This document provides an overview and comparison of the scripting languages PHP, Python, and Perl. It defines scripting languages and outlines their typical uses and characteristics. PHP is described as a server-side scripting language commonly used for web development. Python is presented as a versatile language used for scientific computing, 3D animation, and web apps. Perl is characterized as good for text processing, system administration, and web programming. The document compares the languages in terms of their object oriented capabilities, runtime speeds, modularity, code length, and security features. Examples of code are provided for each language.

1. Michel Schwandner, Patrick Havel, Francis Oloo
Fundamentals and Concepts of Software Engineering-Winter 2012/13

2.  1. Scripting languages
 2. PHP
 3. Python
 4. Perl
 5. Comparison

3.  Definition:
Scripting languages, which can be embedded within
HTML, commonly are used to add functionality to a Web page, such
as different menu styles or graphic displays or to serve dynamic
advertisements. These types of languages are client-side scripting
languages, affecting the data that the end user sees in a browser
window. Other scripting languages are server-side scripting
languages that manipulate the data, usually in a database, on the
server.
(from: http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/S/scripting_language.html)

4.  Characteristics:
 implicit declared variables
▪ dynamic typecast
▪ valid for functions too
 automatic memory management
 Interpreted code

5.  fields of application:
 command-line interpreters
▪ sh
▪ cmd
 Scripting languages in internet applications
▪ PHP
▪ Perl
▪ Python

6.  fields of application:
 Scripting languages in program library
▪ VBScript
▪ JScript
 Scripting languages in programs
▪ QuakeC
▪ UnrealScript

7.  comparison with programming languages
Scripting languages Programming languages
Interpreter Compiler
mostly imperative programming
paradigm
mostly object orientated programming
paradigm
slowly -> code interpretation during
runtime
very fast runtime
automatic memory management memory management (pointer
technique (C, C++))
typeless strict type handling

9.  introductory and historical aspects
 development began in 1994
 started with a set of Perl scripts calling "Personal
Home PageTools“
 free software released under the PHP License
 almost 80% of the web pages using PHP
 final version 6 will publish soon

10.  Characteristics:
 own scripting language with its own interpreter
 close to C or Java syntax
 support of object orientated approach
 extensive function library

11.  Characteristics:
 server-side
scripting language
 embedded into an
HTML source document or
in a proper PHP file

12.  Fields of application:
 originally designed forWeb development
 Database connection
 HTML forms
 Dynamic generation of graphs and file upload
 most famous application is the LAMP

13. Pros Cons
easy to learn -> close to C, java and
human languages
no byte code cache
a lot of fields of applications procedural programming in object
orientated library
separation of code and layout weak typecast
feature rich security problem
Free interpreted language -> slow runtime
browser independency automatic memory management
useable on each OS
young language

14.  Examples:
 embedded in HTML Code
▪ <script language="php"> ... </script>
▪ file extension .html
 own PHP document
▪ <?PHP .... ?>
▪ <? .... ?>
▪ file extension .php

15.  Code examples:

17.  Introduction and History
 Python from Monty Python Python fun to use
 1989: implementation by Guido van Rossum
(Netherlands)
 1991: appearance
 2000: version 2.0
 2008: version 3.0 (backwards incompatible)
 2007/2010:TIOBE Programming Language of theYear Award
 actual versions:
▪ 3.3.0 (sept. 2012)
▪ 2.7.3 (april 2012)

18.  Characteristics
 language integration: C, C++, Java
 full modularising
 standard libraries for GIS, databases, important
internet protocols, mathematics, statistics, …
 Block structures
 everything is an object
 Multi-paradigm language: object-oriented style,
the traditional procedural style or a mix of those

19. Pro Cons
easy to learn no special syntax to distinguish methods
and functions (methods -> self)
clean and elegant design not as fast as C or C++
include high-level data types script length
easily build GUI (Tkinter) Slow run-time
exception handling Version 3.0: downward incompatibility
well-established development
community and a central Web site
(Python tools and extension modules)
large standard library
open source
for many platforms
(Unix,Windows, Mac OS X,…)

20.  Applications
 Web applications (Apache web server)
 Scientific: NumPy, SciPy, Matplotlib,ArcPy
 3D animation packages (Blender, Cinema 4D…)
 GIS-Software:ArcGIS , Quantum GIS,Grass GIS,
etc.
 Others:Youtube, BitTorrent, Google, NASA,
CERN,…

21. Example 1:
Example 2:

24.  Perl : Practical Extraction and Reporting Language
 Originally developed by LarryWall in 1987
 An interpreted language: does not need to be
compiled as separate step
 Perl programs are text files run through an
interpreter
 Current version 5.16.2

25.  Characteristics
 Can run both onWindows and UNIX/Linux
 InWindows can be run through the Command line
editor
 You need to define the location of Perl Script
 The version can be stated within the script

26.  Typical applications
 Text processing
 System administration: tying smaller scripts, working with file
systems and networking
 Web programming: Used to process and generate HTML
 Database interaction
 Mail processing: automated processing of internet emails including
filtering by address and content
 Automating file retrieval via FTP

27.  Applications in geoinformatics
 A number of modules exist at CPAN for handling
geographic data, GPS
http://www.cpan.org/modules/01modules.index.html
 Can be used for constructing GIS tools for
handling and editing geocoded data on a map
http://www.isprs.org/proceedings/xxxv/congress/yf/papers/934.pdf

28. Pros Cons
Portable Poor documentation/ Informal support,
mainly through volunteers
Very dense code thus saving on coding
time
Is an interpreted language, therefore not
as fast
Good with text handling Protecting proprietary code; not
compiled thus can only distributed as
codes
Backward compatibility Maintainability of scripts
Very flexible
Massive library of reusable codes

29. •The program should be saved as a .pl format

30.  Hash:Two dimensional arrays with keys and
values e.g

31. criteria Python PHP Perl
object oriented
programing
simple but
effective approach
 downright easy
weak -> most of the of
approaches aren’t
implemented
providesOOP features
of data encapsulation
and inheritance using
modules and packages
runtime Worst of these
three
relatively fast in procedural
approach
Very good speeds
especially for test
processing
modularity Full modularising store repeated code in
separated functions
Full modularising
through modules and
packages
code length Depending on
application, but
over all worse
different possibilities how
to write the code
Highly optimized
security modules and
“community” for
security
not that safe (include, user
interactions)
User input vulnerability

32. Many thanks
-
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