11 Best PHP Frameworks For Web Development

PHP is better known for developing dynamic and interactive web solutions. It is also a popular server-side scripting language that is mostly used to create, read and write web files. 

However, writing PHP code from scratch can be complicated and time-consuming. Because in some cases, you will need to write a code multiple times for the same function. PHP frameworks help streamline the web development process. These provide enough tools and resources to simplify the typical web development process.  

Learn: 7 Best Web Server for PHP Development

Thus, partnering with a reliable PHP development company that has experience in working with different frameworks is helpful for streamlining your project. 

This blog will help you find the best PHP frameworks for web development.

List of PHP Frameworks For Web Development

Let’s dig deeper into understanding the best PHP frameworks with a detailed list below:

Laravel

It is a popular, open-source, and extensive PHP framework that is known for its elegant syntax. 

This framework can handle complex web applications more quickly than other frameworks. It simplifies the development process by improving common tasks like routing, sessions, caching, and authentication. 

Reasons to Use Laravel

1. It is built using the MVC (Model-View-Controller) architectural pattern, separating the web solution’s logic from its presentation layer. Thus, making it easier to build and maintain complex web development projects.
2. Laravel includes a command-line interface known as artisans. It is more like a Linux command but is helpful in building web applications through Laravel.
3. The dependency injection of Laravel makes it easy to manage dependencies between classes and objects in a web application. It is helpful in making the code look clean and run faster.

Read: Django vs Laravel: Which is the Best Framework for You?

CodeIgniter

CodeIgniter is also an open-source PHP framework, helpful in building dynamic web solutions. It is a lightweight framework that ensures a faster loading speed for web solutions. 

With numerous pre-built modules, it is helpful in developing robust and reusable components.

Why use CodeIgniter

1. It is a lightweight PHP framework that is simple to set up and highly documented, making it ideal for beginner developers. 
2. It includes various security features, such as input validation and sanitization (removing any character from the data), to help protect web solutions from security vulnerabilities.
3. CodeIgniter supports various databases, including MySQL, Oracle, etc., to make it easy for developers to work with data.

Symfony

Symfony is also an open-source framework but is well-known for developing scalable web solutions. Its modular component system is flexible and lets you choose from over 50 reusable components you need for your project.

Reasons to use Symfony

1. It is optimized for handling high-level traffic and large volumes of data. Thus, making it suitable for developing enterprise-level web solutions.
2. One of the key benefits of this framework is its reusable components. It renders faster development. 
3. It is also highly flexible, as it doesn’t matter what your project’s requirements are; Symfony can adapt to them. 

Laminas Project

It is the continuation of the known PHP framework, Zend. Leading enterprises use it to support different web solutions in diverse areas, such as eCommerce, content management, healthcare, etc. Also, it is an object-oriented and MVC component-based framework that allows you to load only those components you want as individual libraries.

Reasons to use Laminas Project.

1. This framework is perfect for developing basic to complex enterprise-level web solutions. 
2. The key features of this framework, such as data encryption, simple cloud API, etc., are helpful in developing robust web solutions.
3. Either you can integrate it with third-party libraries or use only the components you want in your project. 

Phalcon

Phalcon is an open-source PHP framework that is lightweight, easier to use, and built for speed. It is delivered as a web server extension written in C language. Also, the framework uses the most popular MVC architecture pattern. Furthermore, developers can work with the generated namespaces and classes with Phalcon.

Why use Phalcon?

1. It is easier to install and suitable to develop highly configurable web applications.
2. The key features of this framework are its speed, security, caching, and asset management.
3. Unlike other frameworks, it optimizes performance because of its efficient memory utilization.

Cake PHP

If you are looking for a toolkit that provides simple and efficient development, look no further than CakePHP. It is the first PHP framework that is based on MVC architecture. Furthermore, it ensures faster, more impressive, feature-loaded, and clean development of web solutions.

Reasons to Use CakePHP

1. It follows the Object Relational Mapping technique developers use to create a good query and code.
2. To keep the code clean and graceful, it provides plug-in support.
3. It is a good choice for commercial web applications or websites because of its security features, including SQL injection prevention, input validation, data sanitization, etc. 

Read: Cake PHP Frameworks Advantages & Disadvantages

Yii

It is also an open-source and high-performing PHP framework for developing web solutions rapidly. Yii stands for “Yes, it is”, and it is a framework that is simple yet evolutionary. It is a universal PHP framework suitable for developing any type of web application. Also, it comes with an easy installation process, and the strong security features make it ideal for developing highly secure web solutions. 

Reasons to Use Yii

1. Yii offers excellent speed and performance and is highly extensible, letting developers avoid the complexity of writing repetitive SQL statements.
2. It is a very efficient framework as you can write simple and more code in less time. 
3. It is highly extensible, as you can customize nearly every piece of the core code. 

Learn: Growth of PHP based Websites

PHPixie

It is an open-source PHP framework that is easy to use and requires fewer configurations. In addition to that, it also uses the HMVC (Hierarchy Model View Controller) pattern. You can create high-performing web solutions with this framework. 

It is built using independent components that can be used with the framework. These components are 100% tested and require minimum dependency. 

Reasons to use PHPixie

1. It is suitable for developing social networking sites, customized web applications, and web solutions.
2. The framework provides greater adaptability due to its easy expansion, overriding, and learning capabilities.
3. Also, it is built by using independent components such as auth., HTTP, ORM, and validation are unit-tested and require minimum dependencies.

FuelPHP

FuelPHP utilizes the best practices to develop a powerful tool with unique features. It is a flexible, easy, and community-driven PHP framework. It is a relatively new framework as compared to others on the list. Alike PHPixie, this framework also supports the HMVC approach. It results in easier testing of the separate parts of web solutions. Also, it takes security measures seriously and provides seven security features out-of-the-box. 

Learn: Free PHP, HTML, CSS, JavaScript editor (IDE) – Codelobster PHP Edition

Why use FuelPHP

1. When developing a website with out-of-the-box security options, FuelPHP has no match. It includes built-in security features, such as protection against security vulnerabilities. 
2. It handles encryption, decryption, and hashing by using powerful PHPSecLib.
3. This framework is crafted to be highly flexible and customizable, with a modular architecture allowing developers to quickly add or remove components as needed.

Slim

Unlike other PHP frameworks we have included in this blog so far, Slim is a micro framework that is helpful in developing simple web solutions and websites. This microframework’s primary focus is handling HTTP requests by invoking a callback and giving an immediate HTTP response. Despite its minimalistic nature, this framework comes with great features. 

Reasons to Use Slim

1. It can be used to develop RESTful APIs and web services.
2. It provides a simple and flexible routing system that allows developers to define routes for different request types, making it easy to handle different URL patterns.
3. Slim allows developers to use middleware to perform tasks before or after the request is handled. This can be used for catching, authentication, or input validation tasks.
4. It is an excellent framework for rapidly prototyping small web solutions with great functionalities. 

Fat-Free Framework

Last, Fat-Free Framework (F3) for web development is on our list. It is a lightweight, open-source PHP web application framework that is crafted to be simple, fast, and easy to use. It provides the basic features required for web development but with a small footprint, simple syntax, and caching support. This framework is a good option for small web applications, APIs, and projects with limited resources.

Read: Top 10 Backend Frameworks

Reasons to use the F3 framework

1. It has a simple and easy-to-learn syntax, making it a good choice for developers who are new to web development. Also, it is lightweight and uses a minimalist approach. This framework is suitable for small web applications and APIs.
2. F3 includes a simple yet powerful routing system that allows developers to easily define routes for different types of requests, making it easy to handle different URL patterns.
3. It includes built-in caching support, which can be used to cache data, pages, or fragments of a page to speed up the web application’s performance.
4. Its built-in debugging tools are designed to be highly extensible with support for plugins and third-party libraries, which allows developers to add functionality to the web application easily.

Conclusion

So, there, we have listed the best PHP frameworks. These are helpful in providing a development groundwork so that developers can focus on the creative aspects of programming rather than doing repetitive tasks.

From micro to complex projects, PHP has a range of frameworks. With plenty of excellent frameworks of this server-side scripting language, picking one that is right for your business is quite tough.  

By partnering with the right PHP website development company, you can make the best use of PHP frameworks to develop diverse web solutions that cater to your business needs. Also, it helps you develop the right and quick web solutions that replicate your business. 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS?

How much does it cost to develop a website using PHP?

It is hard to predict the exact cost of the website using PHP as it depends on your project’s uniformity, complexity, and size. The more complex your project will be, the more cost you have to bear. 

What are the Three Parameters for Choosing PHP frameworks?

• Database documentation
• Built-in tools
• Community Support.

However, these key parameters differ from framework to framework. The PHP developers are supposed to choose the framework based on the key essentials of your web development project.

Which is the Best PHP framework?

There is no such best framework as each one has its own characteristics. Your project’s requirements are an ideal way for you to choose the best framework. However, if you are still in a dilemma, then the best way is to have a look over the reviews and test some of them. If one of the tested frameworks suits your business needs, it will be the best one for you.

How to decide when to use a PHP framework?

Someone always uses a framework that gives foundation and shortens development time. On the other hand, they add weight to web applications by adding features one requires in a web development project. PHP frameworks can be used to build secure, high-performing, scalable, and faster web applications.