Coding Django (Python) in a PHP driven Site

Question

I have a client who has a course-management online tool written explicitly in PHP.

He has hired me to do some work on the site. What the work is I'm not clear yet but I'm assuming it will be an addon to the existing site and not require any modification of the existing PHP code.

Since I am more familiar with Django I plan on coding these new addons in Django and integrating it with PHP.

Is this a wise move or will it cause issues in the foreseeable future. Will the code still be manageable by future developers and what strain (resource-wise) will it have on the Apache server?

Other options I have are

Do the addons in PHP (don't know php too well)
Redo the site in django completely (don't think client will pay for this)

Thanks for your input

ouch, I'd hate to be the developer asked to fix any problems in the future. — Hamish
– Hamish, Commented Mar 31, 2011 at 20:24
I was wondering how this would work also, but in the other direction. Say I have a Django website (and MySql database), and I wanted to add a PHP forum package (as they seem to be more mature than Django's forums). Would that be workable? — John C
– John C, Commented Mar 31, 2011 at 20:27
If you're adding a pre-existing package to your website experience, then I don't see the problem. I have this site: backupmachine.com which is Django, but with a Wordpress blog added onto the site. As long as someone else is maintaining the thing you're adding-in, and you're not having to hack it about, there's no problem (IMHO). — Steve Mayne
– Steve Mayne, Commented Mar 31, 2011 at 20:54

Steve Mayne · Accepted Answer · 2011-03-31 20:23:33Z

5

I wouldn't do this, as you'll create a maintenance headache for the client. When they need later modifications to the site, two technologies will need to be understood, rather than just the one.

Additionally, if there are common headers/footers/page components/authentication, you'll have to reimplement them all in your Django site.

PHP isn't that hard to learn, and it's got more examples online than just about any other language known to man.

As far as your server load question goes - it's probably not going to make much difference to have a few python processes running alongside the existing PHP. Besides, RAM is cheap!

answered Mar 31, 2011 at 20:23

Steve Mayne

23k4 gold badges53 silver badges49 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Coding Django (Python) in a PHP driven Site

1 Answer 1

Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related