The 2 things that create the most beef about PHP are simply: 1. Type Safety (string? int? boolean?) 2. The Runtime Engine (apache? nginx? linux? windows?

The 2 things that create the most beef about PHP are simply: 1. Type Safety (string? int? boolean?) 2. The Runtime Engine (apache? nginx? linux? windows? what file system?) The flexible nature of these two concepts, leaves any given PHP script resting on shifting sands of uncertainty, which is really the only thing that leaves people feeling inadequate. The willingness to compromise, and accept a runtime where it's hard to debug, permits programmers to put themselves in situations where they'll have a hard time providing a conclusive answer in succinct terms, to non-technical folks disinterested in obscure details beyond the scope of one's external field or daily interests. It's not because of impostor syndrome, or any sort of psychological underdog complex. It's simply the awareness that there are gaps in what's often expected to be a hermetic seal. And knowing about that, would gnaw at the edges of just about anybody's confidence at a subliminal level.