first principles vs basics

first principles and basics both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
first principles	Yes	No	No	No
basics	Yes	No	No	No

As nouns, basics is a hypernym of first principles; that is, basics is a word with a broader meaning than first principles:

Other hypernyms of first principles include basic principle, bedrock, fundamental principle, fundamentals.

first principles (noun)	basics (noun)
the elementary stages of any subject (usually plural)	principles from which other truths can be derived
	a statement of fundamental facts or principles