Ask HN: Django or ROR or CakePHP or else should I choose?

ludwigvan · on Aug 5, 2011

I would suggest Django over RoR; RoR contains more magic (but RoR seems to offer more convenience for someone experienced with RoR since it is based on convention vs configuration.) Also, I have heard that Rails changes very fastly sometimes, so you may have difficulty catching up if you are a student (but at the same time, it has a livelier community, so that might be a plus -- check out http://rubyweekly.com/ ).

With Django, the core structure is simpler to understand, and you may continue working on your site after a few week's break easily. This is a little bit like the difference bt. Python and Ruby/Perl; I find Ruby/Perl more flexible (there is more than one way to do it), Python to be more strict (there is usually a single best way).

To sum up, I don't think it would make a difference if you were a full time developer working on the project every day, but for a student, occasionally working on a project, Django would be easier to get accustomed to, after not working on the project for a given time.

PS: I suggest you to take a look at Flask (Python) or Sinatra (Ruby) too; they might be easier to start with. Your experience with Flask would help with Django, too (or vice versa).

_pcpe · on Aug 5, 2011

That's really an awesome advice. I will definitely take this in mind.

mindcrime · on Aug 5, 2011

I have the solution to your problem:

http://www.coboloncogs.org/INDEX.HTM

All joking aside, you can be successful with any of the frameworks you mentioned, and any number of other ones. My personal default recommendation is Groovy on Grails, but I can't say that it's objectively better than, say, Ruby on Rails. It's just... groovy.

microkernel · on Aug 5, 2011

I'd say - it doesn't matter. As a person who faced the same choice two years ago, I went with RoR. Mostly because of the bigger community around it. By now I mostly consider it great because it is basically a best-practise sharing example. Any of these frameworks expose you to currently brewing technologies - and that helped me a lot along the way.

_pcpe · on Aug 5, 2011

Thank you for sharing your experience. :)

sathishmanohar · on Aug 5, 2011

If you are new, I suggest RoR, since, it takes all the nitty griddy details out of the way, and lets you focus on the real outcome of your app. Take a Ruby Crash Course and jump into Rails.

_pcpe · on Aug 5, 2011

Probably, I will start with RoR, at least it seems so now. :)

joshuacc · on Aug 5, 2011

If that's the route you're going, I highly suggest Michael Hartl's Ruby on Rails Tutorial. The entire text is available for free, but you can pay for a PDF version and accompanying screencasts.

http://ruby.railstutorial.org/

paradox95 · on Aug 5, 2011

If you are going to build in PHP there is no need for any kind of framework. Especially CakePHP. A simple PHP framework can be built in a day that for your needs is a lot better than any existing framework.

As far as language choice: this question gets asked like every day. The answer is always the same. What do you feel more comfortable with? Once you answer that, you have your answer.

_pcpe · on Aug 5, 2011

The problem is I am a noob! I don't have much experience than a little C, C++ and PHP.

declancostello · on Aug 5, 2011

what languages / frameworks do your friends use?

Use that and ask for their advice.

_pcpe · on Aug 5, 2011

it feels bad to say, most of the people/friends around me don't know any more than php/mysql/javascript or like this

gerds · on Aug 5, 2011

RoR

It's not Rails so much, it's Ruby.