Top 10 PHP Frameworks Review

PHP, a general purpose programming language that’s been around since 1994 and currently powers 82.6% of all the websites that revealed what server-side language they use, has been pronounced dead on multiple occasions — only to come back to life stronger than ever. However, we’re not talking about pure PHP and its pros and cons this time. We live in the digital era, and the demand for high-performance websites and web applications exceeds the available dev capacities. Instead of building software from scratch, most vendors now turn to reliable PHP frameworks that facilitate backend web development and reduce dev expenses. Check out this top 10 PHP frameworks list to choose the right tech stack for your project!

PHP website development: top 10 frameworks

· Laravel. Released in 2011, Laravel is used by 400 thousand websites and considered one of the top PHP web application development frameworks out there. Laravel simplifies authentication implementation, supports Redis and other popular cache back-end solutions by default, features a reliable e-mail automation tool and protects web applications against the Web’s most common security threats (including SQL injections). Laravel is particularly suitable for building large business websites and applications;

· Phalcon. Although the open-source framework is written in C/C++, its functionality is presented as PHP classes. Phalcon’s major purpose is to streamline website performance by handling as many HTTP requests as possible. Besides “classic” features like caching, Request Object Library and Template Engine, the framework (thanks to its C-tech stack) significantly reduces resources usage and boosts code execution speed;

· Slim. The minimalistic framework has a plethora of features (including middleware, HTTP Router and Restful APIs) facilitating custom PHP development. Slim serves as a basis for an app’s code and supports other frameworks’ plugins via middleware. Perfect for smaller applications;

· Symphony. Another enterprise-level PHP framework on our list, Symphony has been around since 2005 and enjoys massive dev support. It offers a vast array of reusable PHP libraries enabling secure authentication, object configuration and routing. The framework is used by several high-profile projects including phpBB and Drupal;

· Aura. In a nutshell, Aura is a collection of library packages that can be implemented in any code environment. Although the framework can’t compare with full-stack offerings like Symphony or Laravel, it offers more flexibility and is great for non-trivial web dev projects;

· FuelPHP. A newbie on our top 10 PHP frameworks’ list, the open-source solution has one major advantage over its rivals: unlike the rest, it supports both the MVC and HMVC patterns. Built with modularity in mind, FuelPHP is suitable for crafting secure end-to-end apps of any complexity and size;

· CodeIgniter. The lightweight framework supports third-party plugins and multiple PHP versions. Although it’s now controlled by the dev community and struggles to keep pace with Phalcon and Laravel, CodeIgniter offers several cool features including easy error handling, migration and extensive libraries;

· CakePHP. With improved modularity and session management, the 12-year-old framework successfully competes with its younger rivals and is highly praised by web developers for its focus on scalability, security and testability;

· Zend. Pretty much like Aura, Zend provides a large collection of PHP packages and is primarily targeted at large web development projects. It supports PHP 7, features a convenient editor for front-end dev and is used by IT tycoons including IBM, Google and Cisco;

· PHPixie. Initially designed as a framework for read-only websites, PHPixie has evolved into a modular solution enabling developers to use its components independently and create secure applications in no time. Among its key advantages we should list faster page load time, highly adaptable architecture and input validation.

PHP top frameworks: summing it up

Ok, what are the main advantages of building a framework-based website or application?

· Reusable, maintainable and well-organized code;

· Website scalability;

· Separation of logic and presentation (ensured through the MVC pattern);

· Shorter dev time (frameworks offer excellent libraries and ready-to-use components, so developers don’t have to reinvent the wheel all over again).

The question remains, which PHP framework should you choose for your next web project?

According to Zakhar Bessarab, senior PHP developer at R-Style Lab, the choice of a framework depends on several factors, including the intended project duration, software performance requirements and the expertise of a dev team.

When it comes to performance, Zakhar recommends against using the so-called lightweight PHP frameworks like Phalcon as they require complex optimization (which results in extended project timelines and extra development and maintenance costs). By using a popular PHP framework like Laravel or Symphony, you’ll be able to use ready-made modules and significantly reduce the duration of your project (and that’s not to mention excellent documentation and dev community support).

The good news is, software vendors can now use PHP middleware solutions (Slim 3, Zend Expressive, etc.) that provide access to any component of any of the top PHP frameworks we’ve listed above! As long as you consult a reliable software development company and define priorities early on, your project is doomed to success!