PHP front-end and Java back-end for a web app?

Question

I'm designing a web application.

I was wondering if it was feasible to design a php front end (using some php framework e.g. CakePHP), which stores and retrieves data to display to the user.

Then develop a java backend which listens to the database for changes, and depending on what was changed, performs some actions and updates the database.

Any thoughts on this type of implementation would be appreciated.

Answer 1

Sounds difficult to handle when the need arises to interact between the outside display, and the Java business intelligence in some way. And trust me, the need will arise.

Where would you handle things like input validation for example. In Java? Then your Java instance has to talk to the PHP app all the time. In PHP? Then you'll have business logic in the PHP part, and it sounds like you don't want that.

Unless you have a really, really good reason to split it like that, I would stick with one platform. It's certainly doable this way but I think it will produce a lot of unnecessary overhead.

Answer 2

Yes it is feasible, but why wouldn't you just develop everything in php?

To be specific: why do you need a Java backend? Answering this question would be easier if we knew why you want to implement your web application this way.