Here's Why & Which PHP Framework is Right for you

PHP is the most prominent language for backend web development, mainly preferred for server-side management due to its advanced frameworks that are web-oriented. PHP makes developers more productive while building web applications by equipping them with a base that can be customized to match client requirements. Its easy integrative nature with frameworks such as Laravel, CodeIgniter, and Symfony among others make web development efficient, scalable while nailing down a secure and safe environment for development.

What is a PHP Framework?

Programming languages are limited to specific features that enable distinct actions to meet unique necessities. Companies that provide PHP web development services prefer working with frameworks that empower their developers with time-saving methods by using code provided by someone else, and thus rather than producing the entire code manually, developers utilise resources provided by frameworks. PHP web development services use frameworks that are pre-written collections of PHP code that developers can implement in projects seamlessly while enhancing certain aspects as they deem fit. Since there are many PHP libraries that one can use, here we look at some of the most extensively used frameworks in PHP software development.

Laravel

Although a recent entrant (introduced in 2011), Laravel has quickly become the most popular of the frameworks employed by PHP web development services as it suits both small & large projects. It pursues the MVC (Model View Controller) architecture, which allows developers to separate HTML from CSS, to ensure that the code does not get cluttered and difficult to follow.

Some of the advantages of the Laravel framework are:

Offers lightweight customizable web templates
Helps build secure websites, by impeding SQL injection, thus preventing the loss of confidential information
Artisanensures developers avoid repetitive tasks & handle migrations
Developers can revert to older project versions & can secure websites with single line authentication

CodeIgniter

With a smaller code volume than other frameworks, CodeIgniter stands out with its capabilities that warrant better web application performance.

With fewer features, CodeIgniter is generally preferred by developers who have just started on their journey of providing PHP development services, but it still has many advantages such as:

Helps build high-performance web applications with its nimble framework and concise libraries
Developers need not use a template engine (a way of embedding backend code into HTML) and do not need additional parsers
The web app runs faster as there is no need to convert the PHP code
Ensures shorter URLs that are SEO-friendly
Cross-site scripting filtering to avert CSRF attacks

Symfony

Usually preferred by developers who have extensive experience in providing PHP web development services, this framework provides pre-written code for larger projects along with other advantages that are listed below:

Developers can localize websites & translate interfaces, which is helpful for multi-lingual websites
SEO-friendly routing system
Supports bundles with reusable code
One of the fastest frameworks – applications on PHP 7 run 50% faster

Zend

Another open-source framework that has been renamed as Laminas in 2021, It provides a basic structure for web apps, although the learning curve is a bit steep when compared to Laravel. Some of its advantages are:

It follows object-oriented concepts like inheritance and interfacing
It enables reusable code for faster development
Has multiple components that incorporate specific features to web apps

FuelPHP

An open-source framework that follows the HMVC model with a key difference in that the controller must choose the model before the view. Its advantages are:

Enables supplementary authorization to avoid direct data access
Displays same content on multiple pages, ensuring lower memory usage & supports widgets in content structures, an essential aspect of custom PHP development services
Modularity helps developers divide projects into smaller parts

Slim

As the name suggests, Slim is one of the most lightweight frameworks used in PHP development services, and uniquely does not follow the MVC model. It is a micro framework that contains bare essentials to create a web app.