In today’s world, every enterprise prefers to have a custom application to accentuate their business operations. Enterprise software is a specifically-built application which is a tool to meet the customized requirement of the organization.  It can be a tool for Customer Relational Management (CRM), Content Management System (CMS), Enterprise Resources Planning System (ERP) etc. The enterprise application does not only streamline the business processes but also helps to cut down the overall expenses.

Among the most preferred technologies for building enterprise software, PHP is a prominent one. PHP, which is originally HyperText Preprocessor, is a general-purpose programming language. It is an open-source, server-side scripting language which is widely used for building web applications.  

In fact, the demand for PHP in building dedicated enterprise solution is witnessing a rapid growth these days.  As per available data, PHP is used by 78.9% of all the websites as the server-side programming language. The list of major websites that uses PHP includes Facebook, Wikipedia, Wordpress, Vimeo, Pinterest etc. to name a few.

So what makes PHP the preferred choice for enterprise software? This blog takes a comprehensive approach to the role of PHP in enterprise applications.

Why PHP is a Popular Choice for Enterprises?

An enterprise application is particularly built for the requirement of the organization. When business organizations invest in enterprise software, they want to have certain features viz. scalability, reliability, security, cost etc. Apart from this, the solution should be in compliance with the laws of the country and ensure proper cybersecurity.

PHP responds well to all these factors. It is an easy language and gives the user maximum control over the website. It works well with other languages and databases. It can be integrated with an extensive range of frameworks as well. Furthermore, it does not require complex and tedious scripting when compared with other programming languages.

To put it in a nutshell, PHP is a powerful tool which powers more than 7 million websites in the world.

Source: SimilarTech

PHP 7, the latest version of this programming language, ensures enhanced speed and advanced features. As per the available data, 32.7% of developers prefer PHP 7.1 as one of their three primary programming languages. While 22% of developers prefer PHP 7.2 as one of the three primary programming languages, 17% consider PHP 7.0 and 23% chose PHP 5.6.  

Advantages of using PHP in Enterprise Software

There is a multitude of reasons that make PHP the preferred choice for enterprise software.

➢  Robust features – One of the major reasons for the popularity of PHP is that it is an open source scripting language and easily accessible for developers. It is simple, easy, faster and efficient. It is an interpreted language and does not need compilation.  As mentioned earlier, it works well on various platforms like Windows, Linux, Mac OS X etc. irrespective of the servers in which the website is hosted. Taking advantage of the huge libraries, integration with various platforms becomes easier for the developer.

➢ Large and Reliable Community – Since PHP is an open source cross-platform language, it has one of the largest support communities. Moreover, it is comparatively easier to hire PHP developers owing to the popularity of this programming language.  

➢  Diversity and versatility - PHP developers are mostly cross-functional and will be familiar with other programming languages. Additionally, you can hire PHP developers with experience in full stack and they will work on both front end and back end development. This, in turn, helps to save time and money for the organization.  

➢ PHP is flexible – Be it a simple web application or a complex solution for large transactional systems, PHP is apt. It is highly flexible and any type of businesses can leverage the power of PHP platforms for improving the processes. Any type and size of web applications can be made in no time at a limited budget in PHP. Hence, it is an ideal choice for start-ups.

➢ Scalability and performance – The later versions of PHP come with amazing tools to improve scalability and performance of enterprise solutions while reducing server maintenance and decreasing efforts in configuration.

➢ Support and development – While building enterprise software, organizations aim for long-term support and maintenance. Given to the diversity and versatility of PHP developers, it becomes easier for firms to get the required support anytime even if the original development team is unavailable. Furthermore, hiring a reliable PHP development agency ensures relentless support throughout.

➢ Simplified process – WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal, the top three content management systems in the world, is powered by PHP. Likewise, it powers ready-to-use platforms which are necessary to represent a brand online. If there is anything that falls outside the platform’s core functionality, one can find plugins or extensions that can be easily integrated.  Moreover, tools for building e-com stores are comparatively cheap and come with additional features.

➢ High Security – Cybersecurity is of prime concern for any organization and an enterprise application built in PHP is superior in this regard.

➢ Cost-efficiency – To build an enterprise application in PHP, it needs less time and limited resources which leads to reduced overall costs. A large pool of pre-built modules, availability and community support of expert PHP developers and processing workflow which ensures instant output are three factors that enable faster development of enterprise software in PHP.

PHP Frameworks for Enterprise Web Development

The demand and popularity of PHP have given rise to various PHP frameworks which makes it easier for developers to build complex applications. In simple words, a PHP framework refers to a universal platform that offers a basic structure to develop web applications. It comes with certain methodologies, security policies, reusable codes etc. which facilitates rapid development of web applications.

Laravel, Zend, Symfony, and CakePHP are some of the most popular PHP frameworks.

The following are the benefits of using PHP frameworks for enterprise software.

➢ Rapid development – Building an enterprise application is a complex and time-consuming process. Using a PHP framework, the developer can avoid the effort and time spent on building generic components. Instead, the person can focus on building tasks and functionalities specially required for the organization. This way, PHP frameworks help to save time and ensure speed development.

➢ Secured application - Neither the developer nor the organization needs to worry about security while they use PHP framework.  It comes with stringent security policies which will protect the application against cyber attacks.

➢ Simplified maintenance – PHP frameworks are supported by Model View Controller (MVC) architecture which enables developers to divide the application on the basis of model, view or controller. This programming language does not give emphasis to code readability and maintainability. Therefore, development and maintenance are simple and easy.

➢ Reduced cost - PHP is an open-source server-side scripting language and developers have a large pool of frameworks to choose from. It cuts down the overall expenditure significantly. The frameworks have inbuilt features which will speed up the development process without increasing overheads.  

Challenges in PHP Application Development

PHP is often compared to the game of chess. It is easy to learn and understand. When it comes to mastering this programming language, it is a challenge for developers.

One of the major reasons for using PHP frameworks for enterprise software is that the development can be completed in a limited time. However, this agility in development hardly ensures application effectiveness. Another notable criticism about PHP is the lack of consistency in its APIs. Developed in an organic fashion, developers find it difficult to rely on the API consistency moving from PHP to the next.

Furthermore, compared to other languages like Java, PHP is not that strong in the area of enterprise tooling.

Wrapping Up

The choice of platform to build your enterprise software depends on various factors like purpose, target, budget, maintenance support etc. Although organizations can leverage the power of PHP frameworks and avail multiple benefits, the final choice should depend on whether it meets the particular business requirement.

The good news is, considering the significant inroads made by PHP into the realm of application development when used with a development framework like Zend, PHP can do wonder in enterprise application development and fulfill various business needs in a reliable and cost-effective way. For enterprises as well as start-ups, PHP is one among the best choices for enterprise applications provided there is proper architecture and a powerful framework in place.

Leverage the power of PHP in your enterprise application!