Scripting Languages: PHP, Perl, Python, Ruby

a side-by-side reference sheet

1. arithmetic and logic
2. strings 
3. dates and time 
4. arrays 
5. dictionaries 
6. functions 
7. execution control 
8. environment and i/o 
9. libraries and modules 
10. objects 
11. reflection 
12. web 
13. java interop 
14. history

 http://hyperpolyglot.org/scripting

"FAQ"-ing PHP vs Hi-Level languages

php > $a = array('a','b','c');
php > unset($a[1]);
php > var_dump($a);
array(2) {
[0]=>
string(1) "a"
[2]=>
string(1) "c"
}

Python 2.6.2 (release26-maint, Apr 19 2009, 01:56:41)
[GCC 4.3.3] on linux2
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> a = ['a', 'b', 'c']
>>> a
['a', 'b', 'c']
>>> a.pop(1)
'b'
>>> a
['a', 'c']
>>> a[2]
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "", line 1, in
IndexError: list index out of range
>>> a[1]
'c'
>>> a[0]
'a'
>>>

Gestalt

Gestalt is a library released by MIX Online Labs that allows you to write Ruby, Python & XAML code in your (X)HTML pages. It enables you to build richer and more powerful web applications by marrying the benefits of expressive languages, modern compilers, AJAX & RIAs with the write » save » refresh development model of the web.

Gestalt lets you write Ruby & Python within script tags (or linked scripts) right in your (X)HTML pages allowing you to do everything and more you've been used to doing in the page with JavaScript.

http://visitmix.com/labs/gestalt/