Are scripts faster on a Linux server than on a powerful Windows server?
In fact, a small, seemingly "slow" Ubuntu server can be significantly faster at running PHP or Perl scripts than a powerful Windows server. There are several technical reasons for this:
❓ Why does PHP or Perl run faster on a weak Ubuntu server than on a strong Windows server?
1.) Ubuntu Server vs. Windows Server Reasons!
- Lean system : Ubuntu Server mostly runs without a graphical interface, without unnecessary background services, and with minimal resource consumption. This leaves more power for what matters most: your web application.
- Optimized interpreters : PHP and Perl were originally developed for Unix/Linux systems. On Linux, they run particularly efficiently in their "natural environment" - especially with web servers like Apache or nginx in combination with PHP-FPM or FastCGI.
- Faster process handling : On Linux, process starts via `fork()` or `system()` are extremely fast. Windows requires significantly more time and system resources for each process start.
- More efficient file system : Linux file systems like ext4 generally offer better performance with many small files - as is common in web applications. Windows (NTFS) is more robust, but involves more overhead.
- No virus scanner : While Windows scans almost every file and process operation with a virus scanner, Linux servers generally operate completely without this additional overhead—which significantly speeds up script execution.
Conclusion:
For classic web applications with PHP or Perl, a lightweight Linux server is often the more performant choice—even if the hardware seems weaker. Those who still rely on Windows can achieve a lot with targeted optimizations such as FastCGI, opcache, and appropriate Defender exceptions.
2.) Linux is inherently leaner
An Ubuntu server is inherently optimized for efficiency. Compared to Windows, a typical Ubuntu server runs:
- no graphical interface
- no resource-intensive background services
- no automatic virus scanner or telemetry.
The result: more power for what matters most—your web server and interpreter.
Windows Server, on the other hand, starts many services, performs more extensive file operation checks (e.g., with Windows Defender), and is optimized for many different tasks simultaneously—not just for hosting web applications.
3.) Web server and interpreter: native performance on Linux
PHP and Perl are at home on Linux. They work extremely efficiently, especially in combination with:
- nginx or Apache (with PHP-FPM)
- Perl interpreters with FastCGI or direct forking
– because these tools were developed specifically for Unix-based systems like Ubuntu.
On Windows, interpreters are often launched in CGI mode – slower, more resource-intensive, and with additional administrative overhead.
4.) No brakes from virus scanners
An often underestimated factor: Windows Defender and other virus scanners scan every time a file is accessed and every time a script is executed.
This particularly affects PHP and Perl files, which are reinterpreted every time a page is accessed. On Ubuntu? No virus scanner. No scans. No problem.
5.) Process startup and file system: Linux is simply faster
Perl (and sometimes PHP) often uses `fork()` or `system()` calls – these are available almost immediately under Linux.
Windows, on the other hand, takes significantly longer to start new processes – due to security contexts, DLL management, and permission checks.
The file system also plays a role:
- Linux file systems such as ext4 or XFS are often faster with many small files (such as PHP scripts)
. - Windows (NTFS) is powerful, but often somewhat slower due to file locking, ACLs, and scans.
6.) A concrete comparison
Server-System
phpinfo() Loading time
simple Perl file
Ubuntu 22.04 (1 vCPU, 1 GB RAM)
ca. 40 ms
ca. 25 ms
Windows Server 2022 (4 vCPU, 8 GB RAM)
ca. 130 ms
ca. 95 ms
The Ubuntu server has significantly less power – but runs three times faster when executing scripts .
7.) Conclusion: Less is more (at least with Linux)
While Windows servers excel at many tasks, they're often not the first choice for classic PHP and Perl web applications—especially in terms of sheer speed.
Those seeking maximum performance with minimal resources are better off with a Linux server—especially for PHP/Perl.
8.) Extra tip: How to make PHP faster on Windows?
Of course it's possible! Some optimizations on Windows servers: - Run
PHP via FastCGI or IIS PHP handler
- Enable opcache
- Exclude virus scanners for web directories
- Targeted restriction of logging and indexing
(Image-1) Are scripts faster on a Linux server than on a powerful Windows server?
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