PHP has long been one of the most widely used programming languages for developing websites and applications. While PHP remains stable and secure, it continues to evolve to meet the demands of modern web development.
As the complexity of websites has increased, developers now need to write more code to build feature-rich applications, which can be time-consuming. Additionally, starting from scratch for each project is inefficient. This is where PHP frameworks come in.
Today, there are numerous PHP frameworks, each offering unique features and capabilities. In this article, we'll explore some of the most popular PHP frameworks for web development in 2024.
What is a PHP Framework?
Simply put, a PHP framework is a platform designed to streamline the development of websites and web applications using PHP. A framework provides a foundation to build upon, offering pre-built libraries with commonly used functions. This reduces the amount of custom code you need to write, helping you complete your projects more efficiently.
The best PHP frameworks provide well-organized, reusable code that helps make your project scalable and maintainable. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced developer, these frameworks can significantly speed up development and improve code quality.
Why Use a PHP Framework?
Using a PHP framework in 2024 brings many benefits. Once you get accustomed to the advantages, you’ll likely never want to go back to working without one. Here are some of the key reasons to use a PHP framework:
You Can Save a Lot of Time
Development projects often require significant time and effort. Frameworks help you save time by providing reusable code for common functionality, so you don’t have to write it from scratch for every project.
Frameworks typically come with built-in libraries for tasks like form validation, session management, and database interactions. For instance, rather than manually coding your own validation functions, you can simply call the relevant function from the framework, speeding up development.
Most modern PHP frameworks use the MVC (Model-View-Controller) architecture, which divides the code into three components: the Model (the database), the View (the front-end user interface), and the Controller (the logic to interact with the database). This structure allows developers to work independently on different parts of the application, enhancing collaboration and saving time.
You Can Collaborate More Effectively
In larger teams, it's crucial to have a standardized approach to coding. Without it, confusion and miscommunication can slow down progress. PHP frameworks provide a consistent structure, making it easier for multiple developers to collaborate on a project.
Since frameworks follow established coding standards and conventions, there’s less chance of errors or misalignment between team members. Developers can focus on their specific tasks without worrying about the overall structure of the code. This leads to cleaner, more consistent code, and makes it easier to document your project.
Helps You Follow Best Coding Practices
While best coding practices can vary, PHP frameworks help establish a strong foundation for clean, maintainable code. For instance, frameworks often encourage the use of design patterns like MVC, proper naming conventions, and modular code structures, all of which contribute to better organization and readability.
Frameworks also promote the use of version control, automated testing, and other industry best practices that help maintain the integrity of the project over time. Following these practices can improve both the quality of your code and your efficiency as a developer.
Improved Security
Security is a critical concern for web development, and PHP applications are often targeted by hackers. PHP frameworks provide built-in security features to protect against common threats, such as SQL injection and cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks.
While no framework can guarantee complete security, they help mitigate risks by offering tools to sanitize input, manage sessions securely, and handle data safely. Of course, developers still need to follow best practices and write secure code, but using a framework gives you a solid security foundation.
Easier Maintenance and Scalability
Maintaining and scaling projects can be challenging, especially as they grow. PHP frameworks promote modular, reusable code that makes it easier to maintain and extend your project over time. Rather than reinventing the wheel for each new feature, you can build on the solid foundation provided by the framework.
Additionally, many frameworks are actively maintained by their communities, meaning you don’t have to worry about dealing with updates or security patches yourself. This allows you to focus on developing your application, knowing the framework is being kept up-to-date with the latest best practices and security features.
Which PHP Framework is Best for Beginners?
If you’re just starting out, choosing a framework can be an intimidating experience.
PHP framework popularity does not always correspond to how good it will be for you, specifically. The most used PHP framework won’t always be the right choice for you either, so you might need to find something that works best with your level of knowledge and experience.
Generally, you’ll want something that’s simpler, leaner, and much easier to understand — meaning a smaller learning curve. Look for frameworks that are easier to pick up and master those before you start looking into some of the more feature-packed options.
From this PHP framework list, consider the options below:
- CodeIgniter - This framework is very beginner-friendly thanks to a smaller learning curve. It’s easy to pick up, easy to use, works on MVC architecture, and comes with many guides aimed at beginners.
- Slim - Choose this framework if you want something that’s simple to install and has a tutorial to get you started.
9 Best PHP Frameworks
1. Laravel
Topping our list is the new yet extremely popular (if not the most popular) framework, Laravel. Released in 2011, Laravel has swept the framework arena off its feet and has been topping the charts for quite some time now. The immense popularity can be attributed to its ability to handle complex web applications with additional security and speed when compared to other frameworks. It also simplifies the process of development by reducing the complexity of common tasks, such as sessions, routing, queuing, and authentication.
Developers also prefer Laravel as it offers a vast ecosystem that brings an instant hosting and deployment platform along with screencast tutorials hosted by the official Laravel website. The framework also features Homestead, a Vagrant box (prepackaged development environment) that assists in hassle-free development. Other features include a strong encryption package(s), overloading capabilities using dynamic methods, and tons of out-of-box functionality. It is easy to begin with Laravel due to the availability of extensive documentation and plenty of online Laravel tutorial resources.
Who Uses This Framework?
Many websites and apps use Laravel, including retail, tourism, and fashion websites. Notable examples include the Vogue fashion archive, Explore Georgia website, Visit Maine website, Restaurants.com, and Camping World RV & Outdoors website.
Reasons to Use This Framework
- Laravel Homestead, a virtual dev environment that’s done for you, is easy to start on. Laravel Homestead is the framework’s official and pre-packaged Vagrant box that provides you with a dev environment — all without having to install PHP. You also won’t need a web server or other software server, so there’s no need to worry about you accidentally messing up your current setup!
- For Mac users, you can choose between Laravel Homestead and Laravel Valet. Valet is another dev environment that also supports Symfony, Slim, WordPress, CakePHP, and Zend.
- Laravel’s Blade templating engine allows you to use PHP within it.
- You’ll get access to Packalyst, which is a Laravel package collection 15,000 strong.
- Laravel has many security features.
- There is a massive community around Laravel, so you’ll very likely be able to find support for any issues you may have.
Reasons to Avoid This Framework
- You’ll be required to create a separate admin panel where you can manage and edit your content, which isn’t ideal if many people need access. If many users need access to the app’s settings, you might be better off with a CMS.
2. Symfony
Launched in 2005, Symfony has existed far longer than most PHP frameworks in the business. This longevity showcases that Symfony has held the trust of developers for over a decade and has matured with its age. The Symfony framework is an extensive one, and it is the sole framework that follows the standards of PHP and the web completely. Symfony components are used by popular content management systems such as Drupal, OroCRM, and PHP Bulletin Board (PHPBB).
Symphony is the first choice for many developers due to the availability of reusable libraries and components that you can use to complete a variety of tasks such as authentication, templating, object configuration, and much more. Symfony comes out as the perfect choice among PHP frameworks when it comes to large-scale enterprise assignments. Moreover, the Symfony ecosystem is massive and is supported by a highly active programming community, and has tons of great online Symfony tutorials for you to get started.
Who Uses This Framework?
There are many big names that use some of Symfony’s components such as Joomla, Drupal, and Magento. You’ll also see websites like Intelius, Foot District, Sainsbury’s Magazine, and more using Symfony.
Reasons to Use This Framework
- You can install and set up Symfony on most platforms without much issue as it is easy to work with.
- Symfony works great in enterprise-level app development.
- This framework is quite flexible and allows integration with libraries from other vendors.
- Symfony generally follows most best web practices.
- It also follows some of the best design patterns.
Reasons to Avoid This Framework
- Symfony isn’t easy to start with, as it’s targeted more towards advanced developers — if you’re a beginner you’ll likely struggle with the learning curve.
- Symfony’s security mechanism can be a bit difficult to use.
- Although Symfony is very rich in features, you may find it slower than other frameworks due to its nature.
3. CodeIgniter
CodeIgniter is a lightweight framework that's known for its small footprint and hassle-free installation with minimalistic configuration prerequisites. Simple yet powerful, CodeIgniter is a mere 2MB in size, a tiny footprint that even includes the documentation. It is highly suitable for the development of dynamic websites, as it offers many prebuilt modules that help in the construction of strong and reusable components.
What adds to its popularity is its smooth working on shared as well as dedicated hosting platforms. It is also considerably faster when compared to other frameworks. Due to its solid performance and faster speed, it is the best choice when developing lightweight applications that run on simple servers. Multiple other features of CodeIgniter include simple security, encryption steps, easy error handling, and negligible PHP adoption struggle. The framework is very well documented, and it is an excellent choice for beginners. One important thing to note is that the framework updates are quite jagged, so it will not be the best option for applications that demand high-level security.
Who Uses This Framework?
You’ll see websites in various sectors including retail, marketing, tech, and more using CodeIgniter as its main framework. Some examples include WooBox, Casio (and G-Shock), TestandTrack, and even a content management system called FuelCMS.
Reasons to Use This Framework
- CodeIgniter uses MVC architecture and encourages devs to use it, but you can still use other architecture with no problem.
- As a lightweight PHP framework, CodeIgniter is quite easy to set up when compared to other similar frameworks.
- CodeIgniter has built-in security features against XSS and CSRF attacks, and more.
- With multiple caching methods supported, this framework can help speed up your web app. You might find that it’s one of the faster frameworks available today.
- CodeIgniter is one of the most beginner-friendly PHP frameworks available today, thanks to an easier learning curve and tons of detailed documentation.
Reasons to Avoid This Framework
- Although CodeIgniter is an excellent choice for beginners, its releases and updates can be a bit sporadic. If you want a more regularly updated framework (for security and so on), you may want to skip CodeIgniter.
4. Zend Framework
Next on our list is the Zend Framework. Extendable due to features such as interfaces and inheritance, Zend is built on agile methodology and aims to deliver high-quality applications at an enterprise level. The framework is entirely object-oriented and was built
5. Phalcon
Phalcon is an open-source PHP framework that is known for being exceptionally fast. Unlike other frameworks, Phalcon is written in C and is delivered as a C extension for PHP, making it one of the fastest frameworks in the world. This allows developers to build highly optimized and scalable applications that perform at speed without sacrificing flexibility.
The framework supports MVC architecture and includes a powerful set of features such as a templating engine, ORM (Object-Relational Mapping), caching, and routing. Phalcon's architecture is highly optimized for performance, so it is a great choice for building high-performance applications. It's ideal for applications that require rapid response times and minimal server load.
Who Uses This Framework?
Phalcon is used by various startups and enterprise applications. Examples include SimpleRisk, Memento, and City of London.
Reasons to Use This Framework
- Phalcon is extremely fast due to its C-based architecture.
- It offers a full range of features including ORM, routing, and caching.
- Phalcon provides a well-structured MVC framework, which helps in developing large-scale applications.
- The framework is flexible and scalable, allowing you to build both small and large applications with ease.
Reasons to Avoid This Framework
- Phalcon requires a special installation since it is a C extension, which might not be compatible with all hosting environments.
- The learning curve may be steep for beginners due to its advanced features and unique architecture.
6. Yii
Yii (Yes, it’s Yii!) is a high-performance, component-based PHP framework that is fast and easy to use for developing large-scale web applications. Yii stands out because of its speed and security features, which makes it an excellent choice for projects that require robust performance and security. The framework is easy to install and comes with a Gii code generator, which helps to quickly scaffold your application.
Yii provides powerful caching support, which is an important factor when building high-performance applications. The framework is highly customizable and extensible, and developers can add their own components and modules as needed. Yii also supports RESTful APIs, which allows for easy integration with third-party services.
Who Uses This Framework?
Yii is used by large companies like JustGiving, Craft CMS, Houzz, and Mercedes-Benz.
Reasons to Use This Framework
- Yii is optimized for performance and includes caching, which is critical for large applications.
- The Gii code generator speeds up development time significantly.
- It offers built-in support for creating RESTful APIs and integrating with other services.
- Yii’s security features, including input filtering and protection against XSS and CSRF attacks, make it a secure framework for building web applications.
Reasons to Avoid This Framework
- Yii's documentation and learning curve can be challenging for beginners.
- The framework can sometimes feel heavy for smaller applications due to its many features and components.
7. FuelPHP
FuelPHP is a flexible and extensible PHP framework that follows the HMVC (Hierarchical Model View Controller) pattern. Unlike other frameworks that use MVC, FuelPHP's use of HMVC provides greater control and modularity, which can make it easier to scale your applications. FuelPHP is highly extensible, and its modularity makes it suitable for both small and large applications.
FuelPHP also includes built-in security features, including XSS and CSRF protection, encryption, and validation tools. The framework is well-suited for developers looking for a powerful yet lightweight PHP framework to develop modern web applications with high security and flexibility.
Who Uses This Framework?
FuelPHP is used by various startups and companies, including Transmit and Nixon.
Reasons to Use This Framework
- FuelPHP supports HMVC, which adds modularity to your application, making it more scalable and maintainable.
- The framework is lightweight and fast, perfect for high-performance applications.
- It provides built-in security features such as CSRF protection and XSS filtering.
- FuelPHP includes excellent documentation, making it a great choice for developers who value solid resources for learning.
Reasons to Avoid This Framework
- FuelPHP has a smaller community compared to other major frameworks, which could make finding help more difficult.
- It may require more setup and configuration than more minimal frameworks.
8. Slim
Slim is a micro-framework for PHP that focuses on simplicity and minimalism. It's ideal for developers looking to build small, fast applications with fewer dependencies. Slim is a great choice for creating REST APIs, small web applications, and simple websites.
The framework is extremely lightweight and flexible, with only the basic tools needed to get started. It also provides routing, request/response handling, and middleware support, making it ideal for building modern web applications with ease. Slim is often favored for projects that require less overhead and more control over the routing and application flow.
Who Uses This Framework?
Slim is used by companies such as GetAbstract and Sendinblue.
Reasons to Use This Framework
- Slim is lightweight and flexible, which makes it ideal for small applications and APIs.
- The framework is simple to set up and has minimal configuration.
- Slim offers great routing and middleware capabilities, which makes it an excellent choice for API development.
Reasons to Avoid This Framework
- Since Slim is a micro-framework, it may not have as many features out of the box compared to more full-featured frameworks like Laravel or Symfony.
- Developers may have to write more custom code for features that are built-in with larger frameworks.
9. CakePHP
CakePHP is one of the oldest PHP frameworks, first released in 2005. CakePHP offers a rapid development framework for building web applications, and it includes everything you need to get started. The framework includes features like authentication, security, validation, and routing, making it a great choice for building secure, scalable applications quickly.
One of the standout features of CakePHP is its scaffolding feature, which allows developers to automatically generate basic CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) operations. This can be a huge time-saver when building applications. Additionally, CakePHP follows the MVC pattern and provides many built-in tools for developers, including its own ORM, query builder, and caching mechanisms.
Who Uses This Framework?
Companies like 3DTotal and Welcome to the Jungle have used CakePHP for their web development needs.
Reasons to Use This Framework
- It is fast and simple to set up, making it a good choice for developers who need to quickly build web applications.
- CakePHP includes built-in security features, such as CSRF protection and XSS filtering, which help secure applications.
- The framework has an active community and extensive documentation to help new developers get started quickly.
Reasons to Avoid This Framework
- CakePHP can be relatively heavy and complex compared to lightweight frameworks, which may not be ideal for smaller applications.
- The framework has a steeper learning curve for beginners due to its conventions and the amount of built-in functionality that needs to be learned.
- Although CakePHP offers a lot of functionality out of the box, it can feel somewhat rigid and less flexible than more modern frameworks like Laravel or Symfony.
- Some developers find CakePHP’s ORM to be less intuitive and harder to work with compared to alternatives like Eloquent (Laravel’s ORM).
- As with many older frameworks, CakePHP can feel a bit dated and lacks some of the more modern features and paradigms embraced by newer PHP frameworks.
Things You Should Know Before Using a PHP Framework
Before you can start using PHP frameworks, there are a few things you need to know first. Naturally, you’ll need to know PHP. Since most of the frameworks on this list run on version 7.2 of PHP (or later), you’ll need to be familiar with that version at least.
But what else should you know? What should you already have experience of? What can help you get a clearer understanding of what goes on in a PHP front-end framework and what goes on in the back end?
Let’s take a look at the list below:
- It’s best to have at least some experience building PHP applications. Having this prior hands-on knowledge makes it easier for you to figure out frameworks as you go.
- You should know object-oriented PHP and understand its concepts, such as objects, classes, methods, inheritance, access modifiers, and traits. Additionally, it can help you to understand ORM (Object-Relational Mapping). ORM is just a way to access data (in a database) using object-oriented syntax rather than SQL. There are a few frameworks that come with ORM built right in.
- You should understand databases, especially since you’ll be working with them during your entire project. You should also have knowledge of SQL syntax.
- It helps you to know how web servers (like Nginx and Apache) work, especially since you may need to configure some files on these servers to get your app working optimally.
Of course, as you’ll probably be handling much of the development process locally, it’s a good idea to know and understand localhost. Alternatively, you may want to know how to use Vagrant and VirtualBox to test your apps in virtual environments.
How to Choose the Right PHP Framework
When there are so many frameworks to choose from, how exactly do you find the one that’s right for you? You generally want to find an MVC framework, but what else should you consider beyond that?
The good news is, PHP frameworks are generally unique — or at the very least, they offer unique features. Before you choose, ask yourself the questions below:
- What’s the learning curve like? Each Framework on this list has its own conventions, so it can take time to learn and understand how it all works. You may want to consider a framework’s learning curve relative to the amount of time you have available to you. Additionally, you can look for frameworks with clear and extensive documentation to help you get over the learning curve more quickly.
- Does the framework have a debugging feature? No matter how well you code and how knowledgeable you are, there’s no avoiding a bug or two in the code. Consider frameworks that have debugging features, regardless of whether they are built-in or not. This feature helps to ensure your web app project functions properly.
- Does the framework have a caching system? Caching mechanisms help to improve performance. Although not absolutely necessary, they can help make things run more smoothly.
- How secure is the framework? Great frameworks have some built-in protections against some of the most common vulnerabilities like cookie attacks and cross-site scripting.
- Is the framework scalable? As you work on your project, you may find that its scope may grow — or shrink. A scalable solution saves you from having to migrate or start over/
- What’s the community like? Frameworks generally have communities rallying around them. Choose one that has a strong community to ensure it is maintained over time. With strong communities (even smaller ones), you can find continued support if you run into any issues. You don’t always have to pick the most popular PHP framework, but larger communities may make it easier for you to find someone to help should you encounter problems.
Conclusion: Which Framework is Right for You?
PHP frameworks are designed to simplify the development process and reduce the work required in creating wonderful applications.
Every framework in and out of this list will have its own set of features along with a list of weaknesses, and they all vary regarding documentation and community support, along with official support from the creator.
Therefore, the decision of the best framework will depend on the requirements of the project you are working on and your prerequisites on factors such as security, scalability, ease of use, and more.
So before you choose a framework, understand your requirements. Then only you are ready and can dive straight in.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is a PHP framework?
Put simply, a PHP framework is a platform comprised of code libraries and functions. Developers can use PHP frameworks to build websites and web applications using PHP. They provide many benefits, such as saving developers a lot of time and energy, providing better security, allowing for easier collaboration, and more. Frameworks function as foundations for PHP-based web applications.
2. Which framework is used for PHP?
The frameworks used for PHP may vary depending on a developer’s preferences, needs, and level of experience. It may also depend on the project’s scope and how scalable the framework needs to be. This list has nine of the best and most popular PHP frameworks in use today.
3. Which database is best for PHP?
It comes as no surprise that the open-source MySQL continues to remain the most popular PHP database to this day. Even today, MySQL is one of the most popular databases around the world.
4. How hard are PHP frameworks to maintain?
PHP frameworks in general tend to be easier to maintain. Frameworks are usually maintained and updated by core developers, though there may also be some community involvement here and there. What it means for you is there’s likely less actual maintenance for you to do, so all you need to do is follow the conventions. Ensuring you keep your code organized also helps make your projects easier to maintain all around.
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