Favorite Web App/CGI scripting language?

[Michael Matthews]

More focused programming language question.

I am currently using Perl for web app development. I have used many languages over the years. It appears that python and php are also popular.

PERL 5:
Good:

C/shell like syntax, since I am already UNIX C/C++ programmer.
Extensive library/modules available at CSPAN for just about anythinq you can think of (critical). My apps do more then spit out HTML.
Wide adoption.

Bad:

Kludgy object model.
Too much syntax(??)

________________

Python has a good reputation and I am impressed by some of the apps available:
MoinMoin, Mailman...

What is the deal with php?

Give your opinion of the next language I should learn and why? :)

[David Marrs]

PHP is also C- and Perl-like, so I guess it would be a natural extension for you. Python and Ruby also receive plenty of love. You can also run C# under mono's implementation of ASP.NET, but I've had endless problems setting mod_mono up and the documentation sucks, so I can't really recommend it, despite C#'s coolness as a language.

Search this forum and you'll find that the Python/PHP/Ruby discussion has been had about a billion times this month alone. In fact, it's just about all we ever talk about! :p

[Hezekiah]

From my experience, Ruby seems to be a wonderful next step from Perl. I'm still early in the learning stages, but I've written one reasonably sizable program in Ruby (a small simulation for class) as an excuse to learn the language a bit, and I really enjoy it. It doesn't strike me as being as painfully rigid as Python, while not requiring all of the sigils of Perl. But, there are still things I miss from Perl, particularly 'use strict' and 'my' to avoid errors from mistyped variables.

All in all though, Ruby seems excellent, and I'd recommend giving it a try. It certainly seems to do the OO thing quite well. Have fun with whichever you choose!

[majikstreet]

I love python now... I wish I could use it like PHP... I know you can, I just dunno how.