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lans2gt · 07-07-2008, 11:40

If you are a newbie programmer and want to take up programming by yourself through a lot of internet tutorials.. what is much easier to study.. Javascript or PHP?

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Hunch · 07-07-2008, 11:53

I'd say PHP, but they both do different things.

What do you want to achieve?

RaelRode · 07-07-2008, 12:39

After xHTML and CSS, I went to PHP. Then to Java, then Actionscript...blah blah blah, it depends what floats your boat.

MikeMackay · 07-07-2008, 12:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hunch

What do you want to achieve?

Absolutely, both can do very different things; one does magic server-side, the other does magic client-side.

Decide what approach and obstacles you want/need to overcome and then learn that one first. You can always move on to the next one afterwards. The syntax between the two isn't all that dissimilar so once you've got the first one under your belt the second one should come easier.

blackf0rk · 07-07-2008, 14:01

It must be understood that Java and JavaScript are two different things.

If you're not familiar to programming, JavaScript is by far much easier to start learning [than PHP is]. Why? You don't have to install an environment for JavaScript...you already have one in your browser. Just type in your script, press refresh, and you're good to go! Now, debugging the JavaScript can be more difficult than debugging PHP because JavaScript doesn't give you line numbers and feedback to your errors. But if you're developing (and you should be) in Fire Fox, you'll notice that the error console (Ctrl+Shift+J) gives you excellent feedback for your JavaScript code; line numbers of the failed code and all!

[Addition: Visual Studio 2008 now gives JavaScript debugging support as well.]

The alternative is to upload your test files every time you make a change to your PHP enabled server; this is time consuming and inefficient. And, you may not have a PHP enabled server to begin with. So then you would have to install the environment on your computer. And if you're not familiar with PHP, you're probably not familiar on how to set it up on your computer to serve it. Not that you can't learn though!

In general PHP is very simple to learn if you've got a good baseline for how to program, and as many have stated thus far, it is very much like JavaScript (syntax wise). JavaScript for me gave me such a great baseline to my programming skill set, so my suggestion is to start with JavaScript!

wheedwacker · 07-07-2008, 14:31

Neither are that hard just to get started in. It's all the superadvanced stuff that gets tricky.

I learned PHP first, and then some JavaScript.

hobolooter · 07-07-2008, 14:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackf0rk

It must be understood that Java and JavaScript are two different things. If you're not familiar to programming, JavaScript is by far much easier to start learning. Why? You don't have to install an environment for JavaScript...you already have one in your browser.

Windows is the only operating system I've used that does not come with the development/runtime environment preinstalled.

blackf0rk · 07-07-2008, 15:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by hobolooter

Windows is the only operating system I've used that does not come with the development/runtime environment preinstalled.

Really? My Macbook Pro doesn't have php installed on it.

hobolooter · 07-07-2008, 15:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackf0rk

Really? My Macbook Pro doesn't have php installed on it.

Do you mean Java or PHP? I'm talking about Java, which I am positive your Macbook Pro has preinstalled, unless you manually removed it.

blackf0rk · 07-07-2008, 15:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by hobolooter

Do you mean Java or PHP? I'm talking about Java, which I am positive your Macbook Pro has preinstalled, unless you manually removed it.

I'm talking about JavaScript (not Java) and PHP. The original post was about JavaScript and PHP. Someone else referenced (I believe) JavaScript by stating "Java" and so I wanted to differentiate the two so no one would be confused.

hobolooter · 07-07-2008, 16:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackf0rk

I'm talking about JavaScript (not Java) and PHP. The original post was about JavaScript and PHP. Someone else referenced (I believe) JavaScript by stating "Java" and so I wanted to differentiate the two so no one would be confused.

Actually you were quoted saying that Javascript was easier to learn than Java because you didn't have to install anything, which if you read my reply contradicts that, because Windows is the only OS that I am aware of that does not come with the Java development/runtime preinstalled.

Learning Java before Javascript would definitely foster better coding practices, not to say one should be learned before the other.

blackf0rk · 07-07-2008, 16:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by hobolooter

Actually you were quoted saying that Javascript was easier to learn than Java.

Actually not. I never said that JavaScript was easier to learn than Java, what I said was...

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackf0rk

It must be understood that Java and JavaScript are two different things. If you're not familiar to programming, JavaScript is by far much easier to start learning.

I can see how this first sentence could be confusing to the next. I just assumed we were all talking about JavaScript and PHP. I have edited the original comment as it should be read.

Shiro · 07-07-2008, 19:44

I actually learned javascript and php pretty much at the same time. I spent some time on one then some time on the other, back and forth.

Although that could explain why I suck at both

Hunch · 08-07-2008, 05:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by haku

Although that could explain why I suck at both

Or you could be thick.

RaelRode · 08-07-2008, 07:05

OS X has Apache bundled with it.

Apple > System Preferences > Sharing > Tick Web Sharing

Although I don't use that I use MAMP.

Hunch · 08-07-2008, 08:50

Most of the bundled OS X stuff is pretty ancient.

It's not worth bothering with when MAMP is free. (Although if you're a serious developer I thoroughly recommend spending a few quid on MAMP Pro - it's not that expensive and the control panel is a big time saver).

mx · 08-07-2008, 10:12

I would go with PHP.

If you code a web form, you MUST validate the data with PHP, where as Javascript validation is merely good practise.

Learn PHP first as it opens more doors with regards to dynamic content. Not that you can get away without Javascript mind

Hunch · 08-07-2008, 10:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by mx

If you code a web form, you MUST validate the data with PHP, where as Javascript validation is merely good practise.

Eh?

mx · 08-07-2008, 10:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hunch

Eh?

To avoid SQL injection etc.

d*d · 08-07-2008, 11:19

sounds nasty

07-07-2008, 11:40	#1 (permalink)
lans2gt http://www.tsoknat.com Join Date: May 2007 Location: Philippines Posts: 21	Javascript or PHP If you are a newbie programmer and want to take up programming by yourself through a lot of internet tutorials.. what is much easier to study.. Javascript or PHP? ------------------------- Freelance Web Designer's Blog

07-07-2008, 12:39	#3 (permalink)
RaelRode Designers are strange :) Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Shrewsbury, UK Posts: 1,772	After xHTML and CSS, I went to PHP. Then to Java, then Actionscript...blah blah blah, it depends what floats your boat. __________________ [ Programmers Voice - Blog about the internet, code and development ]

07-07-2008, 14:01	#5 (permalink)
blackf0rk Enspiar Productions Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: MKE, WI Posts: 43	It must be understood that Java and JavaScript are two different things. If you're not familiar to programming, JavaScript is by far much easier to start learning [than PHP is]. Why? You don't have to install an environment for JavaScript...you already have one in your browser. Just type in your script, press refresh, and you're good to go! Now, debugging the JavaScript can be more difficult than debugging PHP because JavaScript doesn't give you line numbers and feedback to your errors. But if you're developing (and you should be) in Fire Fox, you'll notice that the error console (Ctrl+Shift+J) gives you excellent feedback for your JavaScript code; line numbers of the failed code and all! [Addition: Visual Studio 2008 now gives JavaScript debugging support as well.] The alternative is to upload your test files every time you make a change to your PHP enabled server; this is time consuming and inefficient. And, you may not have a PHP enabled server to begin with. So then you would have to install the environment on your computer. And if you're not familiar with PHP, you're probably not familiar on how to set it up on your computer to serve it. Not that you can't learn though! In general PHP is very simple to learn if you've got a good baseline for how to program, and as many have stated thus far, it is very much like JavaScript (syntax wise). JavaScript for me gave me such a great baseline to my programming skill set, so my suggestion is to start with JavaScript! Last edited by blackf0rk : 07-07-2008 at 16:13.

07-07-2008, 14:31	#6 (permalink)
wheedwacker competitionmaster 2.0 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: USA Posts: 1,508	Neither are that hard just to get started in. It's all the superadvanced stuff that gets tricky. I learned PHP first, and then some JavaScript. __________________ .

07-07-2008, 19:44	#13 (permalink)
Shiro Whitey Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Yokohama, Japan Posts: 7,323	I actually learned javascript and php pretty much at the same time. I spent some time on one then some time on the other, back and forth. Although that could explain why I suck at both __________________ This space for rent. After Hours Japan

07-07-2008, 11:53	#2 (permalink)
Hunch Grumpy old man Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: North Japan Posts: 2,407	I'd say PHP, but they both do different things. What do you want to achieve?

08-07-2008, 07:05	#15 (permalink)
RaelRode Designers are strange :) Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Shrewsbury, UK Posts: 1,772	OS X has Apache bundled with it. Apple > System Preferences > Sharing > Tick Web Sharing Although I don't use that I use MAMP. __________________ [ Programmers Voice - Blog about the internet, code and development ]

08-07-2008, 08:50	#16 (permalink)
Hunch Grumpy old man Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: North Japan Posts: 2,407	Most of the bundled OS X stuff is pretty ancient. It's not worth bothering with when MAMP is free. (Although if you're a serious developer I thoroughly recommend spending a few quid on MAMP Pro - it's not that expensive and the control panel is a big time saver).

08-07-2008, 10:12	#17 (permalink)
mx Global Visionary™ Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: in the boosh Posts: 1,715	I would go with PHP. If you code a web form, you MUST validate the data with PHP, where as Javascript validation is merely good practise. Learn PHP first as it opens more doors with regards to dynamic content. Not that you can get away without Javascript mind __________________ Last edited by mx : 08-07-2008 at 11:21.

08-07-2008, 11:19	#20 (permalink)
d*d Moderator Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Bristol Posts: 5,046	sounds nasty

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