Reasons to use PHP for Web Services

ErikL

Since I am trying to convince a teacher of mine to include Web Services /
SOAP and PHP as a compulsory optional subject for the next term I've spent
quite some thinking about reasons to use PHP when implementing web services.

His main argument against PHP is that every enterprise uses .net and java
for web services anyway and that there does not seem to be a reason to use
PHP at all.

So my questions are:

Why use PHP for Web Services?
Are there any cases where PHP is the superior choice?
Are there any cases where PHP is the only choice?

(I've got a few good answers on those questions myself but would like to
make sure that I'm well prepared and convincing the next time.)

Thanks in advance
Erik

Norman_Graham

Hi Erik

I've used PHP4/SOAP to make use of the Google API. What I liked about it is that you can code it and get it working at a primitive level in about 10 minutes. There's no complicated environment setup. You get the NuSOAP class, include it at the top of the page, add in the Google WSDL file and Bob's your auntie. API usage via PHP is already well-documented for Google and Amazon and now also for Yahoo Maps. There may be many more APIs of which I am unaware.

Your teacher is right that many enterprises use JSP or .NET. However, it depends where you are. I live in Germany and the predominant web language here, even in enterprise, is PHP. The Germans are into open source - the German government is one of the very few organisations on this planet which forced MS to grant access to their source code.

PHP is now fully OO (PHP5). However, code creation and maintenance remains minimalist and uncomplicated. The apparatus required to create, test and run PHP-based applications remains free of charge. The apparatus required to host a LAMP application remains very cheap in comparison to .NET or Java. One is also spoilt for choice, which is not the case with .NET and/or Java. In Europe, LAMP hosting is widespread and highly competitive. Enterprise users with a low investment budget and a low personnel budget (anything from a one-man show upwards) can afford to create, test and roll-out PHP applications.

None of this may convince your teacher, but PHP should not, under any circumstances, be ignored as irrelevant to enterprise. This is simply not the case.

Best of luck and merry Christmas

Norm