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PHP Framework: What Are They & Why Are They Important?

PHP frameworks are similar to onions in that they can cause you to cry. They are similar to onions since they are layered, that’s what I was referring to.

As a joke, PHP frameworks do have layers. If you’re not familiar with all about them, the topic could cause tears. In this article we’ll discuss the specifics of PHP frameworks and techniques and clear some of the confusion surrounding the subject.

We will also go over the reasons they can be beneficial to your team’s workflow , and the reasons to incorporate them in your team’s projects. We will also talk about their pros and cons as well as several of the well-known PHP frameworks available in the market.

What is an PHP framework?

The PHP framework is based upon PHP, an open-source programming language PHP and comes with built-in features to help you improve the development process of your software. These features can speed up development and enhance the performance of your team by reducing the load for your programmers.

PHP has been in use for quite a while which is why it’s extremely reliable. From computer programming to web and software development, PHP is a cornerstone within the development community. It is used by developers to create games, desktop applications, automated services, command-line scripting and many more.

With the many possibilities of its applications and applications, PHP has a reasonable learning curve. Enter PHP frameworks. Frameworks help ease the learning curve by offering the pre-built software, rules and platforms to create your application.

Why should you use an PHP framework?

PHP frameworks can provide a myriad of benefits that enhance the development process. The improvements range from security to efficiency within your business. Each framework is different in its focus Some may concentrate on development workflows, while others might focus on scalability.

One benefit that all these frameworks have is great security, which is essential to the process of developing software. Making sure security is maintained from the beginning of your development process is similar to an DevSecOps strategy that results in better performance.

Cons of Using the PHP Framework (Cons?)

There are some disadvantages when making use of the PHP framework to develop your software development teams. First, there is the increased programming restrictionIn reality it is possible to do more using PHP when you don’t utilize an application framework. However, the downside is the increased complexity in programming and requires more manual programming to achieve your objectives.

Another issue is that with every framework comes a process of learning in understanding how to work and utilize that particular framework. The learning curve isn’t at all as difficult as learning a completely new programming language, however it’s still something to consider.

11 PHP Frameworks to Choose from

Let’s talk about some of the top PHP frameworks as well as their general complexity, taking into account aspects such as beginning with the language, learning syntax, as well as the complexity. (Easy, Moderate, Difficult)

1. Fat-Free Framework

The underlying philosophy of this framework as well as its method of constructing software is to focus on minimalism in structural elements, avoiding complex applications and balancing design elegance, performance and programmers’ productivity.

Fat-Free Framework, or “F3,” is a ideal place to begin learning to integrate an PHP framework to your team’s workflow. F3 is a microframework that seeks to find a equilibrium between simple, useful and speedy. The framework supports the use of different database languages to offer versatility and variety.

  • Difficulty Simple
  • Highlight Easy and quick
  • Drawback This will require additional module setup

2. Slim

Slim is an PHP micro-framework which helps create simple but powerful APIs and web applications. Slim is a micro-framework that allows taking and returning HTTP calls, stripped to its essential functions to enable simple usage.

Slim is a blazingly efficient framework due to the absence of dependencies from third parties and is ideal for small-scale apps and APIs. It is simple to install and use and has your “hello World” ready in just a few minutes and is considered to be one of the top PHP frameworks on the market.

  • Difficulty Easy
  • Highlight It is very simple to master, excellent assistance is available
  • Drawback Ideal for applications with a smaller size

3. PHPixie

PHPixie was initially an micro framework, but it has grown to become one of the more sought-after full-stack PHP frameworks, while maintaining its performance. The PHPixie framework was initially designed for applications that read-only sites and websites. PHPixie utilizes an HMVC design pattern. HMVC design pattern which is why it’s efficient and reliable.

It is a disadvantage that this framework is still relatively new and includes fewer modules as well as less support from the community. It’s simple to start and is easy to use PHPixie. However when you encounter issues, you could end up in a bind with limited assistance.

  • Difficulty Easy
  • Highlight Easy to set up
  • Drawback Support is less and not as robust as other choices on this list.

4. CodeIgniter

CodeIgniter is a robust PHP framework with a tiny footprint. It was designed for developers who require an easy and sophisticated toolkit for creating full-featured web applications. This framework was designed to provide quick startup times and has minimal resource overhead. This smaller footprint lets you enjoy incredible speedy setup and faster time-to-run speeds for your projects.

This is the most extensive frameworks listed on this list. It only provides the basic features however it is extremely flexible, which allows you to accomplish almost everything you’ll need. It also provides security features and advocates the MVC structure, but is not limited by it.

  • Difficulty Easy
  • Highlight: Ideal for beginners, good documentation available
  • Drawback is not a great option for security

5. Laravel

Laravel is a web-based application framework that has expressive, elegant syntax. Laravel is among the most popular open-source frameworks that is B2B compatible. It was developed to offer an open source framework that offers features that CodeIgniter does not, like user authentication.

Laravel comes with security features that defend against SQL injection as well as Cross-Site Forgery Requests (CSFR) as well as workflow tools like asset compilers and the command-line interface (CLI). This framework is designed to improve efficiency of workflows, making it a beneficial instrument for teams, however the extra features can make it difficult to master.

  • Difficulty Moderate
  • Highlight It is ideal for all needs from small to big applications
  • Drawback A little more complicated to implement, ideal for large-scale projects.

6. Laminas

Laminas also called “Zend Framework” is a set of professional PHP applications with over 570 million installed. The framework has been in use for quite a long period of time, and is supported by a huge group of developers and users who support the framework.

Due to its extended life, Laminas has a robust number of features which have been added and added to the framework, which increases its learning curve. However the framework has been around for so long it’s constantly improved with efficiency and optimization adjustments.

  • Difficulty Moderate
  • Highlight is versatile, durable and has a large community base
  • Drawback The the learning curve of mobile app developers

7. Cake PHP

CakePHP is developed to make the most common web-development tasks simple and straightforward. CakePHP 4 is a web development framework that runs on PHP 8.1. CakePHP is designed to be simple and comes with a vast and increasing variety of functions.

Installation is straightforward and needs a functioning web server and copy of the framework installed in order to begin. Due to its versatility it is able to satisfy the requirements of virtually every project, including but not only security, authentication for users rapid development, and much more.

  • Difficulty Moderate
  • Highlight Features: Simple to use, accessible for beginners with robust features
  • Drawback is that it can be a bit difficult in its navigation due to its numerous options.

8. Yii

Yii is a highly-performance, component-based PHP framework to rapidly develop modern web-based applications. Yii is a name that Yii (pronounced Yee or [ji (pronounced yee or [ji]) refers to “simple and evolving” to Chinese. It is also considered as an acronym that stands for “Yes It’s There!”

Yii is component-based, and specifically designed to work with all kinds of web applications which includes CMS as well as e-commerce and even single-page applications (SPAs). Yii provides excellent assistance and is extremely flexible and adaptable, making it the ideal tool for every team. For those who are just beginning there’s a lot to master about this framework.

  • Difficulty Moderate
  • Highlight Highly extensible and incredible support
  • Drawback The steep learning curve

9. Phalcon

Phalcon is an open-source full-stack framework designed for PHP that is written as an extension of C. It’s designed to be highly efficient and the unique architecture of Phalcon lets the framework remain in memory — it is always in memory. This means it can provide its functions whenever they are needed without the cost of file statistics and file reads that other PHP frameworks rely on.

There is no requirement to master or master any C programming language to use Phalcon. It is simple to install and capable of handling every type of project from a basic to enterprise-level. Be aware that Phalcon developers are usually slow to release patches in response to complaints. This could put your project in limbo and force the application of “hacky” solutions.

  • Difficulty Difficult
  • Highlight builds extremely quick applications
  • Drawback Developers usually react to issues and bugs slow

10. FuelPHP

FuelPHP is a straightforward and flexible, community-driven PHP 5 framework for web development. It was born from frustrations with existing frameworks and was created with help from a developer community. FuelPHP is extremely mobile and works with almost every server, and is proud on its clean syntax.

This framework is able of complete web solutions that offer the best security standards and methods that go beyond what the majority of frameworks can offer. The downside is that the framework is fairly new and has a lower number of users and support. This could result in a more difficult learning curve.

  • Difficulty Difficult
  • Highlight Excellent security and excellent for end-to end development
  • Drawback There is less support and a higher learning curve

11. Symfony

Symfony is a collection of PHP components as well as a web-based app framework, an philosophy and an entire community functioning in harmony. Symfony has been in existence for a long time , and is reliable and well-established. Symfony is also a good example of following PHP as well as web standard to an standard, removing the stress about being compliant during the process of development.

Symfony is a framework that is best suited for larger projects that require enterprise-level expertise It is extremely adaptable and capable of integration with bigger projects like Drupal. Symfony and Laravel share a number of similarities, but the most important thing is that Symfony was designed by experienced developers.

  • Difficulty Difficult
  • Highlight It offers outstanding flexibility and control, and is enterprise-ready
  • Drawback A steep learning curve, slow than other frameworks.

The Best PHP Framework to Choose from Best PHP Framework

Selecting the most appropriate framework for your team might be a bit stress-inducing, but being educated will make a difference. Let’s close by going through some suggestions for choosing the most appropriate framework to meet your requirements.

Popularity and Community

Utilizing a framework that is part of many users usually means that you’ll be less tense when trying to find answers to your frequently asked questions. This also means you’ll be more likely to discover solutions to more obscure questions.

Culture

The search for a framework that is compatible with the ideals and values of your business is often a neglected concept. The importance of aligning the culture of your organization is not to be undervalued If a framework you’ve chosen is not in line with your organization’s vision and values, consider looking for a different one.

Sustainability

Sustainability is crucial because it will determine the likelihood that the framework you’re using will remain in place when you need it. Nothing is more difficult than re-building a project since the framework has been discontinued and therefore includes outdated information or technology.

Sustainability is crucial to the capacity of your project. When your project expands does the framework you’re employing continue to support it?

Support for Software and Technology

Utilizing a framework that provides more flexibility is great but you should be aware of the support provided by it. Make sure the framework you select provides good software and tech assistance to ensure that your development process isn’t slowed down by obstacles that you are unable to overcome.