Can python/django match the features of php/zend framework?

[walterbyrd]

I was going to go with zend framework, then I read about php using "\"
character as it's namespace separator.

A few things I like about the zend framework:

1) APIs to integrate with Google Apps. Although, I think I could do
the same with python using gdata-python-client.

2) There is a fairly good library of php routines to connect on online
php app with quickbooks. I am not sure if python has anything like
that.

The heavy-weight zend framework (18MB I think) has a lot of powerful
features. But, I tend to prefer python to php.

[Low Kian Seong]

guess it does:

http://mail.python.org/pipermail/python-list/2007-July/448007.html

[felix]

python libraries are in general much much better than php libraries.
besides django itself, there's a wealth of usable and well maintained libraries.

I've been working with gdata, and its very nice:

_youtubeGDataHost = 'gdata.youtube.com'
_youtubeFeedBase  = '/feeds/api/'

    import gdata
    import gdata.youtube
    import gdata.youtube.service

    feed_url = str('http://' + _youtubeGDataHost + _youtubeFeedBase + 'playlists/%s' % playlist.playlist_id)

    yt = gdata.youtube.service.YouTubeService()
    feed = yt.GetYouTubeVideoFeed(feed_url)
   
    for entry in feed.entry:
        # we are now stepping through my youtube playlist ...

[Nick Lo]

Hi Walter,

On 27/10/2008, at 8:24 AM, walterbyrd wrote:

> I was going to go with zend framework, then I read about php using "\"
> character as it's namespace separator.
>
> A few things I like about the zend framework:
>
> 1) APIs to integrate with Google Apps. Although, I think I could do
> the same with python using gdata-python-client.

Considering Python's position in Google that's probably the least
thing lacking. Zend Framework does have the "official" PHP GData
client libraries developed by a Google team but I'd be surprised if
they hadn't developed the Python versions earlier.

> 2) There is a fairly good library of php routines to connect on online
> php app with quickbooks. I am not sure if python has anything like
> that.

That isn't really a ZF thing of course.

> The heavy-weight zend framework (18MB I think) has a lot of powerful
> features. But, I tend to prefer python to php.

Unless you give an idea of what you're actually needing to do, or what
your background is I doubt anyone will be able to answer definitively
(especially as this is a Django list). Some things to consider from
someone who has worked with ZF and Django:

Deployment on a host is still easier with PHP, for little reason other
than most hosts will have done/be able to do it for you. With things
like Cpanel you can actual compile PHP features without ever going
near a command line. This advantage dissipates the more needy you and
your application get however. On the other hand Django's development
server does mean you could initially get developing faster than you
could with PHP. It all depends on where you are currently.

Zend Framework/PHP is currently less modular than Django/Python so if
for example you're needing to use a prebuilt solution or two you'll
find more available for Django that also integrate cleanly.

While I wouldn't say Python or Django's docs are necessarily lacking,
I still find PHP and ZF's documentation easier to use but that could
be habit as much as anything. Both are good though.

What contacts do you have/need that develop in PHP v's Python.
Similarly what current/future projects do you have that would be
better in one or the other framework.

I can vouch for both the Django and ZF communities being equally
helpful.

The reasons outside the frameworks are probably more likely to give
you your answers than a feature-by-feature comparison... and of course
testing them out.

Cheers,

Nick

[walterbyrd]

On Oct 26, 4:37 pm, "Low Kian Seong" <django....@gmail.com> wrote:
> guess it does:

Python will work with QB, as long as both are on the same windows box.
But, I was asking about using django on a remote website to sync with
QB - that might be different.

[walterbyrd]

On Oct 26, 8:45 pm, Nick Lo <ingredients.com...@gmail.com> wrote:

> > 2) There is a fairly good library of php routines to connect on online
> > php app with quickbooks. I am not sure if python has anything like
> > that.
>
> That isn't really a ZF thing of course.

No, but I would I think that a php library would not be too difficult
to incorporate in ZF. Then again, in spite of the php libraries, a lot
of people find it difficult to sync online php apps with qb. I know
the developers of the magento ecommerce package (built on ZF) have not
been able to do that, at least not yet.

Here are the php libraries:

http://idnforums.intuit.com/messageview.aspx?catid=56&threadid=9164

I am not sure why this is so difficult. I guess nothing with SOAP is
all that easy.