Developing an app or an internet site from scratch involves tons of labor . In many cases, you’ll have to recreate functions that have already been made hundred of times, which is about as adequate as reinventing the wheel. Software frameworks can assist you circumvent this problem, by providing you with a foundation you'll repose on .
In this article, we’re getting to assist you find the simplest PHP framework for your development work, by introducing you to eight of the highest options. We’ll mention each framework’s pros and cons, its technical specifications, and more. Let’s get to it!
An Introduction to PHP Frameworks
In the world of software development, the term ‘frameworks’ refers to libraries of files that include various fundamental functions. The goal of a framework is to supply you with a foundation you'll use to develop projects more efficiently. To do that, it will include a lot of the functions you’d need to code from the field up if you wanted to start from scratch.
Imagine that you’re trying to cook a replacement dish, for instance . You’d buy tons of ingredients you’d got to prepare in specific ways. However, you’d also need an avenue to some basics, such as pots, pans, knives, and a cutting board. In this example, all of these kitchen essentials would be a part of a basic framework.
Frameworks function the similar way, keeping you from having to steadily reinvent the wheel. If you would like to develop a replacement PHP application, an excellent place to start out is by trying to find a framework that has all the functionality you’ll have to use. Fortunately, there are tons of options to settle on from. They’re all unique in how they approach development, and that they all accompany their own pros and cons.
Throughout the remainder of this text , we’re getting to assist you choose the simplest PHP framework for your needs by introducing several top solutions. We’ll mention the functionality all offers, their technical specifications, and more.
Why To Use PHP Framework?
Less code and faster development
Great Community support
Performance Tools
Suitable for teamwork
MVC pattern
Utilities and libraries
proper code and file organization
Form validation
Database abstraction
Email, Calender and pagination
After broad analysis and meeting with the industry experts, the top php framework are mentioned below. Let's see one by one!
1) Laravel
After view of Google Trend graph, we can now get the answer which is the best framework in 2018. Here are some points that define laravel: ‘Why Laravel is the best?‘.
Authentication: Laravel makes authentication very simple because all over well authentication option.
Query Builder: The database query builder provides a convenient, fluent interface to creating and running database queries.
HTTP Middleware: HTTP middleware provide a convenient mechanism for filtering HTTP requests entering your application.
Artisan Console: Its name of the command line interface in laravel, helpful to command when creating an application.
Basic Features
Laravel features including RESTful routing, native PHP or light weight tempting engine and many more features.
Inherent Database Version control
Built-in unit testing and simply readable impressive syntax
Larger Community catering to thousands of programming geeks and application developers
Required Skills for LARAVEl – PHP and OOP knowledge Latest Stable Version – 4.1
After all the features and practical uses, we can say Laravel is the truly best framework for development.
Download and Info: Laravel Official Website
2) Codeigniter
A powerful and simple PHP framework, CodeIgniter is known for its flexibility and problem-free installation. If you have a website development requirement with extensive scope, Codeigniter is the PHP framework that can simplify your problems. You can add plug-ins when there is a need to imply any complex functionality. It is much faster in accomplishing database-related tasks compared to other frameworks.
CodeIgniter holds libraries, logical structure, and simple interface to access these libraries, plugins, and some other resources which resolve the compound functions of PHP more easily maintaining high performance. It simplifies the PHP code and brings out a fully interactive, dynamic website in a much shorter time. It supports PHP version of 7.2.0 or newer and MySQL version 5.7 or newer. It makes your web more strong and your code easier to read and maintain. It is a free toolkit, lightweight and easier to install.
Codeigniter’s Main Features:
MVC Support
Strong Security
Great Performance
Active Community
Small Footprint available
Download and Info: Codeigniter Official Website
3) Symfony
Symfony is Amazing PHP framework for creating a websites and web applications and most suited framework for intermediate. It has been built on tops of Symfony components such as Drupal, EZ Publish, and phpBB. With over 300,000 developers on board.
Symfony main features:
Stable, sustainable and flexible 3 in 1 framework that is quickly adaptable to all your needs
Symfony is a set of reusable PHP components
Open Source PHP framework for developing web applications.
Easy to install and configure on most platforms
Database engine-independent
Simple to use, in most cases, but still flexible enough to adapt to complex cases
Based on the premise of convention over configuration–the developer needs to configure only the unconventional
Compliant with most web best practices and design patterns
Enterprise-ready–adaptable to existing information technology
Stable enough for long term projects
Very easy code, with phpDocumentor comments
Allowing for integration for other vendor libraries
Download and Info: Symfony Website
4) Zend
Zend Framework is a collection of professional PHP packages with more than 200 million installations. It can be used to develop web products and services using PHP 5.6+ and provides 100% object-oriented code using a broad spectrum of language features. The standard set of Zend libraries brings to us a very powerful and scalable development tool. It provides an Authentic and high-performance MVC and easy-to-use database concept, which together make it one of the powerful PHP framework for web applications.
Zend Framework Development is reviewed to be a very firm and valuable framework mentioned for enterprise-level projects. It has a vast variety of features which ease the development of quality applications for enterprise clients.
Zend main Features:
Web & CLI Programming
MVC Components
Simple cloud API
Session management
Data encryption
Flexible URI Routing
Object-oriented web application framework
Download and Info: Zend Framework
5) CakePHP
If you’re a web developer who’s in need of a simple and an elegant toolkit for creating feature-loaded and visually impressive web applications, then CakePHP is the framework for you.
Most Suited for – Beginners
CakePHP main Features:
MVC Pattern – Model support data handling, with the model class you can insert, update, delete or read the data from the database.
ORM features, converting data between incompatible type systems in databases and object-oriented programming languages
Perfectly suited for commercial applications
Proper class inheritance
Easily extend with Components, Helpers, Behaviours, and Plug-ins
Download and Info: http://cakephp.org/
6) Yii 2
Yii is a modern PHP framework best for creating web developing and APIs. Yii is a free, open-source Web application development framework so easy to use. It’s written in PHP5 that promotes clean, DRY design and encourages rapid development. IT helps to the developer to ensure an extremely efficient, extensible, and maintainable end product.
Yii Framework main Features:
Yii adopts the proven MVC architecture, which allows for clean separation of concerns
Yii allows developers to model database data in terms of objects and avoid the tedium and complexity of writing repetitive SQL statements
With the help of Yii, collecting input extremely easy and safe
Zero configuration required to let the task easier for you
Thorough maintenance
Download and Info: Yii Framework Website
7) Phalcon
Phalcon may be a PHP framework built for speed. It's delivered as an online server extension written in Zephir and C. No knowledge of C is important . Developers work with the PHP classes and namespaces the framework develops .As Phalcon is loosely coupled, you can create your own directory structure. Phalcon’s code does not live in the project directory, making the code lightweight.
Phalcon Framework main Features:
Low-level architecture.
One-time load of Zephir, C extensions, and PHP.
Code is compiled instead of interpreted, so it's faster.
Memory resident, meaning that it is often called upon whenever it’s needed.
Does not use file reads and file stats, unlike most other PHP frameworks, appearing in upgraded performance.
Download and Info: https://phalcon.io/
8) FuelPHP
FuelPHP is a nearly new PHP framework, first launched in 2014. The creators claim to have gathered the simplest practices out of other powerful frameworks and created something new and exciting. This framework supports PHP version 5.4 and above. Plus it offers in-depth documentation which will help start developing as quickly as possible.
FuelPHP Framework main Features:
FuelPHP uses MVC but also upholds HMVC (Hierarchical Model View Controller). This computes another layer between the Controller and the View. The advantages of the HMVC design pattern are:
Better code organization.
Greater modularity.
More extensible.
Input, URI, and XSS filtering.
Escaping user input passed into SQL statements.
FuelPHP has its own command-line utility, oil.
The FuelPHP ORM is potent and yet lightweight.
Download and Info: https://fuelphp.com/
Conclusion
There are tons of programming languages you'll use, but PHP remains the highest option when it involves server-side scripting. However, albeit you’re a PHP pro, coding all the parts for every new project you start will take tons of your time . If you select the simplest PHP framework for your needs, however, you'll skip tons of the groundwork and obtain straight to the fun parts of developing a replacement project.
For more information you can check our Portfolio on PHP Web Development using best PHP development tools like PHPDesigner, Zend Studio, PHPStorm and Eclipse.
FAQ'S:
Question: What is Laravel Framework ?
Answer: Laravel is a free, open-source PHP web framework, created by Taylor Otwell and intended for the development of web applications following the model–view–controller (MVC) architectural pattern.
Question: What is Codeigniter ?
Answer: CodeIgniter is a powerful MVC based PHP framework with a very small footprint, built for developers who need a simple and elegant toolkit to create full-featured web applications.
Question: What is Symfony ?
Answer: Symfony is a set of PHP Components and leading PHP framework to create websites and dynamic web applications. It follows MVC design pattern and released under the MIT License.
Question: What is Authorization in Zend Framework ?
Answer: Unlike Authentication, the Zend Authorization is the process of deciding to allow access to entity or performing certain operations.
Question: What is CakePHP ?
Answer: CakePHP is an open-source free web framework written in PHP scripting Language for rapid web development. CakePHP follows the model–view–controller (MVC) approach and modelled after the concepts of Ruby on Rails, and distributed under the MIT License.
Question: What is Yii 2 ?
Answer: Yii 2 is one of the most popular Web programming framework written in PHP language.It can be used for developing all kinds of Web applications from blogs to e-commerce websites and ERP’s. Yii implements the MVC (Model-View-Controller) architectural pattern.