languages

21 replies
Hello experts and experienced members,

I am a newbie Web Designer, and I've been practicing a lot.

Now, I've decided to dive into Web Development. But I don't know yet any programming language for Web Development.

So I need your tips and advise on what's the right for me to learn FIRST.

PHP, RUBY or PHYTON?
#advice #development #languages #programming #tips #web
  • Profile picture of the author ALicenseToCode
    The answer without a doubt here is PHP. A great majority of the web runs on PHP now, that's what wordpress and every other accepted mainstream open source app is written in. Some people will argue that other languages are better, but it's best to know the most COMMON language first. On top of learning PHP you should learn SQL since almost all open source applications, most notably Wordpress are PHP/MySQL apps.
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  • Profile picture of the author Azlan
    Originally Posted by cosmicx View Post

    Hello experts and experienced members,

    I am a newbie Web Designer, and I've been practicing a lot.

    Now, I've decided to dive into Web Development. But I don't know yet any programming language for Web Development.

    So I need your tips and advise on what's the right for me to learn FIRST.

    PHP, RUBY or PHYTON?
    PHP, RUBY or PHYTON is great program to learn but majority of site is build in PHP some CMS is build on php too... but lot's of developer on this now a days, RUBY is now doing great but low on developer but it will always your choice.
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  • Profile picture of the author cosmicx
    @ALicenseToCode,

    @Azlan

    Thank you for the inputs. I got your point, PHP is popular. So, I guess I will learn PHP first.
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  • Profile picture of the author sethczerepak
    Go for PHP MYSQL first, but start learning jquery asap as you'll need it for making things intuitive.
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    • Profile picture of the author cosmicx
      Originally Posted by sethczerepak View Post

      Go for PHP MYSQL first, but start learning jquery asap as you'll need it for making things intuitive.
      Great, thanks! But I am learning javascripting now, then jQuery?

      Is not jQuery is a library? that means, I should learn javascripting first?
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  • Profile picture of the author brianng
    PHP and Python will rule them all.
    Ruby sounds lovely, but you'll find less and less people talking 'bout it.

    Thank you for leaving out ASP and C#..
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  • Profile picture of the author JohnnyS
    PHP would be the best among the 3 when it comes to web development.

    you can start reading about PHP here.. PHP Tutorial - Introduction
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  • Profile picture of the author rising_sun
    Banned
    Before developing a site you need a strong basic on general programming,for this purpose you should choose an easy language,like c,c++.
    If you don't agree with me ,it's ok ,for the first time you should choose PHP ,because it is easy and reliable.
    If you choose other then you need a strong background on CSE.
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  • Profile picture of the author hero001
    Banned
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    • Profile picture of the author cosmicx
      Thank you for the inputs guys.
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  • Profile picture of the author ecofriend
    Banned
    I am not heard with languages RUBY or PHYTON? . Yes PHP is well known for me . Its an Open Source langugage that is On its most use for developing web pages . For read A usefull comperision betwwen three follow Link .
    [Infographic] PHP vs. Python vs. Ruby
    May it helps you in better Understanding . Thanks
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  • Profile picture of the author Damien Roche
    I'd question how many people above who are suggesting you learn PHP first only have experience with PHP. So, what I'd do is edit your OP and request that people also detail if they know all of the languages and how long they have worked with each language.

    I've been freelancing for 5 years now, 3 or so with PHP, 2 years with Ruby and I mess around with Python when I get chance. I have worked on simple applications in PHP, small tweak work, lots and lots of work for warriors on these forums, all the way up to large hotel reservation websites. I hope when I say this, you understand I am speaking from *real* experience and not the PHP bubble of ignorance that so many developers seem to be caught in (as I was for 3 years).

    Ruby AND Python are both leaps ahead of PHP in almost every department. In fact, the single reason PHP is ahead at all is because of how easy it is to distribute on cheap servers that come pre-packaged with LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP). It isn't popular because it is the best offering or any of that nonsense. It is because it is widely available!

    You will learn some incredibly bad programming habits if you learn PHP first simply because it is hacked together by amateur language designers, and the fact that when you look for tutorials and examples you will undoubtedly run into atrocious code more times than not. See here as a warning: PHP: a fractal of bad design - fuzzy notepad

    Again, make note that I am speaking as a developer who has been building complex websites for 5 years now with many happy clients: PHP WILL hold you back!

    Ruby, on the other hand, with Rails (or Sinatra) is incredibly more productive and intuitive than PHP with any of the available frameworks. If somebody retorts with something ridiculous like frameworks aren't needed or you should roll your own - start communicating with real programmers on stackoverflow and see how far you get.

    When it comes to rapid application development, there is simply no contender to something like Ruby on Rails. If you absolutely must go with PHP, then learn it as you learn a framework (Symfony2 is excellent!) and OOP (object oriented programming). We don't need another copy-paste scripting cowboy. Proper programmers who take their careers seriously and don't make a religion out of PHP are in demand. Let me put it this way, when I moved from PHP to Ruby my salary almost doubled!

    The place for PHP: when you need something quick and dirty that can run on almost any shared server on the planet, or when you're doing work for warriors (because most are interested in Wordpress or have systems built in PHP). If you aspire to build big, complex, modern, well-designed applications. Look elsewhere. You're kidding yourself if you think PHP is the better option of the 3.

    Whoever does contend that PHP is the better option, be sure to share with us your experience of those other languages (or any other languages for that matter), and if you've ever built large applications with PHP and continue to effectively maintain those applications. Also, if you don't understand what OOP or MVC or Git means instantly or don't use version control, you're not a real web developer. You're playing cowboys and indians and the modern web will eat you up.

    Sorry to be so harsh about this but the biggest regret I have is learning PHP first, and I can't stand to see other people who are blinded by the same ignorance possibly convert another fool (not that you're fool, just that you will be a fool if you go PHP once you carefully consider the other options).

    Some will strangely say you should go PHP because it is easy. I don't know about you, but choosing a programming language based on ease seems lazy. Programming isn't easy. PHP makes you think you know how to program, then you pick up a real programming language and you're out of your depth. Start with a real object-oriented programming language and leave PHP for people who want something 'easy' and basic and amateurish.

    Get this too, the web is about to become more complicated than ever, so starting with something 'easy' and badly designed isn't going to help you in the future. You're going to need to understand many other languages on top (HTML, CSS, Javascript, SQL). You then have frameworks for all of these, and now 'responsive design', stackable elements (twitter bootstrap), HTML5 (which, among others, introduces animation), CSS3. You then have libraries like jQuery, and template languages like HAML, or SASS (introduces variables and functions into CSS). Open up your linux box and you will be drown in tonnes of other technologies that experienced web developers use. Deployment, testing, scaling, security, documenting..this stuff isn't 'easy' by any means and if all you're interested in is an easy way, you won't make it far. You need to be serious about your education and learn many many tools.

    On that note, there isn't a reason not to learn PHP AND Ruby AND Python, and maybe Java or something more low-level, as there can be a time and place for any of these languages. I just wouldn't learn my fundamentals from PHP is all. People who suggest otherwise I simply refuse to accept that they have long-term experience with any other languages.

    Another idea, why not try Ruby:

    http://tryruby.org/levels/1/challenges/0

    Try PHP:

    http://try-php.org/

    Try Python:

    http://www.trypython.org/
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    >> Seasoned Web Developer (CSS, JavaScript, PHP, Ruby) <<
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  • Profile picture of the author Rotwic
    Id say lean on PHP, but also have a firm grip on Python.
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  • Profile picture of the author siddhu
    Banned
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    • Profile picture of the author jammy18
      For any advice and help on web development programming languages please visit at drupalindia.com
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  • Profile picture of the author cosmicx
    @Damien Roche

    I'm inspired by your inputs. For now, I am just mastering my css skills. Then javascripting, I hope.

    To the rest of the guys who shared their inputs, thanks you all.

    But either I think I will learn first, Phyton or Ruby. Then some of their best used framwork.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jesse L
    I believe a good programmer knows programming and not just a language. Even when learning a new language an experienced programmer can often swiftly pick it up.
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    The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will. – Vince Lambardi

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  • Profile picture of the author g r hasib
    Firstly you learn to HTML and CSS.
    then you learn to php except python.
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    ;)

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  • Profile picture of the author adamzanber
    Start with PHP develop site with framework.
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  • Profile picture of the author g r hasib
    Must be php.
    Firstly you should to learn html and css.
    Programing language learn to php.
    And database language learn to Phpmyadmin database.
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    ;)

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  • Profile picture of the author Mike Ogbin
    Firstly, you need to learn designing languages: html, css and javascript

    After that learn php and MySQL. create database with mysql (phpmyadmin) connect it with php and make functions.

    I think it's better to put the languages that you like most, PHP or RUBY or PHYTON ^_^
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    • Profile picture of the author cosmicx
      @Damien

      It's almost 2 years now since I posted this question.

      I learned a lot from the past years and I think I will take this to the next level. I think I fell in love with Ruby.

      I learned a lot since I posted this topic. I am now earning some money editing CMS Themes and building html templates from scratch. I'm not a master of JavaScript yet, but I already know about jQuery. I know how to implement and tweak it for various types of integration.

      I've learned how to use Git, but haven't use the pull/push feature yet, since I don't get the chance to work with teams. I've also learned and have used various OpenSource tools from Github. I've learned about vagrant, tools and frameworks like, twitter bootstrap, less, nodejs, and brackets.

      Most of the tools I've used were written in ruby and python, and I use Linux Min as my OS for my Web Dev environment. During my spare time, I try to read the codes used in the tools I'm using, and I think they are easy to learn and they way how the codes were written is elegant. Easy to read and understand. It's Ruby.

      I plan to learn and master JavaScript, but I think I'm more excited to learn Ruby than JS.

      So, the next step I would take now is to learn Ruby. I'll leave JS for now.
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  • Profile picture of the author JohnBrower
    First of all you need to understand there, is there is no perfect programming language when you are searching for the development of your site, it depends upon your need and requirement or in which language you feel suitable. PHP is designed for development and to produce dynamic web pages, where ruby is designed to make programing funny and flexible and python is designed to emphasize productivity and code readability.
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