What is the Best Programming Language for an eCommerce Site?

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Read Time 15 min

Though 2020 has given a solid fight to the retail industry, it is to be concluded that worldwide retail eCommerce sales skyrocketed at a 27.6% growth rate for the year, with sales reaching over $4 trillion. In short, eCommerce is still evolving, and it continues to hit the market with its stunning advantages and features. It is helping business owners, entrepreneurs, startups, and large-scale website development companies adapt to fast-changing trends in the industry to meet their target user’s needs. 

By building a robust eCommerce store, you can sell whatever you want to your customers and make the desired revenue and success. But building an eCommerce store isn’t as easy as it seems to be. It takes effort and time to choose the right platform, hosted solutions, content management systems, and plugins freely available to set up your store. What else takes your time and troubles you a lot? Which Programming language to choose for your E-commerce site?  

Since plenty of programming languages are booming in the development world, it might be difficult to figure out which is the best language to build ecommerce website. But don’t you worry! To help you make a wise decision, we’ve listed down the list of the top programming languages that you can use to build your eCommerce store. You can also explore resources on the best programming sites to get more insights into these languages and their use in ecommerce development.

Read on to find out which is the best programming language for ecommerce and what to go with for your website.

Top 6 Best Programming Languages That You Can Use For Building eCommerce Site

Over the years, e-commerce has become immensely popular due to its features and increasing benefits. From large-scale companies to startups, businesses of all sizes are turning to e-commerce websites to reach a broader range of customers. In this competitive landscape, choosing the right programming languages for the ecommerce backend is crucial. By using the best programming languages for website development, you can drive business growth and success. Many business owners often get confused and ask themselves, “for ecommerce, which language is best to build a scalable and efficient online store?”. To help them out, here is a list of the top 6 programming languages you can use for your ecommerce site. 

1) Javascript

Best Programming Language for Ecommerce Site #1 : Javascript

JavaScript needs no introduction. It is the most widely chosen programming language worldwide. It is a simple, highly scalable, and versatile coding language that can extend web pages beyond static capabilities. Programmers use Javascript widely to implement client-side scripts to interact with the user, modify the display of data, control the browser’s functionalities, and communicate asynchronously. In fact, according to a W3Tech web technology survey, JavaScript is the client-side programming language for 97.4% of all websites. But why does Javascript fall into the category of the best programming languages for building eCommerce sites? It responds very fast to client-side browser requests, and that’s what users desire the most. Not just it, it is also used for server-side network programming. This is the reason why it is considered one of the best programming language for web development.

Since its release in 1995 with syntactical influence from C, it has now become one of the cherry-picked programming languages by developers. But is it suitable for an eCommerce store? You must be thinking about the same. Let’s dive deeper into JavaScript and know why this programming language is best for your eCommerce website. 

When Should You Use JavaScript For eCommerce Site Development?

With the rise of online shoppers, e-commerce applications are in great demand and have become dynamic and sophisticated. Basic static web pages and applications do not have such great results for today’s eCommerce sites and somehow impact the growth of your business. With javascript-like programming languages, you can have a visually appealing and stunning eCommerce website. Being one of the best programming language for ux design, JavaScript allows developers to build a site that is easy to navigate yet attractive, which can ultimately lead to giving a memorable user experience. In addition, developers can utilize JavaScript for the frontend as well as the backend for ecommerce websites, which can help improve customer experiences and reduce load times.

According to experts, JavaScript is the best language for website development as it’s the most widely utilized language for creating interactive and dynamic web pages.

JavaScript can enhance your web forms and eliminate the need to reload the whole page repeatedly. With javascript, slideshows, which play a vital role in the site’s functionality and loading speed, get improved and function smoothly without typically reloading each page when the user clicks to the next slide. Javascript is a blessing for eCommerce merchants as it has many eCommerce development tools like BrowserSync, Kartograph.js, and Knockout.js. Developers can use these tools to build a robust and productive eCommerce site.

Pros of JavaScript for eCommerce

  • Executable on client-side
  • Fast
  • Extensible
  • Real-time communication and easy management
  • Optimum performance
  • Easy to learn

Cons of JavaScript for eCommerce

  • Rendering
  • Security

2) Python

Best Programming Language for Ecommerce #2 : Python

Python is another highly-used, versatile, and the best programming language for an eCommerce site. It is considered as the best language to build ecommerce website due to its scalability, availability of standard libraries (NumPy, SciPy, Pandas, Matplotlib), artificial neural networks for ML, off-the-shelf solutions, great compatibility for all databases, and other irresistible advantages. In addition to that, this e commerce programming language is also being used in fields such as machine learning, AI, scientific computing, and engineering. 

According to the RedMonk Ranking report for the year 2020, Python outranks JAVA to become the second most popular programming language globally. The e commerce programming language has become immensely popular in the last five years with a 10-15% annual growth rate. That’s a great win for Python as a promising contender on the list of the best programming languages to build eCommerce websites. Besides, it has the best eCommerce development tools for developing prototypes that make sites super easy to work with. Also, as in eCommerce sites, there are regular updates and modifications as per the user’s needs; Python makes it easy to use its stunning frameworks. 

One of the main reasons why Python is regarded as the best language to build ecommerce website is because it does not need loads of programming skills and coding technicalities to work on it and its syntax is clear as well as easy to understand. By paying off your valuable time, you can master it and create a user-friendly eCommerce site for you. Its core focus is on two primary factors: readability and efficiency. This is why leading companies such as Instacart are using Python to manage their eCommerce businesses’ data. 

When Should You Use Python For eCommerce Site Development?

Highly functional websites are in great demand nowadays. No matter whether it is a startup or a large-scale firm, every business owner asks developers to create a highly scalable, robust, and fully functional eCommerce site that can fulfill their respective user’s needs. And the functionality of the site depends on the programming language. Thus, selecting the right programming language for eCommerce sites becomes quite difficult. But Python Programmers have helped business owners in numerous ways by helping them create a stunning and robust eCommerce site.

For example, Satchmo, an open-source framework, is coded using Python and helps prevent online Fraud. Similarly, Django has many tools that help run code faster and scale your eCommerce platform by upgrading project infrastructure, adding more databases, and caching servers to your platform. Another important functionality that customers want in their site is chatbots for helping with their customer support activities, and Python is the most popular ecommerce language to create AI-based chatbots in eCommerce sites. To put it plainly, Python is a highly-performing programming language that can make your eCommerce site user-friendly, intuitive, and dynamic.

Pros of Python for eCommerce

  • Highly scalable
  • Excellent performance and optimization
  • Multipurpose
  • Extensive libraries
  • Embeddable
  • Easy to understand, learn, and code
  • Custom features
  • Portable 
  • Interpreted
  • An outstanding community support

Cons of Python for eCommerce

  • Speed limitations
  • Week in mobile computing
  • Underdeveloped data access layers
  • Python’s memory consumption and garbage collection
  • Python is dynamically typed.
  • Multithreading in Python is not multithreading.
  • Python’s functional programming can be difficult to read.

3) Java

Best Programming Language for Ecommerce #3 : Java

One of the leading players in the programming landscape is Java. It is a high-level, classes-based, and object-oriented programming language, which is both high-performing and secure. The syntax of Java is almost similar to c and c++. One of its most influential assets is running on many platforms regardless of your computer architecture. You can use Java to build effective programs that work within most web browsers, enabling you to build your eCommerce website and have faith that it will run everywhere.

If we dive deep into Java’s popularity and market trend, then there are nearly 8 million JAVA developers across the world. Also, this programming language is enjoying a top-second position among all the programming languages in the ranking of PYPL. According to RedMonk reports, it is ranking in 3rd position below JavaScript and Python only.

Due to its versatility, flexibility and scalability, Java has secured a spot among the best language to build ecommerce website. Building your website with Java will not only allow you to save time and money in the long run but also eliminate the need to customize your site for different browsers and platforms. 

When Should You Use Java For eCommerce Site Development?

The first and foremost reason is that leading giants like Amazon and Flipkart use Java for their eCommerce websites. Java has several eCommerce development tools that make it ideal for creating eCommerce sites. It has popular frameworks such as Spring and Hibernate and numerous interesting features like multithreading, automatic memory allocation, garbage collection, and platform independence helping Java fall proudly into the list of the best programming languages for eCommerce site development.

In addition, Spring-Boot makes website development faster and more convenient which helps website developers and site owners focus on business needs rather than spending time setting up technical integrations and fixing bugs. Webpack is another ultimate front-end build tool in Java that focuses on building modern web applications with highly customized features. 

Pros of Java for eCommerce

  • Object-Oriented
  • Platform-Independent
  • Distributed computing
  • Secure
  • Multi-Threaded
  • Automatic memory management
  • Multithreading
  • Huge array of 3rd party libraries

Cons of Java for eCommerce

  • Performance
  • Look and feel
  • Complex code architecture
  • Java has high memory and processing requirements. Therefore hardware cost increases.
  • No control over garbage collection.

4) PHP

Best Programming Language for Ecommerce #4 : PHP

PHP is the other most widely used programming language on this list that is perfect for creating an eCommerce website. Just like the languages mentioned above, it was hard to believe that PHP will shine in 2022, but this language is giving its best shot in the tech-savvy world and helping website developers design scalable and highly functional websites. 

According to the TIOBE Index for December 2020, PHP has secured an eighth rank place among the top 10 programming languages. Not just this, according to RedMonk Ranking reports, PHP has become the fourth most prominent language surpassing C++ and Kotlin as magnificent languages.

Its great popularity is evidence it is shining this year and many more years are on the way. This is why the industry’s leading sites such as Facebook, Wikipedia, and WordPress use PHP as the programming language.

When Should You Use PHP For eCommerce Site Development?

The reason that makes PHP the best programming language for designing eCommerce websites is its open-source server-side scripting that with its prominent features like cross-platform compatibility, object-oriented programming, easy integration with HTML, CSS, JavaScript, etc., huge community support results in a robust site. 

The presence of fascinating eCommerce development tools i.e., its frameworks make PHP shine over other languages. PHP frameworks such as Laravel, Symfony, Zend, CodeIgniter, Yii, and CakePHP provide a host of services that ease eCommerce web development and designing. Also, the maintenance cost of the website gets reduced when PHP Programmers create it with PHP. 

What’s more? eCommerce sites need to be highly personalized which can attract more customers and generate revenue. PHP is ideal for that too. The ready-made plugins, templates and components that enhance a site’s look can be integrated with PHP. This makes it the best programming language for ecommerce website.

Pros of PHP for eCommerce

  • Open-source
  • Speed
  • Easy to use
  • Stable
  • Powerful library support
  • Built-in database connection modules

Cons of PHP for eCommerce

  • Not Secure
  • Not suitable for large applications
  • Weak type
  • Poor Error Handling Method
  • PHP is unable to handle a large number of apps

5) Kotlin

Best Programming Language for Ecommerce #5 : Kotlin

Whenever there is talk about android app development, Kotlin comes first. Developers are using it heavily in their android app development-related projects, especially after a sweet declaration by Google. Yes, Google declared it as one of the preferred languages for Android application development. And in addition to that, the Stack Overflow survey also concluded that Kotlin ranks 4th among the most-loved programming languages. The GitHub community for Kotlin is also increasing significantly. So, Kotlin rightly occupies its seat as the best programming language for creating eCommerce sites.

In general, it is a statically typed general-purpose programming language that supports both object-oriented and functional programming features. But now, it is being used in eCommerce website development because it is interoperable with Java and supports all Java libraries. 

The popularity and market trend of this language cannot be overlooked. It is used by leading giants like Uber, Netflix, and Pinterest. Businesses and developers can’t overlook the popularity and market trend. The leading giants like Uber, Netflix, and Pinterest are using Kotlin. So, we can conclude that it will not go anywhere in 2022 and will shine like an evening star. 

When Should You Use Kotlin For eCommerce Site Development?

To build stunning eCommerce android apps, you can use this programming language. Developers can’t ignore the importance of a ready-to-use eCommerce app development tool: templates. The beautiful eCommerce Android app templates made with Kotlin will save you thousands of dollars and development hours. By downloading the full Kotlin source code, you can develop highly functional mobile apps for any eCommerce site. It will further boost your sales since you’ll be able to provide your users with a native experience from their Android phones.

Pros of Kotlin for eCommerce

  • It is fault-proof and thus easier to maintain
  • Perfect for JVM development
  • Boost team efficiency
  • Similar to Apple’s Swift 
  • Easy to comply with existing java code
  • Less buggy

Cons of Kotlin for eCommerce

  • Just like Java but not Java
  • Fluctuating compilation speed
  • Low availability of Kotlin experts to hire

6) C Sharp

Best Programming Language for Ecommerce #6 : C Sharp

Released in 2000 by Microsoft within its .NET initiative, C#, an object-oriented language, has become one of the best programming languages for eCommerce websites. Its easy-to-understand, clean and type-safe syntax enables developers to build highly scalable, secure, and dynamic applications within the .NET Framework that have highly intuitive UI/UX and are easy to use and manage. 

For the ones who understand C, C++, or Java, learning C# is not a big deal. It is quite simple compared to other programming languages, taking care of many complexities and developing advanced functionalities such as enumerations, nullable value types, and direct memory access. The best thing about C# is it can support encapsulation, inheritance, and polymorphism, which offers more simplicity and flexibility than C, C++, and Java.

When Should You Use C# For eCommerce Site Development?

The most important reason for using this language in eCommerce site development is that developers can easily combine their capabilities and DotNetNuke (DNN) to create a fully functional eCommerce platform. Both these works amazingly when combined because both use ASP as the framework. 

Using ASP, a developer can make modules with C# and use the DNN content management system. DNN offers robust functionalities and content management capabilities. However, C# stunning features offer excellent file management benefits, social and mobile API, and a rich-text editor like robust pros. Also, there is a powerful platform like Nopcommerce based on C# which was created dedicatedly as an e-commerce CMS.

Another reason is many leading companies like Intellectsoft, Capgemini, etc., are using C# for the eCommerce businesses and taking it to the next level. By inspiring their success, you can also choose it as your cherry-picked programming language if you want to make the most of your eCommerce site. 

Pros of C# for eCommerce

  • Object-Oriented Language
  • High performance
  • Better Integrity and Interoperability
  • Automatic Garbage Collection
  • Great readability
  • Great community
  • Simple Multithreading
  • The great ecosystem of community packages with NuGet

Cons of C# for eCommerce

  • Not flexible as it is completely based on Microsoft .Net framework 
  • C# language is case-sensitive
  • No good IDE on non-windows
  • Slow loading time
  • High development cost

Best Programming Language for eCommerce Site: Conclusion

Apart from these programming languages, there are many more like Scala that you can use for eCommerce websites. If you’ve read the list thoroughly, then you’ll be able to make a wise decision quickly. However, if you want to know more about such languages, then we’re here to help you out. APPWRK IT Solution has dedicated website developers who strive to deliver the best web development solutions. Our team will let you know about more languages and help you choose the best according to your budget and the site’s requirements. 

If you have the next project in your mind, but you’re confused about choosing a programming language, let us resolve your query. Contact us to get a brief consultation and turn your project idea into a reality. 

If you have decided the language for your e-Commerce Website and want to hire Developers who are highly experts in that language, to build your best e-Commerce website. You can visit this link: Hire Remote Developers. We assure You our Developers will provide Top-Class Services at the most affordable pricing. They will always be ready to work in your time zone as well.

Still confused on which programming language to use for your e-commerce business?

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FAQs

Q: Is JavaScript good for e-commerce?

Ans: JavaScript is the most popular and leading programming language globally for e-commerce websites. It is a highly versatile and scalable language that can extend web pages beyond their static capabilities. 

One of the major benefits of JavaScript is that most web browsers support it, eliminating the need for different programming languages for different platforms. It features many modules and libraries that users can use to create any feature they want. In addition, developers can use JavaScript to apply client-side scripts to enhance interaction with the user. It is also used for server-side network programming, making it the perfect choice for your e-commerce store development.

Q: What factors to consider when choosing the best programming language for web development?

Ans: When choosing the best programming language for website development, consider the following factors:

  1. Define Your Project Requirements: Make sure to clearly define your project requirements before selecting a programming language. Consider factors such as the scope of the project, the expected scale, performance requirements, and integration needs. These factors and the complexity of the features will influence the choice. 
  2. Evaluate Performance and Scalability: If your website needs to handle significant traffic or grow over time, select languages and frameworks known for scalability, such as Node.js or Java.
  3. Development Speed: Some languages and frameworks offer rapid development, like Ruby on Rails and PHP, making them ideal for fast prototypes or MVPs (minimum viable products).
  4. Developer Expertise: Choose a language that your team is proficient in to minimize development time and costs. If your team excels in JavaScript, you might opt for Node.js for both frontend and backend.
  5. Community and Ecosystem: A strong community and extensive libraries or frameworks (like Django for Python or Laravel for PHP) can speed up development and problem-solving.
  6. Security: Ensure the language supports robust security features, especially for sites handling sensitive data, like Python, Ruby, or Java.
  7. Budget and Resources: Consider the cost of development and the availability of skilled developers for the chosen language.

Q: What is the best backend for ecommerce website?

Ans: The best backend for an eCommerce website depends on several factors, including scalability, security, ease of use, developer expertise, and the specific needs of your business. Several technologies and platforms are available that are highly effective for building the backend of an eCommerce site. Here are a few top choices:

1. Node.js: Ideal for real-time, high-performance sites that need scalability. It uses JavaScript on both the front end and back end.

2. PHP: Widely used for platforms like WooCommerce and Magento, it’s cost-effective and quick to implement for small to medium-sized stores.

3. Ruby on Rails: Great for rapid development, offering simplicity and built-in tools for eCommerce functionality.

4. Python (Django/Flask): Preferred for secure, scalable custom sites, with frameworks like Django providing strong backend support.

Q: What is the best website programming language for building a high-performance and scalable eCommerce site?

Ans: The best website programming language for creating a high-performance and scalable eCommerce site depends on your business’s specific needs. Below are the top programming languages used for ecommerce website development.

  1. JavaScript (Node.js): This language is ideal for full-stack development, and It allows JavaScript to be used on both the front end and the back end. It’s great for building fast, scalable sites with real-time features like live updates and interactive shopping experiences.
  2. PHP: It is a popular language because of its flexibility, such as working with many types of web pages, information storage systems, and frameworks, including WordPress, Magento, and Laravel. It’s a strong choice for small to medium-sized eCommerce stores that require rapid development.
  3. Python (Django/Flask): Known for security, simplicity, and scalability, Python is great for custom eCommerce solutions. Frameworks like Django offer robust features for building secure and efficient sites.
  4. Ruby on Rails: Ideal for rapid development, Ruby on Rails helps create scalable eCommerce sites quickly, making it a good option for startups or businesses looking to scale fast.
  5. Java: For large-scale, enterprise-level eCommerce sites, Java offers robustness and security, handling high traffic and complex transactions effectively.

Q: What is the best programming language for ux design when building an ecommerce site?

Ans: When building an ecommerce site, using the best programming languages for creating the UX design is extremely important as it can make or break the entire user experience. Some of the best languages you can use are: 

  • HTML
  • CSS
  • JavaScript 
  • React
  • Vue.js
  • Angular

Q: What is the best language to build ecommerce website for a small scale company? 

Ans: When building an eCommerce website for a small scale company, you need to consider several factors like budget, scalability and the features required. If you want the development process to be quick, languages like PHP will be the best choice as they offer faster time-to market while being cost-effective. Python with Django or Flask is also a great choice for building custom solutions and offer strong security features and scalability. For businesses looking for a more dynamic, real-time experience, JavaScript with Node.js and frameworks like React or Vue.js can be used.

Q: What programming language is mostly used for shopping websites?

Ans: For building shopping websites, the programming languages used should be able to handle high traffic and offer seamless integration with third-party systems like payment gateways and social media apps. Considering these, the best languages to use for building shopping websites are: 

  • HTML
  • CSS
  • JavaScript 
  • PHP
  • Python

Related Links:
1. Why Your Ecommerce Business Needs Custom Ecommerce App Development Services?
2. Ecommerce Online Grocery Website Development
3. Why do You Need Progressive Web Applications For Ecommerce?
4. Reaction Commerce Vs. Spree Commerce: Which Would Rule the eCommerce World?
5. How much will an Ecommerce website cost? A detailed Guide
6. Best eCommerce companies in UAE

About author

Gourav Khanna

Gourav Khanna is co-founder and CEO of APPWRK IT SOLUTIONS PVT LIMITED, a web & mobile app development company. He is a technophile who is always eager to learn and share his views on new technologies and future advancements. Gourav’s knowledge and experience have made him one of the industry's most respected and referenced leaders in the IT industry. His passion for writing and a high spirit of learning new things is reflected in his write ups. He has inspired many organizations to leverage digital platforms with his top-notch writing strategy skills that cut through the noise, backed by sharp thinking. Gourav believes that - “Words are the way to know ecstasy, without them life is barren ''.

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