When you're just entering the web development world you need to make a big decision. What server-side language are you going to program in? Two of the most popular right now are ASP (Microsoft's Active Server Pages) and PHP (Hypertext PreProcessor). The debate over which is better has been going on for a while, even though the answer is quite simple; it depends.

First, do you already know a programming language? If so, which one? If you're familiar with Java, JavaScript, or C++, you'd probably feel a lot more at home with PHP. If you have experience with Microsoft's Visual Basic languages, you'll be able to easily pickup on ASP.

Next, which platform would you prefer to host your files on, UNIX/LINUX or Microsoft Windows? If its Windows go with ASP, otherwise stick with PHP. Remember though, most hosts charge a little extra for Windows hosting, if they allow it at all.

The ability to easily find support and source code is also a big plus for some programmers. While there is a lot of freely available source code that can be found online for both languages, there seems to be a lot more PHP coders willing to lend a hand on website forums; making it easier to get help with the inevitable and pesky syntax errors.

Speed, stability, and other system related statistics vary quite a bit. There are a number of tests that have already been done, and the results go back and forth. We are in the process of running our own tests, and when completed, the entire data chart will be available online.

Finally, I would look at the projects you plan on taking on, and find out if you're going to need to work with databases. If you will need your scripts to interact with a database, look at the options. Some Windows hosts only allow you to use Microsoft Access for your sites, which is widely accepted as a horrible solution. Most UNIX/LINUX hosts will allow you to use MySQL databases, which also have their advantages and disadvantages.

In conclusion, it depends. Look at what you're going to be doing with your web applications, and base your decision from that.

About the Author

Written by Keith.

For side-by-side code samples of both ASP and PHP, visit ASP v PHP