Following on from the earlier presentation (Web Servers: Architecture and Security) this session will examine the next component in the chain between browser and database: the development environment.

While there are only a few 'big name' web servers available to choose from the choice of development environment is rather more complicated. Established technologies include ASP, ASP.NET, CSP, JavaScript, JSP/Java, Perl, PHP, Python, Ruby, WebLink to name but a few. And then layered on top of these environments come the (optional) development frameworks – PHP has at least 18 and Python at least 4. Some are more ubiquitous than others and some may appear to be the obvious choice for certain operating systems or web servers. Will the 'common choice' be right for your application?

We will explore the development and design philosophy underpinning the environments listed above, their relative merits, and help you decide which will be best for your requirements. We will also look at development options where a particular environment is already established within an organization and/or its use is mandated by a third-party service provider.