Comparison with long-running servers (Node.js) in PHP - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What is a key difference between PHP and Node.js in how they handle server requests?

PHP creates a new process for each request, while Node.js runs a single long-running process that handles many requests asynchronously.

intermediate

Why does Node.js use an event-driven model for handling requests?

Node.js uses an event-driven model to efficiently handle many requests without waiting for each to finish, improving performance for I/O tasks.

intermediate

How does PHP's request lifecycle affect memory usage compared to Node.js?

PHP frees memory after each request ends because it starts fresh every time, while Node.js keeps memory in use as it runs continuously.

beginner

What is one advantage of PHP's short-lived process model?

It isolates each request, so errors or memory leaks in one request do not affect others.

intermediate

What challenge might arise from Node.js's long-running server approach?

Memory leaks or bugs can accumulate over time since the server process stays alive, requiring careful management.

How does PHP handle each incoming web request?

A Uses a single long-running process

B Starts a new process for each request

C Handles requests asynchronously in one process

D Queues requests and processes them one by one

PHP starts a new process for each request, unlike Node.js which uses a single long-running process.

What is a benefit of Node.js's event-driven model?

A It handles many requests efficiently without waiting

B It blocks other requests until one finishes

C It creates a new process for each request

D It uses more memory per request

Node.js handles many requests efficiently by not waiting for each to finish, thanks to its event-driven model.

Which server model isolates errors per request better?

A Node.js long-running process

B Both are equal

C Neither isolates errors

D PHP short-lived process

PHP's short-lived process model isolates errors per request, preventing one request's error from affecting others.

What is a potential downside of Node.js's long-running server?

A It restarts after every request

B It uses less memory overall

C It can accumulate memory leaks over time

D It cannot handle asynchronous tasks

Because Node.js runs continuously, memory leaks or bugs can build up if not managed properly.

Which technology is more likely to free memory after each request?

A PHP

B Neither frees memory

C Both free memory continuously

D Node.js

PHP frees memory after each request because it starts a new process every time.

Explain how PHP and Node.js differ in handling web server requests and the impact on memory management.

Think about how each handles requests and what happens to memory after.

Describe one advantage and one challenge of using a long-running server like Node.js compared to PHP's model.

Consider performance and maintenance aspects.