In this CF Alive Podcast episode, Brian Cain joins host Michaela Light to compare ColdFusion vs PHP vs Java vs .NET—four of the most popular web-development languages. They explore which platform delivers faster development, simpler maintenance, and a friendlier developer experience. If you’re choosing a stack for enterprise or rapid-application development (RAD), this episode will save you some pain and arguments.
Contents
- Speed of Development in ColdFusion vs PHP vs Java vs .NET
- Developer Friendliness and Ease of Use
- Hiring and Training Developers
- Technology Roadmap and Maintenance
- Security, Legacy, and Backward Compatibility
- Object Reuse and Maintainability
- Education and Community Support
- Third-Party Add-ons and Integrations
- Why Developers Still Choose ColdFusion
- WWIT (What Would It Take) to Make CF More Alive This Year?
- What Did You Enjoy at CF Summit?
- Mentioned in This Episode
- About the Guest: Brian Cain
- Interview Transcript (Excerpt)
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Join the CF Alive revolution
Speed of Development in ColdFusion vs PHP vs Java vs .NET
ColdFusion’s greatest strength is time of thought to launch—how quickly an idea becomes a live feature.
- ColdFusion: Around 10 hours for similar features
- .NET: Takes weeks, especially when changes arise
- PHP: Days, flexible but less object-oriented
- Java: Weeks, more structured but slower to adapt
ColdFusion isn’t tied to rigid frameworks or heavy methodologies. It allows faster pivots when business priorities shift.
Developer Friendliness and Ease of Use
| Language | Developer Experience |
|---|---|
| ColdFusion (CFML) | Tag-based syntax for quick starts, cfscript and OO power for scaling up |
| PHP | Flexible open source, less consistency |
| Java / .NET | Verbose, require deep CS background |
ColdFusion developers can onboard in 1–2 weeks, even from other languages.
Hiring and Training Developers
It’s easier to train PHP or Java devs to ColdFusion than the other way around.
- Simple, forgiving syntax
- Low learning curve
- Strong community documentation
ColdFusion’s learning curve is kind to newcomers while remaining powerful for experts.
Technology Roadmap and Maintenance
Each language has a different lifecycle:
- .NET: Controlled by Microsoft; large shifts per version
- Java: Licensing and framework volatility under Oracle
- PHP: Rapid evolution through open-source releases
- ColdFusion: Backed by Adobe with a stable roadmap and strong backward compatibility
Clean CFML code saves time later with built-in tools like cfqueryparam and reusable components.
Security, Legacy, and Backward Compatibility
ColdFusion’s backward compatibility may look old-fashioned, but it keeps legacy apps stable without rewrites.
Further reading: Which Web Programming Language Is the Most Secure?
Object Reuse and Maintainability
| Feature | ColdFusion | PHP | Java | .NET |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Object Reuse | ✅ Yes | ❌ Limited | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| PDF Generation | ✅ Built-in | Add-on | Add-on | Add-on |
Education and Community Support
Adobe actively supports ColdFusion education through:
- Free ColdFusion Curriculum
- CF Licenses for Learning
- Learn CF in a Week course
- Events like CF Summit
Developers who think ahead about maintainability become the backbone of any serious tech stack.
Third-Party Add-ons and Integrations
ColdFusion includes built-in support for:
- PDF generation
- REST APIs
- Scheduler and task automation
- Secure sessions
Less dependency chaos. More productivity.
Why Developers Still Choose ColdFusion
ColdFusion continues to thrive in 2025 because it:
- Delivers faster project turnaround
- Reduces total cost of ownership
- Simplifies hiring and onboarding
- Integrates easily with Java libraries
- Offers robust cloud and security support
It’s not just about speed—it’s about developer happiness.
WWIT (What Would It Take) to Make CF More Alive This Year?
Publicity matters. Even NASA uses ColdFusion—the same tech that helped humanity reach Mars. The community just needs to talk louder about its wins.
What Did You Enjoy at CF Summit?
Networking, new tech insights, and rediscovering the strong ColdFusion ecosystem.
Mentioned in This Episode
- Learn CF in a Week
- Free Adobe ColdFusion Curriculum and Licenses for Learning
- Contact: Kishore Balakrishnan ([email protected])
- Modernization of Adobe ColdFusion – More Secure Than Ever
Listen to the audio below:
About the Guest: Brian Cain
Brian Cain has 20 years of development experience, with 16 focused on ColdFusion. He’s the Development Team Manager for the Careers Division at Farms.com, managing enterprise CF applications at scale.
Connect with Brian on LinkedIn.
Interview Transcript (Excerpt)
Michaela Light:
Welcome back to the show! I'm here with Brian Cain, and we’re talking about ColdFusion vs PHP vs Java vs .NET—a four-way developer showdown. Topics include speed of development, object orientation, add-ons, and that dreaded L-word: legacy.
Brian Cain:
ColdFusion has always been the fastest and easiest. One keynote speaker described it as “time of thought to launch”—how quickly an idea turns into a live feature. One project went from idea to release in just 10–12 hours. Compare that to a .NET MVC project that took weeks and still needed restarts. ColdFusion just worked.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ColdFusion faster than PHP or .NET?
Yes. ColdFusion allows shorter “time of thought to launch” cycles compared to PHP or .NET.
Is ColdFusion still relevant in 2025?
Absolutely. It’s widely used in government, finance, and enterprise systems, supported by Adobe’s active roadmap.
Which language is most developer-friendly?
ColdFusion and PHP are easier for newcomers. Java and .NET demand more specialized knowledge.
Listen on Your Favorite Platform:
Find this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or the CF Alive Podcast Archive.
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