Advantages of Server-Side Scripting

Server-side scripting means that a script that is executed on a website will be processed by the server and then displayed as regular HTML in the user’s browser. The alternative to it, client-side scripting relies on the user’s own browser, often including plugins, to execute the designated scripts. Both are common, but there are some decisive advantages to taking care of scripting on the server side.

When a website relies on the client’s browser or plugins to execute the script, the assumption is that the necessary plugins or features are actually installed and enabled. If the user does not have the necessary requirements or chooses not to use them, those features on the site will be unavailable. Examples of client-side scripting include Java and Adobe Flash.

With server-side scripting, everything happens internally before the user ever sees the site. By the time the user gets to the page, it is already displayed correctly, and it will be the same content for every user. They do not have to download any extra tools or plugins. Examples of server-side scripting include PHP, Perl, and ASP.

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