Pretty soon I'm going to start writing a web app for a friend of ours business. Its for basic customer management, invoices, etc. Basically a simple CRM designed specifically for their operation. I need help deciding what to write it in.
I've never done any web applications in Java, let alone know much about J2EE apps in general but i've kind of been wanting to learn. However, I'm fairly fluent in PHP and written a couple websites in it already. If I wrote my app in PHP I would use Symfony or CakePHP for the framwork. If I went the Java route I guess i'd use Struts (unless you recommend something else) I'm wanting to use JasperReports in my app as well. I'd also like to implement a little AJAX stuff. So heres my thoughts on both
Java:
pros:
- Learn about enterprise java
- native support for jasper reports
cons:
- must learn everything new including all the http classes and server stuff (ie, tomcat, jboss, etc)
PHP:
pros
- Already know and love php, can write something fairly quick
- Already know how to set up webserver for php support
- only have to learn whatever framework im working in
cons:
- My knowledge is still only in php, learning java as well could help me when I get out of school
- Must figure out a way to use jasper reports
So does anyone have any suggestions? Time isn't much of an issue as I just mentioned I could write something like that, not that I would. Basically I never commited to it so I can take as long as I want. The only reason I was thinking the Java route is because I'd kind of like to learn about it, but it seems like a lot of things to learn (jsp, j2ee, etc). I'm torn.
I've never done any web applications in Java, let alone know much about J2EE apps in general but i've kind of been wanting to learn. However, I'm fairly fluent in PHP and written a couple websites in it already. If I wrote my app in PHP I would use Symfony or CakePHP for the framwork. If I went the Java route I guess i'd use Struts (unless you recommend something else) I'm wanting to use JasperReports in my app as well. I'd also like to implement a little AJAX stuff. So heres my thoughts on both
Java:
pros:
- Learn about enterprise java
- native support for jasper reports
cons:
- must learn everything new including all the http classes and server stuff (ie, tomcat, jboss, etc)
PHP:
pros
- Already know and love php, can write something fairly quick
- Already know how to set up webserver for php support
- only have to learn whatever framework im working in
cons:
- My knowledge is still only in php, learning java as well could help me when I get out of school
- Must figure out a way to use jasper reports
So does anyone have any suggestions? Time isn't much of an issue as I just mentioned I could write something like that, not that I would. Basically I never commited to it so I can take as long as I want. The only reason I was thinking the Java route is because I'd kind of like to learn about it, but it seems like a lot of things to learn (jsp, j2ee, etc). I'm torn.