What are the benefits of Phava and why do we use it for bunq? 🌈💻

Is it Java? Is it PHP? No. It’s Phava!

Who doesn’t like properly thought out OO-code? Over time this has been unified with Java, quite possibly because many Computer Science studies use it as the main language to teach students (smart move, Oracle). Therefore Java has often become a synonym for good code.

Enter PHP. That language has had quite a different history. Years ago it started as a simple, easy to use language to write bits of code for websites. Its success became its pitfall; it was so easy to use PHP that many non-coders just fooled around with code until they got it to work.

In the early days

In the early days of bunq we experimented a lot with different languages. Java was one, PHP another. We even made some exotic trips to Scala (thank goodness we decided not to pursue that language, but that’s a story by itself). In the end we made up our minds. Founded by a computer scientist and true geek (Ali) it came down to 3 simple principles:

a) Properly good coded OO (like Java)

b) Zero time wasted with compiling and fighting JVM (like PHP)

c) A style that is so readable that even non-coders can read it.

Andre de Roos, Lead IT.

Our own little homemade language

The combination of the above we call Phava. We’ve designed and built our own ORM, which uses of the strengths of PHP. Want a new RESTful endpoint? Just define it in a json and a generator will take care of all the brainless type work for you. Want to store something in a database? Just define it in a json and a generator will take care of all the brainless typie typie for you. You get the drift.

In the end our Phava engine was so successful we said goodbye to Java altogether. It was just so much more readable and powerful to stick to our own ‘little homemade language’ on top of PHP.

Sometimes we get coders who are surprised that we built the most advanced bank in the world on “some PHP code”. Many times we get coders who are mesmerized by the beauty of it, and the speed at which it allows future developments.

The choice is up to you. Blue pill or red pill? Or all of the colors of the Rainbow? That’s Phava.

Ali Niknam & Andre de Roos
CEO of bunq / Lead IT

…

Interested in joining us at bunq HQ? Check out our Jobs page here!