PHP is probably the most broadly used programming language on the internet, powering standard web sites reminiscent of Fb and Wikipedia. It’s straightforward to be taught and allows you to construct internet purposes rapidly.
Numerous builders world wide use PHP and third-party software frameworks constructed on high of it. PHP frameworks let you be extra productive and construct strong purposes on a secure and well-tested basis.
Frameworks can even mitigate some weaknesses of the PHP language, which makes them a protected guess even for demanding purposes.
Software program improvement is turning into more and more complicated and requires using modules, design patterns, and instruments to create dependable purposes in an affordable timeframe. That’s the place frameworks could make an enormous distinction.
On this article, we’ll undergo the perfect PHP frameworks, and take a look at their core strengths and weaknesses. By the tip of studying, you’ll have a very good understanding of which PHP frameworks can cowl your particular internet improvement wants.
Laravel is the preferred PHP framework. Initially launched in 2011 by Taylor Otwell, it has since grown to be a mature framework with a whole lot of contributors and hundreds of thousands of installations.
It’s based mostly on an MVC structure and makes use of its personal templating language referred to as Blade, which makes it straightforward to create HTML layouts. As for accessing databases, Laravel makes use of Eloquent ORM which is straightforward to grasp and use.
Eloquent ORM is an object-relational mapper that means that you can outline fashions and relationships in PHP which is then translated and executed as SQL. This retains your code clear and easy, whereas helps you to simply change to a unique database system when you select to.
What makes Laravel stand out is the big number of options, packages, and purposes that make improvement quicker and simpler.
Queues, for instance, let you run sure heavy duties asynchronously, with out straining your software and delaying loading time in your customers. Different options, reminiscent of caching, broadcasting occasions for real-time internet experiences, and authenticating customers, are all supported out of the field.
In accordance with a survey by Jetbrains, Laravel is utilized by 50% of PHP builders. You need to use it to construct any sort of undertaking, together with SaaS, eCommerce, and other forms of purposes. Small firms select it as a result of it’s straightforward to be taught, whereas massive enterprises depend on it due to its highly effective options.
Execs
- It’s an ideal start line for inexperienced persons, due to its nice documentation and huge group.
- The syntax is simple and it may be so intuitive that your code works like “magic”. This makes Laravel straightforward to be taught and perceive with no prior expertise.
- You may simply deploy to AWS or different cloud suppliers due to Laravel Forge and Laravel Envoyer.
- You may set up a big number of packages and purposes so as to add new options (reminiscent of built-in subscription billing with Laravel Cashier).
- It accommodates nearly each characteristic that superior purposes could require, together with being extremely strong and safe.
Cons
- Many builders discover Laravel extremely opinionated as a result of the syntax and undertaking construction is enforced.
- It’s a considerably heavy framework due to its many options, making it slower than different options.
- When databases and queries turn into complicated, Eloquent ORM could require uncooked SQL statements to perform effectively.
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Symfony is a mature framework that revolutionized PHP improvement. Aside from being a framework, it gives a set of reusable parts that can be utilized straight in any PHP undertaking. These parts are used in numerous open-source instruments, together with Laravel. Symfony is maintained and supported by SensioLabs, has 100s of contributors, and has a vibrant group of builders.
It’s based mostly on the MVC sample and gives object-relational mapping utilizing Doctrine ORM. In relation to creating views, it makes use of the Twig template engine that can assist you render HTML.
Symfony rightfully belongs to the record of the perfect PHP frameworks due to its number of options, massive group, and robustness.
It’s preferrred for extra complicated internet initiatives the place predictability, help, and optimization are required. Symfony has a number of drivers for enterprise databases, making it an ideal selection for enterprise initiatives as effectively.
Execs
- Symfony is a mature framework that you would be able to belief to offer long-term help (see the discharge calendar for LTS variations).
- It’s extremely customizable and accommodates 50 standalone parts that can be utilized in any undertaking.
- Superior practical and unit testing is feasible due to its built-in testing capabilities.
- Sustaining your undertaking is simpler as a result of Symfony has a well-designed codebase.
- Symfony has nice documentation and a big developer group that you would be able to depend on for solutions.
Cons
- Symfony has a steeper studying curve, and mastering it requires understanding a lot of its parts.
- It’s considerably missing with regards to dependency injection, because it doesn’t work in an intuitive manner.
- Symfony’s ORM, Doctrine, is significantly harder to be taught and work with than different ORMs.
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Phalcon is an fascinating framework as a result of it’s not written in PHP however delivered as a PHP extension written in C. Does that imply that you’ll have to write C your self? No, after all not. However because it’s not written in PHP and is straight compiled from C, it’s extremely quick! Phalcon can deal with extra requests per second than another framework by a large margin.
Together with its blazing-fast efficiency, Phalcon gives many options reminiscent of an ORM, caching, templating, and safety.
Phalcon is really useful when excessive efficiency is essential, so it’s utilized by many massive firms.
Notice: To not be confused with Falcon in Python.
Execs
- Phalcon gives nice efficiency because it’s written in C and is pre-compiled.
- It provides very low overhead to your software.
- It accommodates its personal SQL dialect referred to as PHQL, which helps you write relational database queries that can be utilized in a number of database programs.
Cons
- Phalcon has a barely extra complicated syntax in comparison with different PHP frameworks in this assortment.
- It’s significantly tougher to put in and deploy as a result of it have to be put in as a PHP extension.
- It solely helps three database adapters: MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQLite.
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CodeIgniter is an MVC framework based mostly on PHP that helps builders quickly create new initiatives. One wonderful thing about it’s that it’s not a restrictive framework and can be utilized like a toolkit that hurries up improvement.
Most PHP frameworks require you to comply with the MVC strategy, and although CodeIgniter additionally encourages using the MVC sample, it doesn’t implement it. It gives caching, help for a number of databases, routing, and different options which are prevalent in fashionable internet purposes. These options are neatly packaged and can be utilized in a versatile manner.
Codeigniter is utilized by small and huge organizations for constructing APIs and light-weight internet purposes.
Execs
- CodeIgniter has a small total footprint as a result of it has fewer built-in options.
- It has nice efficiency out of the field, quick loading instances, and requires much less optimization.
- In PHP most frameworks, the MVC sample is enforced, however in CodeIgniter, you may select any design sample you favor.
Cons
- CodeIgniter permits for lots of flexibility, however that is additionally a double-edged sword as a result of code maintainability may be tough to attain.
- It usually has fewer libraries and packages for constructing new options if you evaluate it to extra standard frameworks.
- CodeIgniter doesn’t supply a secure launch calendar, which means that even safety points can take time to be addressed.
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Yii is an open-source framework for constructing purposes on high of PHP. It’s based mostly on OOP and MVC patterns and provides much less overhead by focusing totally on core performance.
Since Yii is rather a lot quicker than different frameworks, it’s really useful for constructing performant internet purposes. It may be used to construct something from blogs to SaaS purposes all the best way to social media web sites. For an inventory of initiatives made with Yii, try the YiiPowered web site.
Execs
- Yii gives automated CRUD era with the assistance of its visible instrument Gii.
- It’s a full-stack framework and helps many front-end operations utilizing AJAX, reminiscent of validating inputs.
- It gives nice efficiency and quick loading instances due to its small weight.
Cons
- The ORM used in Yii has weak help for complicated relationships and queries. This may increasingly drive you to write down uncooked SQL whereas dropping among the advantages of utilizing an ORM.
- Many options, reminiscent of queues and broadcasting, will not be supported by default and require further configuration and installations.
- Yii is tougher to be taught, particularly for much less skilled builders.
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CakePHP helps you to create PHP purposes rapidly, with much less configuration. It gives built-in options that aid you code your software’s enterprise logic. It additionally comes with a versatile database entry layer and highly effective options that let you construct each easy and sophisticated software program programs.
It was among the many first MVC frameworks to come back into the PHP improvement ecosystem in the early 2000s, and it has since grown right into a mature framework with tons of options.
The best way CakePHP is designed makes it stand out as a result of it gives a convention-based setup. By establishing a database with particular naming conventions, CakePHP can mechanically work with none configuration.
It’s utilized by small and huge firms alike — you may see some real-world CakePHP initiatives in their official showcase.
Execs
- CakePHP’s convention-based setup makes it straightforward to construct new purposes rapidly, when you grasp the framework.
- It has many built-in options, reminiscent of authentication, validation, localization, and extra.
- CakePHP accommodates all fashionable safety features, and its codebase has been audited by the Mozilla Safe Open Supply program.
Cons
- The CakePHP group is considerably small, so it may be laborious to seek out options to your particular points.
- CakePHP doesn’t help default routes for fancy URLs, which is discovered in most different frameworks.
- Many builders expertise points upgrading from older to newer variations, or vice-versa.
- The truth that it’s convention-based means that you’ve got much less freedom.
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Slim is a PHP micro-framework. It has fewer options than a typical framework however helps you create easy but highly effective internet apps and APIs.
It consists of options reminiscent of routing, middleware, and superior request dealing with that can assist you construct purposes rapidly. Options which are generally discovered in most frameworks reminiscent of database entry instruments will not be included in Slim however may be simply put in as outdoors dependencies utilizing the Composer dependency supervisor.
Slim is appropriate for constructing microservices, restful APIs for single-page purposes (SPAs), and scalable programs.
Execs
- You may develop quick and light-weight APIs with just a few strains of code.
- It has a quick loading time and may deal with many requests per second.
- It’s a contemporary framework that follows up-to-date software program improvement practices.
- It’s not restrictive and gives a whole lot of freedom whereas supporting many key functionalities reminiscent of dependency injection, middleware, and routing.
Cons
- Slim has no ORM by default, however you need to use the ORM of your selection by putting in it independently.
- Regardless that it’s quick, it will possibly deal with considerably fewer requests per second than Lumen (see subsequent).
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Lumen is a PHP micro-framework developed by the creator of Laravel and maintained by its group. It’s similar to Laravel, so you probably have prior expertise with Laravel, you’ll really feel proper at dwelling. Slim can be light-weight and performant, making it preferrred for contemporary purposes.
It may be used for constructing APIs to help single-page purposes, microservices, and different back-end providers the place low latency and excessive efficiency are essential.
Execs
- Lumen is straightforward to be taught, particularly you probably have Laravel expertise.
- It’s a lot lighter than Laravel and requires minimal configuration to get began.
- Much like Slim, it’s a contemporary framework that’s extremely appropriate for contemporary internet improvement.
- If a Lumen undertaking grows too complicated and requires Laravel options, it will possibly simply be transformed to a Laravel undertaking.
Cons
- Sadly, Lumen doesn’t have the perfect documentation. Many instances, you’ll have to look into the unique Laravel documentation the place Lumen borrows many issues from.
- Coming from a Laravel background, you could be lacking some key options which must be put in manually when you want them.
- It’s not as actively supported and maintained as Laravel.
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Honorable Point out 1: WordPress
The weblog you’re at the moment studying is predicated on WordPress, which powers greater than 30% of all web sites. WordPress will not be a framework, you may say, however a content material administration system (CMS). And that is, in reality, true.
Nonetheless, because it’s modular and may be prolonged, it has many traits of frameworks. It comes with a particular request lifecycle, hooks, naming conventions, and database entry instruments that aid you construct new options.
Regardless that it’s not a framework in a strict sense, it’s much like a framework with regards to extending the unique content material administration system and making it extra highly effective with customized options.
Honorable Point out 2: Drupal
Drupal is one other standard CMS, not as standard as WordPress, however nonetheless utilized by hundreds of thousands of internet sites. It makes use of Symfony parts to energy a big chunk of its workflow.
It options in depth documentation on how one can construct new themes and modules (modules are the equal of WordPress plugins). And equally to WordPress, it comes with many courses and conventions that make creating new options simpler. In comparison with utilizing no framework, creating new issues as Drupal modules may be significantly quicker in phrases of improvement time.
So although it’s not completely a framework, one might say that it’s a CMS mixed with a framework that helps you add new options on high of the CMS.
Methods to Select the Best PHP Framework for Your Mission?
By now, I hope that you’re effectively conscious of the strengths and key variations between all main PHP frameworks. It goes with out saying that selecting a framework will not be a simple selection and would require dedication and analysis.
As such, it is sensible to investigate your undertaking necessities effectively earlier than selecting a framework. All PHP frameworks are much like some extent, however they differ with regards to efficiency, safety, superior options, and the extent of group help.
And, you may come again to this record at any time to find the appropriate framework in your wants.
Do you might have any questions on the perfect PHP frameworks? Tell us in the feedback part beneath!
