9 PHP Frameworks That Will Make You Money in 2023

When it comes to creating a website with a high level of complexity, business owners and developers are constantly searching for a contemporary, scalable, and well-organized framework. And in this quest, PHP frameworks always come on top. We are saying this because as of Oct 2022, more than 75% of websites are using PHP for web development. And this is with no sign of slowing down anytime soon.

PHP framework is powerful enough to be downloaded and used for free. It in fact can run some of the most popular websites; WordPress, Facebook, etc. For building dynamic websites, reading and writing web files, and keeping track of sessions, PHP is one of the most widely used server-side scripting languages. However, writing a PHP script from scratch can be time-consuming if you need to repeatedly rewrite the same functions.

PHP frameworks aid in streamlining these procedures and enhancing productivity. These resources, which include libraries of pre-made code and components to prevent repetitive coding, help to streamline the web development process.

So, if you’re considering web development for your website, try to understand why PHP is a good choice first. You can start looking for the appropriate kind of PHP framework for your website once all of your questions have been answered.

Why Should You opt For PHP Framework?

A PHP framework offers the fundamental framework and elements needed to create web applications. Additionally, it reuses code to prevent tedious tasks. However, the advantages go far beyond simply accelerating the development process.

Cuts down on development time:

Users can reduce development time by a variety of means. The built-in functions of PHP frameworks allow you to reuse pre-written code rather than writing your own.

In order to save you time, PHP libraries also provide common web apps components like form validation and CRUD operations.

The MVC architecture is used by the majority of full-stack PHP frameworks for web development. This enables programmers to create separate code for each of its three components—Model, View, and Controller.

PHP frameworks allow developers to have good practice in coding:

PHP frameworks enable you to write code that is neat and organized. They also organize the code into directories based on its purpose. This makes it easier to work with and maintain the script.

To make the code more organized, most of the PHP frameworks also have coding conventions. However, might take some time to get used to it.

PHP frameworks help the team of developers collaborate in a better manner:

PHP frameworks make it easier for developers on a team to communicate effectively. They establish the script’s rules and adhere to a single code standard. By doing this, you can avoid concerns about misunderstandings that might result in incorrect scripting.

Furthermore, the majority of PHP frameworks have detailed documentation. As a result, even a team member who is not accustomed to the framework can quickly catch up.

PHP frameworks offer better security:

Among the most frequent dangers to PHP security are SQL injection and cross-site scripting. To reduce risks, PHP frameworks use good coding practices and data sanitation.

You can also read: Top 7 Reasons to Hire a PHP Developer

How to Choose the Best PHP Frameworks?

Picking the best PHP framework can be challenging as each one is different and unique in its own way. We’ve included both full-stack PHP frameworks and micro-frameworks in this list of PHP frameworks. Programmers can complete a plethora of web development tasks, from the user interface to data storage at the back end, with the aid of a full-stack PHP framework.

Micro-frameworks, on the other hand, have fewer features but are useful for developing small applications for specific purposes, such as an HTTP request router. Their libraries usually have fewer than 5,000 lines of code.

In addition, there are the following factors to think about:

Learning curve:

Understanding how to use a PHP framework requires some time because each one has different conventions. Having said that, having documentation available reduces the amount of time needed to learn the framework and helps to flatten the learning curve.

Model View Controller:

MVC architecture divides development into three components, allowing for parallel workflow within the team and accelerating the process.

Debugging feature:

A debugging feature, whether in-built or an extension, aids in making sure the web application functions as it should.

Caching system:

By temporarily storing static data and serving it back when requested, a PHP framework with a caching mechanism enhances performance.

Security:

Excellent PHP frameworks should have cross-site scripting and cookie attack prevention as well as vulnerability protection for web applications.

9 of the Best PHP Frameworks for Web Development

We have chosen the top 9 PHP frameworks for web development. Selecting the appropriate one for your project is important because each of them is distinct and meets various needs. So, keep on reading to make the right choice.

Laravel:

Laravel is at the top of the list when it comes to PHP frameworks that support the creation of expansive web applications. It boasts support from a sizable community as well as a huge number of tutorials that give you all the knowledge you need to build a website. Rich features are used by businesses that provide Laravel development solutions to build your website and give it life. Because it has a built-in template engine called blade, developers can write PHP in the templates without the application experiencing any performance hits.

CodeIgniter:

A PHP framework with a total size of less than 1.2 MB, CodeIgniter is compact. It guarantees quicker loading times and leaves your web server and applications with little trace. Due to its flexibility, CodeIgniter offers both MVC and non-MVC design patterns. While smaller teams or independent developers can code without using it, larger developer teams can accelerate the development process by using its MVC architecture.

It is very simple to install, and the configuration procedure is also straightforward, making it simple for developers to use. CodeIgniter works best when you need to resolve a PHP version conflict because it is compatible with most hosting platforms.

Symfony:

If you need to create a website for a big business, Symfony is the best option. Sensiolabs, an interactive agency, released it in the year 2005. This PHP framework’s ecosystem is full of reusable parts and has a thriving community. The fact that even Laravel uses the majority of its components gives you an idea of how feature-rich Symfony is. The “Twig” template engine that it uses is well-liked by programmers.

Phalcon:

Again, one of the most contemporary frameworks, Phalcon was designed with keeping speed in mind. It is the fastest PHP framework currently available and is written in C. Phalcon is a full-stack MVC framework with rich features like templates, controllers, routing, ORM, query language, caching, etc. despite being written in C.

It has successfully competed against other frameworks and outperformed them with its quick performance. Many PHP developers adore Phalcon, which was introduced in 2012 and is incredibly simple to learn. However, due to Phalcon’s C code, there is some skepticism among some developers when it comes to creating solutions based on it.

Cake PHP:

CakePHP is among the best PHP MVC frameworks currently available, despite being the first one to be developed. This platform employs the convention over configuration methodology, so each user is required to adhere to a set of coding standards. Although learning these conventions can take some time, they promote a more consistent coding environment for enhanced collaboration.

CakePHP has a large collection of libraries with one of the most extensive collections of useful elements. If you need to implement difficult-to-find features, it’s a fantastic choice.

Yii framework:

One of the first PHP frameworks, Yii Framework, was introduced in 2008. It had almost lost the race after Symfony and Laravel were introduced. However, since Yii 2.0 was released, it has gained popularity for the development of Yii web applications for businesses.

Gii, a code generator tool provided by Yii, has many features that are necessary for creating contemporary web applications. This PHP framework is supported by a friendly and engaged community that never stops working to advance it. Yii has superior documentation to all other PHP frameworks, as you will discover if you use it.

Fuel PHP:

In comparison to the other frameworks on this list, FuelPHP is a newer option. But it uses best practices to produce a strong tool with distinctive features. While Model View Controller (MVC) has become a standard in PHP frameworks, FuelPHP goes a step further by offering full support (HMVC). It allows you to have more than one controller, which makes testing different components of web apps simpler and more efficient.

FuelPHP takes security precautions seriously and comes with seven security features. They consist of input filtering, the Query Builder, and output encoding, which will secure your outputs and stop cross-site scripting attacks.

If project security is your top priority, FuelPHP is a fantastic choice. FuelPHP is a relatively new framework, but it has excellent documentation and a supportive community.

Zend framework:

For their website projects, numerous corporate juggernauts like Cisco WebEx, BBC, and BNP Paribas use the Zend Framework, which has been around for more than ten years. Building a website with Zend requires senior and experienced developers because of its steep learning curve and difficulty.

Core PHP developers make up the community development team for this framework, which ensures that it stays comprehensive, reliable, and robust. For Zend development, it is best to hire experts because of the configuration’s complexity. Zend is not suggested if you want to work on small and medium-sized projects. Given that Laravel is a complex framework, some developers are also switching from Zend to Phalcon and Laravel. Partner companies for the Zend framework include Google, IBM, Microsoft, and Adobe.

PHPixie:

An HMVC-based PHP framework called PHPixie focuses on creating web applications for read-only websites. PHPixie makes use of a bundle system that enables code reuse and sharing with the user base.

It is constructed using independent, unit-tested, and minimally dependent components like auth, HTTP, ORM, and validate. Additionally, you can use them independently of the framework.

However, when compared to the other frameworks on our list, PHPixie has a few shortcomings. PHPixie is a less flexible framework because of the dearth of modules and the absence of support for components created independently of their dependencies.

Final Words:

For server-side scripting, PHP remains one of the best programming languages. A PHP script can, however, take a long time to write. PHP frameworks offer a foundation for development so that programmers can concentrate on the creative aspects of coding rather than performing tedious tasks and rewriting code.

Choosing the best PHP framework for your project can be difficult because there are so many well-known ones available, and they are all different.

Remember that all of the PHP frameworks mentioned in this article are open-source and free. So, before selecting one for your project, you can try any of them.