Comparing Advanced PHP Frameworks- Which One You Should Choose?

PHP is one of the most popular programming languages for web development. Over 79.2% of websites, including popular brands like Facebook, Wikipedia, Zoom, and Xbox.com, are using it.

Over the past few years, websites have become complex. In creating a fully-fledged website, developers now have to write thousands of lines of code which is time-consuming and tedious. So, creating a website from scratch is no longer an option. PHP frameworks seem to be a better alternative.

In layman's terms, PHP frameworks are platforms that let you develop PHP websites and web applications faster by allowing you to use in-built libraries and functions.

These PHP frameworks can:

• Significantly reduce the development time by providing well-organized and reusable code.
• Ensure success by letting your team easily collaborate and stay on the same page.
• Improve your website's quality by helping you follow best coding practices.
• Take a lot of load off your shoulders by letting you efficiently maintain the code.

Despite these compelling benefits, choosing a suitable one can be challenging. Many PHP frameworks are available in the market, and differentiating between them is difficult. Hence, we have compiled a list of popular PHP frameworks along with their pros and cons so that you can easily decide which one you should choose and which you shouldn't. Let's begin:

Five Popular PHP Frameworks & Why Should You Use Them

1. Laravel

Many developers prefer Laravel because of its speed, security, vast ecosystem, and ability to handle complex websites and web applications with ease. The PHP framework also has an excellent support community.

Pros of Laravel

• Open-source code
• Strong encryption packages
• Out-of-the-box functionality
• Compatible with MVC architecture

Besides, Laravel also offers security features like route protection, password storage, user authentication, encryption, etc.

Downsides of Laravel

• Developers may overestimate their knowledge of Laravel because of its automated functions. This results in the lack of skilled Laravel experts.
• Unlike frameworks like Ruby on Rails and Django, limited support is available for Laravel.

2. Symfony

Launched in 2005, Symfony is one of the oldest advanced PHP frameworks. Web developers have trusted it for decades because it follows the standards for the web entirely, has highly active programming community support, and can efficiently handle large-scale enterprise projects. Also, Symfony has reusable libraries and components for authentication, templating, object configuration, and many other tasks.

Pros of Symfony

• Symfony is easy to install and use and works brilliantly with enterprise-level projects.
• The flexible nature of the framework lets you integrate it with libraries from other vendors.
• Symfony follows the best design patterns and web practices.
• The framework supports most of the available databases.

Cons of Symfony

• Developers have to face a learning curve because Symfony is aimed toward advanced developers.
• The framework's security mechanism is a tough nut to crack.
• Symfony is slower than other frameworks.

3. CodeIgniter

CodeIgniter is popular for its hassle-free installation. It is merely 2MB in size and also includes documentation. The framework has many prebuilt modules that let you construct and reuse components.

Here are some other impressive features of the advanced PHP framework:

• Smooth working on shared and hosting platforms.
• Faster speed and solid performance
• Error handling, encryption steps, and high security.

Upsides of CodeIgniter

• CodeIgniter uses and encourages MVC architecture. You can also use other architecture if you want.
• The lightweight nature of CodeIgniter makes it easy to set up.
• The framework has built-in security features to protect your website against XSS and CSRF attacks.
• Multiple caching methods make CodeIgniter one of the fastest PHP frameworks available.
• CodeIgniter is beginner-friendly and has an easier learning curve.

Downsides of CodeIgniter

• The new updates in CodeIgniter are jagged. Avoid it if you're working on a project that demands high-level security and looking for a more regularly updated framework.

4. CakePHP

CakePHP is an advanced PHP framework that listened to the market and adopted the change. In the last 10 years, it has launched promising features like improved modularity and increased ability to create additional standalone libraries. Besides, the advanced PHP framework also offers high-end security features like prevention against SQL injection, cross-site scripting, and cross-site request forgery. Other impressive features of CakePHP are proper class inheritance, fast builds, and validation.

Pros of CakePHP

• CakePHP is easy to install and use.
• The framework has an in-built ORM.
• The in-built security features like password hashing, encryption, and SQL injection attack prevention offers much-needed protection.

Cons of CakePHP

• CakePHP strictly follows conventions. It's not for you if you believe in bending the rules to deliver quality or ship faster.

5. Zend Framework

The Zend PHP framework is built on agile methodology and aims to deliver enterprise-level websites and web applications. The framework is object-oriented and built with speed, security, performance, and extensibility. It also offers high customizability, which is helpful if you want to customize a website/web application according to your business needs.

Other impressive features of Zend are:

• Easy to use drag and drop editor
• Coding and debugging tools
• A scalable interface
• Many components for tasks like authentication, services, forms, etc.

Upsides of Zend

• Zend's reusable structured code suits it for building complex, enterprise-level apps.
• The framework integrates with other templates and third-party libraries. It means you can choose the components you want.
• Zend contains MVC architecture, encryption management, session management, cloud APIs, etc.
• The PHP framework is secure and offers excellent performance.
• Zend has strong community support and extensive documentation.

Downsides of Zend

• Zend has a steep learning curve and is not for you if you're just starting with PHP development.
• The framework has expensive plugins and hence is not for you if you have a tight budget.

Takeaway: Which PHP Framework is Right for You?

All the frameworks listed above offer their pros and cons and vary regarding documentation and community support. Choosing the proper PHP development framework depends on your project requirements and factors like security, scalability, and ease of use.

It's best to understand your requirements before choosing a framework. Only then can you make the right decision. Still, I would be happy to help if you need any guidance.