Top PHP frameworks for web developers in 2024

PHP is a powerful and famous tool for building dynamic web pages and apps. It is a key component of the web development environment, powering over 75% of global websites and supporting many of the most important sites. Additionally, it is free to download and use.

The purpose of a PHP framework

A PHP development company can use the framework for the following purposes.

1. Code Reusability and Efficiency

PHP frameworks promote code reusability through modular components and pre-built libraries. These frameworks come with pre-written codes for everyday tasks such as database operations, session management, and form handling, reducing the need to write repetitive code. This boosts efficiency, allowing developers to focus on the unique aspects of their applications rather than reinventing the wheel.

2. Structured Development Approach

Frameworks encourage a structured and organized approach to development by enforcing the Model-View-Controller (MVC) architecture. The MVC pattern separates the application logic into three interconnected components:

• Model: Manages data and business logic.
• View: Handles the presentation layer and user interface.
• Controller: This acts as an intermediary between the Model and View, processing user inputs and updating the Model and View accordingly. This separation of concerns enhances code readability, maintainability, and scalability, making it easier for developers to collaborate and manage large projects.

3. Built-in Security Features

Security is a paramount concern in web development. PHP frameworks incorporate built-in security mechanisms to safeguard applications from common vulnerabilities such as SQL injection, Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), and Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF). By providing these features out-of-the-box, frameworks help developers build secure applications without implementing security measures from scratch.

4. Rapid Development and Prototyping

The comprehensive libraries and tools PHP frameworks provide facilitate rapid development and prototyping. Features like scaffolding, code generation, and ready-to-use templates accelerate development. This is particularly beneficial in an agile development environment where quick iterations and prototyping are crucial.

5. Database Abstraction and ORM

PHP frameworks typically include database abstraction layers and Object-Relational Mapping (ORM) tools. These components allow developers to interact with databases abstractly without writing raw SQL queries. ORMs map database tables to PHP classes, enabling developers to work with database records as objects, simplifying data manipulation and enhancing code maintainability.

6. Community Support and Documentation

Popular PHP frameworks such as Laravel, Symfony, and CodeIgniter have large, active communities and extensive documentation. This community support provides a wealth of resources, including tutorials, forums, and third-party packages, which can assist developers in troubleshooting issues and enhancing their skills. Comprehensive documentation ensures developers can easily understand and utilize the framework’s features.

7. Consistency and Best Practices

Frameworks promote consistency across the codebase by enforcing coding standards and best practices. This consistency is crucial for team collaboration, as it ensures that any team member understands and maintains the code. Adhering to best practices also reduces the likelihood of introducing bugs and enhances the overall quality of the application.

8. Scalability and Performance

PHP frameworks are designed to handle the demands of modern web applications, providing scalability and performance optimizations. They offer caching, session management, and efficient routing mechanisms, ensuring applications can scale seamlessly and perform well under heavy loads.

What characteristics should a PHP framework have?

Several aspects must be considered when selecting a PHP framework. One good option is to hire PHP developers with prior experience with PHP frameworks.

• The public typically drives a framework. A large and energetic community is better for preserving and enhancing a framework.
• Consider looking for a different solution if it does not satisfy the demands and objectives of a business.
• It is better to check that the particular framework receives regular maintenance and continues to serve the technology stack in the future.
• The contact options are available for any queries or worries. This point frequently relates to the popularity and communal size requirements. There should be access to online and written resources to guide through any difficulties.

However, testing them out before incorporating them into the tech stack is the best approach to choosing. There is no need to test all frameworks. However, limiting the options to just two or three to try out is feasible.

What are the best PHP frameworks?

PHP frameworks are essential for web developers to build robust, scalable, and maintainable web applications. They offer pre-built modules, libraries, and best practices that streamline development. Among the numerous PHP frameworks available, some have distinguished themselves as the best due to their rich feature sets, strong community support, and widespread adoption. This article explores the top PHP frameworks, detailing their features, benefits, and use cases to help you choose the right one for your project.

1. Laravel

Overview: Laravel, released in 2011 by Taylor Otwell, is the most popular PHP framework. Known for its elegant syntax and developer-friendly approach, Laravel simplifies routing, authentication, sessions, and caching tasks.

Key Features:

• Eloquent ORM: Laravel’s ORM makes it easy to interact with the database using an expressive syntax.
• Blade Templating Engine: Blade is a simple yet powerful templating engine that allows developers to use plain PHP code in their templates.
• Artisan CLI: Laravel’s command-line tool provides numerous helpful commands for database migrations, seeding, and more.
• Middleware: Middleware provides a convenient mechanism for filtering HTTP requests entering the application.
• Queues: Laravel includes a unified API for various queue backends, offering a simple way to defer the processing of time-consuming tasks.

Benefits:

• A rich ecosystem with tools like Laravel Forge, Laravel Nova, and Laravel Mix.
• Extensive documentation and a large, active community.
• Built-in support for testing with PHPUnit.

Use Cases:

• Suitable for projects of all sizes, from small websites to large-scale enterprise applications.
• Ideal for developers who appreciate elegant syntax and comprehensive documentation.

2. Symfony

Overview: Symfony, introduced in 2005, is a mature and highly flexible PHP framework. It’s known for its reusable components and robust architecture, making it a favourite among enterprise-level applications.

Key Features:

• Components: Symfony consists of reusable components like HttpFoundation, Twig, and Console, which can be used independently in any PHP project.
• Bundles: Bundles are similar to plugins and can be reused across multiple applications, enhancing modularity.
• Doctrine ORM: Symfony uses Doctrine for database management, providing powerful data manipulation capabilities.
• Event Dispatcher: This component allows for the building of event-driven architecture.
• Profiler: Symfony Profiler provides detailed information about the requests and performance of your application.

Benefits:

• Highly configurable and flexible, suitable for complex and large-scale applications.
• Strong adherence to PHP standards and best practices.
• Extensive documentation and strong community support.

Use Cases:

• It is ideal for large-scale enterprise applications where flexibility and robustness are crucial.
• Suitable for projects that require reusable and standalone components.

3. CodeIgniter

Overview: CodeIgniter is a lightweight PHP framework known for its simplicity and performance. It’s an excellent choice for developers seeking a straightforward toolkit to build full-featured web applications.

Key Features:

• MVC Architecture: CodeIgniter follows the Model-View-Controller pattern, promoting separation of concerns.
• Form Validation: Provides a robust form validation class for handling form data securely.
• Query Builder: A database abstraction layer that allows for secure and easy database manipulation.
• Security: Built-in security tools to protect against common threats like SQL injection and XSS.
• Lightweight: Minimal footprint with no complex configuration required.

Benefits:

• Extremely fast and lightweight.
• Easy to learn with straightforward documentation.
• Requires minimal server resources.

Use Cases:

• It is ideal for small to medium-sized projects requiring high performance and minimal configuration.
• Suitable for developers who prefer simplicity and speed.

4. Yii

Overview: Yii, which stands for “Yes It Is,” is a high-performance PHP framework best known for its efficiency and extensibility. It’s suitable for developing all types of web applications and offers a solid set of tools for rapid development.

Key Features:

• Gii Code Generator: Gii is a powerful tool for generating models, CRUD operations, controllers, etc.
• ActiveRecord: An ORM that facilitates database interaction.
• RBAC: Role-Based Access Control for managing user permissions.
• Caching: Supports various caching mechanisms to improve application performance.
• RESTful API Development: Yii makes it easy to develop RESTful APIs with support for serialization and pagination.

Benefits:

• High performance and scalability.
• Excellent tools for rapid development and prototyping.
• Strong support for modular and extensible applications.

Use Cases:

• Suitable for projects of all sizes, from small applications to large-scale enterprise systems.
• Ideal for developers seeking a balance between performance and extensibility.

5. Zend Framework / Laminas

Overview: Originally known as Zend Framework, Laminas continues the Zend framework project. It is a robust framework designed for building enterprise-grade applications.

Key Features:

• Component-Based: Offers a set of loosely coupled components that can be used independently.
• MVC Architecture: Promotes the Model-View-Controller pattern for organized code structure.
• Service Manager: A powerful service manager for dependency injection.
• Event Manager: Facilitates event-driven programming.
• APIs: Tools and components for building RESTful and RPC-style APIs.

Benefits:

• Highly flexible and customizable.
• Strong focus on best practices and coding standards.
• Extensive documentation and community support.

Use Cases:

• Ideal for enterprise-level applications requiring high customizability and performance.
• Suitable for developers who need a highly configurable framework.

6. Phalcon

Overview: Phalcon is a high-performance PHP framework delivered as a C extension. It’s known for its blazing speed and low resource consumption.

Key Features:

• Performance: Written in C, Phalcon is extremely fast compared to other PHP frameworks.
• MVC Architecture: Implements the Model-View-Controller pattern.
• ORM: Provides an ORM for database interactions.
• Volt Template Engine: A powerful templating engine with a syntax similar to Django’s.
• Caching: Various caching mechanisms to boost application performance.

Benefits:

• Exceptional performance and low overhead.
• It’s a rich feature set despite being lightweight.
• Ideal for high-traffic applications.

Use Cases:

• Suitable for performance-critical applications.
• Ideal for developers who need a fast and efficient framework.

7. CakePHP

Overview: CakePHP is a framework emphasising rapid development and convention over configuration. It offers a rich set of features that are out of the box and simplifies everyday development tasks.

Key Features:

• Bake: A code generation tool that speeds up development.
• ORM: An intuitive ORM for database interactions.
• Validation: Built-in validation rules for data integrity.
• Authentication and Authorization: Simple yet powerful tools for managing user access.
• Localization: Tools for building applications in multiple languages.

Benefits:

• Focus on convention over configuration reduces the need for extensive setup.
• Active and supportive community.
• Comprehensive documentation.

Use Cases:

• Ideal for rapid application development.
• Suitable for projects where convention over configuration is preferred.

Conclusion

Choosing the proper PHP framework depends on various factors, such as the project’s requirements, the team’s familiarity with the framework, and the desired balance between performance, flexibility, and ease of use. Laravel is excellent for developers who appreciate elegant syntax and a rich ecosystem, while Symfony shines in enterprise environments with its modularity and reusable components. CodeIgniter and Yii offer simplicity and performance, ideal for small- to medium-sized projects. Laminas suits enterprise-grade applications needing high customization, and Phalcon is unmatched in performance for high-traffic applications. Finally, CakePHP emphasizes rapid development and convention, making it a strong choice for developers seeking simplicity and speed.

Each of these frameworks has its strengths and unique features, ensuring that there is a suitable option for every type of web development project. By understanding the key features, benefits, and use cases of these top PHP frameworks, developers can make an informed decision and leverage the right tools to build successful web applications.