Best web application language for Delphi Developers

Question

I'm Delphi developer, and I would like to build few web applications, I know about Intraweb, but I think it's not a real tool for web development, maybe for just intranet applications

so I'm considering PHP, Python or ruby, I prefer python because it's better syntax than other( I feel it closer to Delphi), also I want to deploy the application to shared hosting, specially Linux.

so as Delphi developer, what do you choose to develop web application?

Answer 1

PHP is the best to start, but as experienced programmer you may want to look at Python, because PHP is a C style language. Python would be easier after Pascal, I think.

Take a look at examples:

On PHP: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Php#Syntax

On Python: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Python_(programming_language)#Syntax_and_semantics

Note, that Ruby and Python are rarely used by them selves in web-development. Usually Django and Ruby on railes frameworks are used. In PHP there are several variants. You can code from the scratch, or also use some framework.

I used to code on PHP for about five years and now started to learn Django (python based framework) and I think it's the best thing there is. Take a look: http://djangoproject.com/

Answer 2

If you feel like stretching your muscles, you could try out Seaside.

Seaside's a Smalltalk framework (so working with it will feel pretty much like working with Ruby) that lets you write your website just like you'd build a desktop application. You can split your code up into components that you can assemble much like you'd work with TComponents (programmatically, at least).

Answer 3

I agree about Intraweb, but Delphi itself is still a good language to build websites with. You could start a CGI application or an ISAPI-extesion. You could also check out http://xxm.sf.net , it's an open-source project I started that offers a few extra's:

• You can mix HTML and Delphi code into the same files (much like PHP)
• These files get auto-compiled to a Delphi project so you can see the results by refreshing the web-browser (much like PHP)
• You can load the library with a number of 'handlers':
  • there's a IInternetProtocol implementation to use with InternetExplorer directly (really handy for development
  • there's an ISAPI extension that loads the library (and auto-updates is, really handy for updates on live-environments)
  • there's a stand-alone HTTP executable or NT-Service
  • there's even a FireFox plugin and Apache module in the making.

Answer 4

Try Morfik http://www.morfik.com/

Answer 5

Actually, the answer probably is ASP.NET using C#. You'll see (ex-)Borland engineering syntax that looks quite familiar coming from Delphi. To deploy on Linux have a look at the Mono project.

Answer 6

Why should an answer be different if the question was asked by a Delphi programmer, than a programmer from any other platform? Any decent language should be fun to learn, regardless of the tool you are using right now.

That said, I myself walked a way from Borland Pascal and Delphi (quite some time ago), over PHP and ASP.NET (using C#). Right now I am working almost exclusively on Ruby (and occasionally Rails) and I am perfectly happy with it. But, then again, it's matter of personal preference: I really enjoy Ruby's pure object-orientation and functional capabilities, as well as dynamical nature of a scripting language. So, it's all up to you and your personal preferences.

Although, one thing I can surely recommend is to stick with one of the major web-players, for pragmatic reasons: PHP, Python, Ruby, ASP.NET or possibly Java. I'm sorry to say that, but I don't think Pascaloid languages have any future anymore.

Answer 7

Only good answer - C# ;) Seriously ;)

Why? Anders Hejlsberg. He made it. It is the direct continuation of his work that started with Turbo Pascal and went over to Delphi... then Microsoft hired him and he moved from Pascal to C (core langauge) and made C#.

Read it up on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anders_Hejlsberg

If you come from Delphi, you will love it ;)

Answer 8

I have done a fairly large (4-5 FTE) project based on webhub (www.href.com). I can certainly advise this if it is a webapp for internal use.

Answer 9

PHP is a pretty simple answer.

One reason is there is both Delphi4PHP (the rather cryptic IDE licensed by Embarcadero which in my estimation is really only for Web Apps (not for doing whole site)s) and PHP4Delphi (the pretty awesome Delphi Component that lets you compile your Delphi code to PHP Extensions).

Answer 10

I'm a long-time Delphi developer myself and had to do some web work recently, I decided to use ASP.Net with Delphi Prism and found myself right at home since I didn't have to learn a new language, just a new framework.