The Toyota Corolla of Programming Languages

This article presents a defense and re-evaluation of the PHP programming language, arguing that its journey mirrors that of JavaScript. Both languages were released in 1995 for the web, were initially mocked for their design flaws, yet grew to dominate their respective domains. The central theme is that PHP, despite its persistent negative reputation, has evolved into a modern, powerful, and highly relevant language that deserves a second look from its critics.

Key Arguments and Findings

• Parallels with JavaScript: The article draws numerous parallels between PHP and JavaScript: both emerged in 1995, were standardized in 1997, received major backing from Big Tech in the 2010s, and are now being revamped with Go-based technologies (FrankenPHP and a new TypeScript compiler).
• The “Toyota Corolla” Analogy: PHP is described as the “Toyota Corolla of programming languages”—boring, solid, easy, and affordable. It powers 70-80% of the world’s websites, largely due to its ubiquity in inexpensive LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) hosting stacks, making it the practical choice for the masses.
• Modernization and Features: Contrary to its outdated reputation, modern PHP boasts advanced features like traits, enums, arrow functions, a growing type system, a powerful package manager (Composer), and a consistent annual release schedule.
• The Future with FrankenPHP: The language’s future is being propelled by FrankenPHP, a new Go-based runtime officially adopted by the PHP Foundation. It replaces the aging Zend engine, dramatically simplifying containerized deployments for modern DevOps environments and improving performance.

Conclusions and Takeaways

The author, admitting to being a former critic, concludes that so-called “serious” programmers should look past PHP’s early flaws and stigma. The language has undergone significant and consistent improvements over the last decade, supported by a healthy, independent community. While its reputation may never fully recover, its practical dominance, modern feature set, and the promise of FrankenPHP position it for a strong future in web development.

Mentoring question

Have you ever dismissed a technology based on its reputation or past flaws? Does this article’s perspective on PHP’s evolution inspire you to give it, or another overlooked technology, a second look?

Source: https://deprogrammaticaipsum.com/the-toyota-corolla-of-programming/