Which language/framework for these sites? (Python Variants)

[GWestphal]

Dating Site

Review Site

Forum/Message board site

I'm not a super programmer in any language, but I'm most familiar with the C/C++, matlab type syntax. I've done some minor HTML, PHP and have fiddled with wordpress and drupal before.

Python and Ruby seem popular. Python is similar to C if I recall, so maybe that would be a good starting point?

UPDATE: I'd like to try a python variant, anybody have any knowledge with python variants and different frameworks.

 

[sourceninja]

Hell I could probably do the first two with drupal. The 3rd could be done with drupal, but drupal's forum functionality kinda sucks.

 

[Ancalagon44]

PHP?

I think you first need to familiarize yourself with current web technologies.

Look at PHP and Microsoft's MVC4 to start with.

EDIT: Python is NOT similar to C.

 

[Cogman]

Which language? Pretty much all of them. Every popular language I can think of has a web framework associated with it. C/C++, Java, hell even javascript.

You can do this with any language you like. However, consider the fact that there are around 1000 different dating sites/forums/review sites out there. What are you going to offer that will set you apart? Will people actually want that? Do you have the ability to implement it?

What programming language or framework you end up using is almost inconsequential (almost...) If you are getting hung up on that, I would suggest starting really basic with whatever language you want. Make a blog, add a comments section, etc.. After doing that, then consider tackling some of the bigger problems like a review site, forum, dating site.

Another piece of advice, before developing something and releasing it to the world, read this.
http://www.securityninja.co.uk/secure-development/

 

[beginner99]

I agree with Cogman, it's basically impossible as single developer to create a new site in such popular fields and gain any popularity. You would probably need to invest in the 6-7 figure range to get anything competitive...and sure not possible on your own.

Then the goal of these sites is also important. If you really want to make them publicly available, you will want to host it and therefore php would be the simplest and cheapest choice.

 

[GWestphal]

I would be running it for a rather niche crowd, so I'm not trying to compete with Match, OkCupid, but rather cater to small but highly populated geographical area. And the main thing is just the learning experience, I'm not trying to make money, just trying to learn and if I end up making some cash with adverts so be it.

I'm leaning heavily towards Python (for the clean code and OO), but there are quite a few variants PyPy, Cython, etc. Additionally, there are a lot of frameworks Pyramid, Pylons, Django, CherryPy.

Anybody have any suggestions with regard to a flavor of Python and framework to start with?

 

[Markbnj]

I would be running it for a rather niche crowd, so I'm not trying to compete with Match, OkCupid, but rather cater to small but highly populated geographical area. And the main thing is just the learning experience, I'm not trying to make money, just trying to learn and if I end up making some cash with adverts so be it.

I'm leaning heavily towards Python (for the clean code and OO), but there are quite a few variants PyPy, Cython, etc. Additionally, there are a lot of frameworks Pyramid, Pylons, Django, CherryPy.

Anybody have any suggestions with regard to a flavor of Python and framework to start with?

Django would be a very good place to start for such a site. First, you get intuitive model development and a not-bad ORM that will turn your model objects into database structures and queries. You also get a generated admin back-end for free that will let you CRUD objects and enter/modify test data in the database. You get a view/template mechanism that makes it pretty easy to grab data and insert it into a page. Lastly, you get a wide variety of templates, modules, and plug-ins that will shorten the development time.

About the only downside is that it's Linux-based, meaning that you will encounter at least one mysterious issue during set-up that will drive you nuts.

 

[GWestphal]

What is the deal with PyPy, Cython, Jython etc? They are just language branches? I ask because it seems PyPy seems to get benched as being much faster than Python which I really don't understand because isn't Python compiled and PyPy is a just in time compile like matlab. Is PyPy completely interchangeable with normal Python 3.2.3?

 

[Cogman]

What is the deal with PyPy, Cython, Jython etc? They are just language branches? I ask because it seems PyPy seems to get benched as being much faster than Python which I really don't understand because isn't Python compiled and PyPy is a just in time compile like matlab. Is PyPy completely interchangeable with normal Python 3.2.3?

They are all implementations of Python, just done in a different way.

First thing you got to know. Python went through a significant syntax change in the 3.x stage. Some of these implementations support it, others don't and target the 2.x version of python.

Pypy is an implementation of python which uses a JIT and an interpreter to try and achieve max speed. It only supports the 2.7 python syntax.

Cython isn't python. It is sort of a hybrid language that designed to compile down to C code. (though, I believe it has full support for python syntax.. It just adds to the language).

CPython is the native python implementation

Jython is an implementation of python that tries to use the Java VM to achieve better speed and memory management and allow the usage of Java libraries and functions. It targets the 2.5 implementation of python.

IronPython is the same thing as Jython except for the fact that it use the .Net VM instead.