Everytime I open up my browser, I always find some amazing new web-application that just makes me wonder what else can be done. Riveting new programming technologies are paving the way for a more user-friendly and pain-free online experience. Here are my picks for most promising programming technologies.
5) MySQL 5
You need a fast and efficient way to store all of that data. It can’t hurt that MySQL 5 supports distributed transactions, stored procedures, triggers, views and pluggable storage engines.
4) PHP5
Improved error handling, xml and database support make PHP5 a viable candidate for next-gen applications. PHP5 makes things like the Symfony Project possible.
3) TurboGears
This one came out of nowhere. While Ruby on Rails is Sustainable productivity for web-application development, TurboGears is ultra-productivity. TurboGears, based upon Python, is among king when it comes to rapid web-application development, being cited as creating a wiki application in only 20 minutes. One thing’s askew though, no one has heard of TurboGears. This may hinder its lifespan and emerging popularity in the future.
2) AJAX
Needing no introduction, Asynchronous Javascript and XML, easily gains a high spot. Almost every dynamic web application being released today uses some form of AJAX. Remember that lovely RoundCube webmail client? Yeah, it used AJAX. Betcha didn’t know Gmail and Google Maps used AJAX. However, AJAX is undergoing some extreme hype right now… how will this affect its credibility as a solid web-framework in the long run?
1) Ruby on Rails
Amazing database support and easy learnability usher this full-stack framework to the top of my chart. Ruby on Rails sports some outstanding clientele, ensuring rapid and solid scalability in any environment. (If you are wondering why Ruby on Rails beats TurboGears… it’s because TurboGears is too new and doesn’t have any great examples to show for it.)
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{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
Great article, Paul – and I definitely agree about AJAX and Ruby on Rails; they’re both brilliant!
I’m in the process of setting up RoundCube on my website (all thanks to your amazing tutorial, of course ;)) and such a cool app wouldn’t be available without AJAX. Their demo’s pretty sweet too…
Hmm… Nice post there but now I see Oracle as a strong competitor to MySql.. With Oracle giving free database and increasing support for PHP, more people will find it attractive ..
You seem to have missed out two big MS technologies, namely .NET 2.0 and SQL Server 2005, of which I think offer many advantages over vanilla PHP and MySQL (although Ruby does fill in some gaps).
SQL Sever 2005 alone as many improvements over 2000 (stored procedures in any CLR language), and .NET 2.0 adds a lot on to 1.0. Saying that, as I’m a .NET developer I am terribly biased towards it, but I’ll make concessions with Ruby on Rails and AJAX :-), both look absolutely great!
I have to agree with Zhang, PHP will be nothing (well… not that extreme actually…) compared to a .net 2.0 framework. I haven’t tested it into it’s full capability but I think soon we’ll see alot more web 2.0 service that runs ontop of .net
Paul-
Yet another great post – In full agreement about AJAX, while echoing the sentiment of Zhang and Oskar that .net will be interesting to watch unfold.
I’m not such a big fan of the .NET 2.0 framework… my experience has been that any .NET-based application is a little slow to install and load in general. As with all Microsoft offerings, I’ll believe it when I see it.
Actually, well written ASP .NET applications are blisteringly fast as they’re compiled instead of interpreted. The first time you run it, it’s always slow as it does some kind of pre-caching or whatnot to speed up latter times.
IIRC, MS said they were going to get rid of pre-caching in .NET 2.0, but I don’t know if they got it in.
well no sentiments at all…. the IT world is great
for me .net 3.5 is better. SQL Server is better .. for who want to develop analytical web base tools such accounting software, BI and so on that for me PHP cant do that or IF can >3 Year ELSE the program is failed ahhaha .