Doubt in web service development for APP(android) and WEB(php)

Question

Hello, we are developing an APP for android and this will make a query in a webservice (that is not done yet) to validate data requested by the APP. The same project runs on the web and is developed in php, jquery etc.

Then I have 2 applications one for WEB(php) accessed by PC, Tablet, Mobile and other only for Android (.apk), the two versions do the same thing basically that is query data in a webservice, this will return data to the applications with information of the requested query.

Question: Since the two applications (web and apk) will make queries in this web service that we will develop, what is the best option to develop this web service so that it is fast and meets both applications? Develop in PHP, JAVA, NODEJS? What difference between each webservice, any advantage that one has over the other? If you need more information please comment.

I already have some tips I’ve been researching, I want a help and an opinion from someone who has done something similar.

I hope I have made clear the question and explanation. Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

I think the best way to help is to define what types of webservices you can find these days "the most common".

I define two situations although one is actually a protocol:

1. Webservice SOAP - Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) a standard that uses XML as the basis of its architecture. Can be used in SMTP, HTTP, FTP etc. Requires support of "middleware", well-defined mechanism to define services such as WSDL + XSD, WS-Policy will return structured XML data

2. Webservice Restful - Representational State Transfer (REST) of web services. They are second generation web services. Restful web services, communicate via HTTP and unlike a SOAP-based service, do not require the XML structure or WSDL-API service definitions. Simple HTTP with no "middleware" required. Default, REST can return XML, plain text, JSON, HTML etc

I have already used both and still use but have over time abandoned SOAP and replaced by equivalent REST services. And why?

As a professional I follow the market and the trend is clearly the REST certainly sees a lot of reference to the REST API. I personally understand that REST is definitely the current way to create a web service.

Your API will be cleaner and easier to understand/discover. When synchronizing data with a website or app, it’s probably easier to rest the user because you can simply say synchronization ("/articles/1/") or anything else. Mapping operations is easy... CRUD operations, etc.

That said, the direct answer to your question:

Develop in PHP, JAVA, NODEJS?

From my experience I would go for PHP. It is a server "script" language, supports very well the HTTP protocol, the community is extensive and full of examples but as a main reason eye to your experience.

Having said in the question that already has a WEB project done in PHP and JQUERY is indicator that already have knowledge in this language so your learning curve will certainly be lower than the others and this sincerely is in my understanding the main reason.