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PHP as a server-side programming language has exceptional growth in the last few of years. One of the major reason for building an application with a PHP frameworks is it is highly responsive and well-defined to fulfilling the distinguished business requirements.

According to the W3Techs survey, it’s stated that 79% of the majority web server uses PHP as their development tool.

It’s understandable to ask why PHP is so popular and here are some great reasons why:

  • It provides great HTML and database integration support.
  • Interactive features with other tools
  • It is a language that is easy to learn in a short period.

PHP help developers more than one way to support the rapid application development. From the design structures, providing the building blocks of them.

Here are the best 8 PHP frameworks in the market which shift with multiple and varied priorities in terms of performance. And the list of built-in functions among other examples.

Go through this list to choose the framework that works best for you to get your website developed.

Reason to Choose PHP Framework

PHP provides huge benefits for both developers and business owners in terms of easy development, scalability, and security.

Here is some more benefits of using PHP as a developing tool.

It’s a well-designed PHP framework so, it helps you in implementing common problems. And since its an open-source community that provides you with an application architecture to help your development.

Each PHP solution presents in modern PHP frameworks are continuously tested. Additionally, they are peer-reviewed and validated by multiple developers using the framework. Security issues and other problems that you’ll face in your code get quickly noticed and fixed since its an open-source framework.

You can develop codes that are loosely coupled, this leads to easy in reading, testing, maintaining, and developing further.

Ways to choose a PHP framework

There are many PHP frameworks available. But you need to pick a framework that suits your application and business requirements. Below are a few questions you’ll need to answer before choosing a PHP framework that suits your needs:

  • What are the features and functionality that you need in the framework?
  • Which learning curve of the framework will help your application development more?
  • How scalable is the framework for your application?
  • Is the framework actively developed and maintained by the core team?
  • Do you want the framework to provide long-term support?
  • Does the framework have strong community support to help you with development?

Once you’ve answered the above, analysis the different frameworks that are available in the market to decide on which framework to use for your project. So Today’s post presents the top 8 frameworks that are available in the market.

1. CodeIgniter

Codeigniter

CodeIgniter is regarded as an agile PHP application framework. It’s one of the best open-source PHP frameworks that maintain the competence of handling complex web applications securely.

You can consider CodeIgniter MVC framework as the best PHP framework for web development as it comes with small footprints, allowing developers to build dynamic web apps.

This framework also provides various pre-built modules that help construct well-managed reusable website components.

Features of CodeIgniter framework are:

  • It’s a lightweight and straightforward PHP framework.
  • It comes with a simple process and well-illustrated documentation
  • Integrated with MVC architecture that provides the potential to handle complex errors.
  • CodeIgniter also acclaimed for its security attributes that are admired as the best secure PHP framework.
  • It has been considered the fastest PHP framework in comparison to others.

2. Symfony

Symfony

If you are looking for a framework that has the capacity to develop and manage large projects, then choosing Symfony can be your best bet as this PHP MVC framework is pioneering and serving the industry since 2005.

Additionally, with this PHP framework is also recognised as a mature framework among other PHP frameworks. One of the best thing you will witness in this framework is in-built testing functionality that lets your web application run as it should.

Further, this framework is highly recommended by countless developers due to its easy to understand the environment.

Features of Symfony framework are:

  • This PHP framework is loaded with a lot of useful features and libraries.
  • It is easy to install and is easy to configure on different platforms.
  • Developed with reusable PHP components.
  • Possesses database engine-independence.
  • Known for stability, it complies with many web design and development practices.
  • It allows integration with other vendor libraries.
  • It’s a flexible open-source PHP framework

3. Laravel

Laravel

Laravel PHP framework has been continuously gaining appreciation since 2011 as one of the best frameworks to create highly-secure web apps and the reason for its popularity is, it handles complex web applications.

Laravel’s ecosystem is large and has grown at an unparalleled pace which boasts of platforms of having instant hosting, deploying capabilities and offering free tutorials.

Laravel has been built for simplicity consequently known as the rapid-development framework. You get a set of features that can breathe life into any large scale project within a matter of days.

Features of Laravel framework are:

  • Laravel comes with its own template engine called Blade.
  • This PHP framework includes Homestead which is a pre-packaged Vagrant box that lets you commence the development in a hassle-free environment.
  • It helps customise complex web apps.
  • Also combined with many other features including MVC architecture support, data integration and migration, routing, security and authentication.

4. CakePHP

Cake Php

CakePHP always the first one in everyone’s minds when it comes to suggesting a PHP framework for website development, Though it’s an old framework still, it counted among the most popular PHP frameworks and it still in development.

This framework is free to use and it has gained the top position as the best and fastest PHP framework. The next feature to be listed for CakePHP is the in-built security parameters that include XSS cross-site and SQL injection prevention factors.

Features of CakePHP framework are:

  • It is a simple and elegant toolkit.
  • Creates visually impressive and feature-rich websites.
  • It’s one of the easiest PHP web frameworks to learn because of CRUD (Create, Read, Update and Delete) functions.
  • Easy to install and set up as one only needs a web server and a copy of the framework to proceed with.
  • Due to security features, it’s been considered the best PHP framework for commercial projects.

5. Phalcon

Phalcon

You can count Phalcon as a PHP MVC framework because it been introduced with MVC architecture design pattern.

As this framework been written in C and C++, ultimately reduces the need for learning the C programming language for developers. This PHP application framework is introduced to build high-speed web applications. Therefore if you are looking for a fast PHP framework, you should choose Phalcon.

It is a full-stack PHP framework that comes with a lot of modern and powerful attributes including routings, view templates, controllers, caching and Object Relational Mapping.

Features of Phalcon framework are:

  • It can be easily installed and coded for creating highly configurable web apps.
  • Known for increased execution speed, auto-loading, asset management, caching and security level management.
  • When using this PHP framework it provides efficient memory utilisation and ensures to optimise your system for better performance.

6. Slim Framework

Slim Framework

As the name suggests, Slim framework is a micro-framework that provides you with everything you need. It helps developers with built-in APIs to build web apps. Therefore its also known as the best PHP rest API framework for project execution.

The codebase is small that you can complete the entire coding in one night since it has minimalist designs this is considered one of the best PHP frameworks for small projects.

Slim framework is an open-source PHP framework that comes with URL routing and efficient class middleware architecture. Also it supports encrypted cookies, flash messaging and caching.

Features of Slim framework are:

  • This PHP framework is best suited to build simple web apps that have solid APIs and build with full-flexibility.
  • Slim allows you to write codes and also lets the developers plugin existing components from any other framework.
  • It is easy to use and it helps developers develop Restful APIs and different other services.
  • You will be able to gain the advantage of cookie encryption, URL routing, session management and client-side HTTP caching.

7. FuelPHP

Fuel Php

FuelPHP framework is a full-stack and simple framework that not only supports the ordinary MVC pattern but also evolved version called HMVC (Hierarchical Model-View-Controller).

This framework is modular and can be easily extended. One reason is it takes care of security concerns. With the help of certain features like input and URI filtering along with output encoding.

It has its own authentication framework that goes well with other smart features and detailed documentation and at its core. FuelPHP offers everything that is needed to build an end-to-end web app of any size or complexity.

Features of FuelPHP framework are:

  • It helps developers build high-power sites that are various in sizes, functionality and complexities.
  • The framework is designed with various competent. Features that are URL routing system, RESTful implementation, caching system and vulnerability prevention.

8. PHPixie

Phpixie

Introduced in 2012 with the objective of creating high-performance apps that are read-only. It’s additionally capable of implementing HMVC design patterns like FuelPHP, built by making use of independent components.

The components in this PHP framework are 100% unit tested and need a minimal dependency. There are features like standard object-relational mapping, caching, input validation and authorisation capability. Which make it a robust and highly-reliable framework to consider.

PHPixie further permits you to make use of the HTML markup language, enabling schema migration, and contains a sophisticated routing system.

Features of PHPixie framework are

  • It’s easy to get started with this framework.
  • It is one of the best PHP frameworks to build a social networking site and different customised web apps.
  • It provides an impressive and efficient routing system.
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8 PHP Frameworks for Web Development