When developing a web application, we have to choose a language or framework to build its internal logic. This begs the question: what are some of the most popular languages for server-side scripting?
As for its flaws, being an interpreted language, Python is slow. If speed or memory management is important to your project, you might be better off going elsewhere. Additionally, each framework has its own set of complexities. For example, Django is like a whole new dialect in some places, so much so that it's best to think of each framework as something separate.
Ruby
Much like Phyton you can't talk about server-side scripting in Ruby without talking about Ruby on Rails, an extremely powerful and reliable framework released in 2004 that saw a huge rise in popularity in the early 2010s.
Why is Ruby so popular? Mainly because it is a very user-friendly and easy-to-read programming language, accessible to all skill levels. Specifically, Ruby on Rails was one of the first frameworks of its kind, offering some incredible solutions that could produce results in record time.
It is no exaggeration to say that RoR set an industry standard that remains alive today. Its ease of use and clean documentation definitely make you feel like you're on track.
As for its cons, it is very CPU and RAM intensive, and although it has improved with each release, it is still heavy compared to its competitors. On the other hand, RoR, like Django, relies heavily on templates and patterns, due to its very limited flexibility.
Java
Rounding off this list we have Java, the 500-pound gorilla of Internet backends. Java began as a low-level multipurpose language in 1995 and was a huge success due to its focus on object-oriented programming. Since then, it's been nothing but a victory lap, as almost every device in the world has some Java on it.
As for server-side scripting, it is really powerful, flexible, extremely fast, and like any other low-level language, a good developer can deeply optimize it for maximum performance.
Unfortunately, this is also its biggest disadvantage: it is a complicated language that requires a lot of experience to use proficiently.
Having a top five list leaves many great languages and frameworks out of the picture, like .Net and PERL. I wish we could go over each of them, as each language brings something incredible to the table, but since we don't have space, here's a final thought.
There is “no language to govern them all.” Each technology brings something unique to the table, and our job is to find the right combination of strengths that suits your project. In other words, the best language is the one that works for you.
Source: BairesDev