Top Server-Side Scripting Languages You Must Know

This article will define server-side scripting, review some of the most widely used programming languages and frameworks for server-side scripting, and then provide you with some helpful resources. By understanding and choosing the best ones for your web developers, you can feel confident and in control of your web development journey. Continue reading to empower yourself with the right knowledge.

What Is Server-Side Scripting?

Web and mobile app development both depend on client-side and server-side programming. Server-side programming, also known as backend programming, manages all server-side activities, such as database operations, data processing, and security. In contrast, client-side programming, also known as front-end development, deals with user interface and interactions inside the user's browser. These two provide the framework for every contemporary online page or application. 

In short, server-side scripting is an often-used web development approach. It entails utilizing the web server to run server-side code and write scripts. Using this method, the server processes the user's request, creating dynamic web pages and returning the results to the client. Server-side scripting allows better control over data processing and security, enabling a more personalized and engaging experience for users. 

A webpage in HTML forms the basis of a website. It offers the framework and design for displaying material on the website. The standard language for specifying components and their placements on a web page is called HTML (Hypertext Markup Language). It may be used to create dynamic, responsive, and aesthetically pleasing web pages in conjunction with JavaScript (JS) and CSS (Cascading Style Sheets). However, server-side scripting languages are required to add dynamic resources and functions to your website.

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Fundamental Benefits of Choosing Programming Languages for Server-side Scripting

When developing websites, server-side programming languages provide several advantages.

The Ability to Scale

When developing websites, server-side programming languages provide several advantages. One of the key benefits is the ability to scale. Scaling refers to the ability of a web application to handle a large number of visitors without compromising its performance. The more visitors, the more resources your web application will need. Developers can perform complicated activities like data processing, database connections, file manipulation, memory storage, etc., rapidly and effectively using server-side scripting languages. With server-side scripting, you can build scalable web applications that can manage massive traffic spikes (many concurrent users and data transactions) without slowing down the website or compromising its overall performance. 

Safety

A web framework or language with server-side scripting provides an additional degree of security. Since all scripts in client-side scripting are run on the client's web browser, it is comparatively simple for someone with evil intent to get access permissions and alter the source code. On the other hand, security measures like input validation and output encoding are provided via server-side script programming. Therefore, in order to guard against code injection attacks and unauthorized access, developers conceal essential information (such as database passwords). This reassures you that your website is safe and secure. 

Simple Upkeep

Because server-side scripts isolate programming functions from the web page and its content, they are simple to maintain. Developers update or modify your web application from the server's perspective. This implies that each time you make a change, you won't have to update the client side of your application. It goes without saying that it saves time and effort, and relieves you from the stress of managing multiple aspects of your web application. 

Management of Transactions

Some server-side scripting languages provide multi-command execution capabilities, which allows them to manage transactions. Many programmers use this to construct sophisticated database applications. Before selecting a language, consider how beneficial it would be for your website. 

Robust Community

Not to mention, the majority of server-side languages have vibrant communities. These communities provide a wealth of resources, including guides, tutorials, and troubleshooting tips, making it easier for developers to learn and master the language. In online forums, you may also discover answers to queries from other users. Because of their popularity, the top scripting languages mentioned below are particular examples of this. The robust community support for these languages can be a significant factor in your decision-making process when selecting a language for your web development project. 

The Top 5 Frameworks & Languages for Server-side Scripting in Web Development

Languages and frameworks for server-side scripting are necessary to create dynamic, interactive websites with a wide range of features. Let's examine the top 5 widely used programming languages and frameworks or server-side scripting that are regarded as reliable by developers throughout the globe. 

PHP

PHP is a widely used server-side scripting language. It was created in 1995 by Danish-Canadian programmer Rasmus Lerdorf. Since then, PHP has become increasingly popular as a framework for creating dynamic webpages and database-driven websites. 

Around 20 million websites use PHP interpreters, demonstrating that PHP is still widely used in web development today. This programming language's versatility, which allows it to be independent of any specific database system and facilitates integration with a wide range of databases, including SQL and MySQL, is one of its primary advantages. 

Because PHP is open-source software, developers may freely access, alter, and distribute the code to create a collaborative atmosphere that will ultimately lead to continual progress. This Basic and Configuration directive (also known as Apace mod..php) is implemented by PHP on most web servers, making it easier for PHP scripts to run in the server environment. 

Tech behemoths like Facebook and Wikipedia are notable examples of high-profile PHP users, demonstrating the platform's capacity to run complex, dynamic online applications efficiently. Because of its widespread use and adaptability, PHP programmers are always in demand. 

You may think about using the following PHP frameworks to construct web applications:

Laravel: A web framework using a sophisticated, expressive syntax. The goal of Laravel is to make the process less complicated and enjoyable without compromising the application's functionality.

Harmony: a PHP framework and an accessible collection of reusable PHP elements for usage in web applications.

CodeIgniter: It is a small-footprint, feature-rich PHP framework designed for programmers who want a straightforward and sophisticated toolset to create feature-rich online applications.

Node.js

It is not unexpected that Node.js is included in this list. Well-known for its effectiveness in managing online applications, Node.js is a server-side runtime environment that is highly performant and scalable. Software developers may create dynamic websites and services using Node.js, not only for mobile devices and browsers but also for new platforms like smartwatches. 

Scripts written in a variety of computer languages, most notably JavaScript and CoffeeScript, are executed on a runtime environment called Node.js. This implies that any program may be executed on it with the help of external frameworks or libraries. Connect and Express are only two of the many modules available in Node.js's vast library for anyone who wants to learn the language. 

One of Node.js's drawbacks is that much of its ecosystem consists of custom modules. This means that while working on certain projects, programmers may be constrained by pre-built modules. Furthermore, while working on big projects, some engineers could find the Node.js syntax too complicated or inflexible. 

Some recommendations for frameworks for Node.js:

Express: A feature-rich Node.js development framework with a focus on minimalism that can be used to create both online and mobile apps.

Koa: Referred to as Express's replacement, it encourages the usage of async functions rather than callbacks.

Meteor: A free and open-source full-stack platform for creating JavaScript-only web and mobile applications.

Python

Although it is a general-purpose language, server-side scripting is one of its primary uses. Why? Python offers an extensive function library that can be used for free. It is fast and straightforward to write in, is readily understandable, and has several web frameworks explicitly made for it that greatly accelerate development. Additionally, because of its simple syntax and use of indentation to separate blocks, it is regarded as one of the easiest programming languages to learn and comprehend. 

Python is a highly recommended language for web development. Because of its cross-platform interoperability, Python runs well on a variety of operating systems. As a result, it becomes a flexible choice for server-side scripting in many settings. Although Python is well suited for online development, its usefulness extends beyond web development to include scientific computing, automation, machine learning, and data analysis, demonstrating its wide range of applications in contemporary technology stacks.

The web development community has seen a notable increase in the use of the Python programming language in recent years. Well-known websites like Pinterest and Instagram –which Facebook purchased for billions of dollars –attest to Python's effectiveness in powering popular online platforms. 

Python, like other programming languages, is well-known for having solid frameworks, usually:

Django: A high-level web framework for Python that promotes efficient development and simple, straightforward design. This one is appropriate for advanced and intricate web applications.

Flask: A framework for microwebs built on Werkzeug and Jinja2. When it comes to intricate and complicated online applications, Flask is designed to be both very expandable and straightforward to start using.

FastAPI is a state-of-the-art, high-performance web framework that uses standard Python-type hints to develop APIs using Python 3.6+. FastAPI offers robust, user-friendly capabilities that enable developers to quickly establish safe, scalable, and speedy APIs.

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Java

Java is a general-purpose programming language and one of the server-side scripting languages. It is object-oriented, concurrent, and class-based, with the goal of minimizing implementation dependencies. Furthermore, its goal is to enable application developers to "write once, run anywhere" (WORA), eliminating the need to recompile scripts to execute them on other platforms. 

Java is very reliable and can multithread or share data in real-time over a network of machines. It is perfect for handling huge databases because it can manage enormous volumes of data. Java's programming code often uses easier-to-remember English-like terms.

Although powerful, Java may sometimes need to be simplified. Additionally, the software may fail in certain circumstances if a programmer commits errors while coding it. Major companies like IBM and Sun Microsystems contribute to the upkeep of this language through software upgrades.

There are several Java frameworks available, including:

An open-source Java framework called Spring Boot is used to develop production-quality, stand-alone, rapidly 

Spring apps: It is biased to provide developers with a vast array of defaults with logical setups. 

Apache Struts: Model-View-Controller (MVC) web application framework for Java EE that is free and open-source. It offers an extensive collection of tags for handling forms, modifying data, and other purposes. 

Grails: it is a Groovy-based web application framework that is available for free. By following the "coding by convention" philosophy, Grails is made to be a highly productive framework that offers programmers a stand-alone development environment while shielding them from most of the setup minutiae. 

Ruby

This is a server-side scripting language that prioritizes efficiency and ease of use. Both novice programmers and seasoned developers wishing to produce code more quickly may utilize Ruby, an object-oriented language. Ruby has certain syntactic similarities with other dynamic languages, such as Perl and Python, but it also incorporates functional programming features. 

Ruby aims to bring back the joy of programming to software engineers who have become weary of the more mainstream languages of the day. Memory management and concurrency, two frequent programming chores that cause programs in other languages, are two areas in which Ruby intends to assist programmers effectively. Rubhandling is not just a general-purpose programming language but also for web applications' server-side scripting. 

Many of the Python, Perl, and PHP functionality are also present in Ruby. Even if you routinely use another scripting language, it offers certain advantages that make learning worthwhile. For instance, Ruby's strong libraries and exceptional error-handling features enable it to tackle challenging programming jobs.

Several noteworthy Ruby frameworks are as follows:

For your information, Ruby on Rails, or RoR, is a server-side development framework written in Ruby and licensed under the MIT License. Thanks to the open-source RoR framework, databases, online services, and web pages may all have a default structure. It also makes it easier to employ web standards (such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for user interface and JSON or XML for data transport).

Sinatra: A domain-specific language (DSL) that makes creating web applications in Ruby easy and rapid. Sinatra's lightweight design and ease of learning make it perfect for tiny projects or prototypes.

Padrino: A sophisticated web framework built on the Sinatra platform, which supports more intricate architectures and modular design patterns and provides an organized environment for creating web applications in Ruby.

Conclusion

In conclusion, server-side scripts are an effective approach to providing your website with more functionality and involvement. You must consider simplicity of use while selecting one since they are often the most intricate aspects of programming.

However, as we have discussed, only some programming languages available today will suit your business. We anticipate you will use our compilation of the seven most widely used server-side scripting languages to choose the best one for your projects or business requirements.

Furthermore, don't hesitate to contact Orient Software if you need professional advice or assistance or if you're looking for a committed group of highly skilled engineers whose qualifications and experience match your project's needs. We also provide bespoke software development services.