7 Best PHP Frameworks for 2015
As one of the most celebrated web development platforms, PHP has been used by web developers all over the world. The skill and knowledge of PHP developers is worth an immense amount of appreciation. Every facet of project development has been executed effectively using high-end PHP frameworks. Keep on reading this post as I’ll be talking about 10 outstanding PHP frameworks which have provided every PHP developer a foundation for building high-performing web applications.
1. Laravel
Laravel is yet another brilliant PHP Framework that’s equipped with tons of interesting features including RESTful routing, native PHP or light weight tempting engine and many more. Built using several Symfony components, Laravel offers you web application an amazing foundation of reliable and well-tested code. Some other interesting features of Laravel include: a powerful queue library, an amazing ORM, painless routing and a simple authentication.
Books
- Getting Started with Laravel 4
- Laravel Application Development Cookbook
- Laravel Design Patterns and Best Practices
2. Phalcon
Considered as one of the fastest PHP Frameworks, Phalcon has been implemented as a C extension coupled with lower resource consumption. Some of the excellent features included within this PHP Framework are: translations, security, assets management, universal auto-loader and many more. You can use Phalcon for developing full MVC applications viz: single-module, multi-module and micro applications.
3. Symfony 2
Available in its version 2, Symfony is an excellent PHP Framework for creating websites and web applications. It has been built on top of Symfony components such as Drupal, Ez Publish and phpBB. With over 300,000 developers on-board, Symfony has witnessed over 1,000,000 downloads till date. There have been more than 1000 code contributors for Symfony till date. Backed by a huge community of Symfony fans, it is believed that the framework will go to a whole new level in the forthcoming years.
4. Yii Framework
Considered as a fast, stable, secure and high-performing PHP framework, Yii has worked wonders for developing Web 2.0 applications. It provides the basis and advanced application installations based on the project requirement. Equipped with Model-View-Controller(MVC) design pattern, rich feature layered caching scheme, Role based access and authentication, Database Access Objects(DAO), Ajax-enabled widgets and a detailed documents; Yii serves as an ideal framework for developing enterprise web applications, social media applications, SaaS, PaaS and a lot more.
Books
- Yii Application Development Cookbook
- Web Application Development with Yii and PHP
- Yii Project Blueprints
5. Zend
Considered as one of the most popular PHP Frameworks for building high performing web applications, Zend comes with cryptographic and secure coding tools which allow you to execute web app development projects in a flawless manner. Some interesting features of Zend framework include: modularity, extensibility, enterprise ready and a vibrant community.
Books
9. FlightPHP
Flight is an extensible micro-framework for PHP. It enables you to build RESTFul web applications in a quick and simple way. Compatible with PHP version 5.3 and above, Flight can be installed quite conveniently.
10. FuelPHP
6. Codeigniter
If you’re a web developer who’s in need of a simple and an elegant toolkit for creating feature-loaded and visualling impressive web applications, then Codeigniter is the framework for you. Currently available in its version 2.2.1, Codeigniter comes with clear documentation. Some other interesting features of this PHP framework include: nearly zero configuration, no large-scale monolithic libraries, compatibility with standard hosting, no restrictive coding rules, no need for template language and many more.
Books
7. CakePHP 3.0
Considered as a contemporary framework for PHP development, CakePHP 3.0 comes loaded with remarkable features including enhanced components and helpers, improved session management, improved consistency of conventions, ORM improvements and many more. CakePHP 3.0 comes with increased modularity, allowing you to create more standalone libraries in addition to reducing coupling. Plus, there are tools like PSR-0, PSR-1 and composer which have helped in improving the interoperability.
- Practical CakePHP Projects (Expert’s Voice in Web Development)
- CakePHP 2 Application Cookbook
- Beginning CakePHP: From Novice to Professional (Expert’s Voice in Web Development)
- CakePHP 1.3 Application Development Cookbook
Tutorial Categories:
Number 5 missing
Added 5th number.
Thanks . Great Article.
Not sure why you put codeigniter under 7 best framework list.
i was wondering yii is the best, so it should be on the first in list.
wordpress is the best, it should be in top 10 list
wordpress is not framwork it is a cms FYI.
It is not a CMS. Its a blogging system. Wordpress never said its a CMS or Framework.
Blogging system is pretty much a CMS, CMS just has a broader meaning and you can do a lot more with Wordpress than just create a blog. Btw. Drupal is by far the best CMS (especially since drupal 8 thanks to Symfony) and it’s f****** CRAP, Wordpress is the not close second and if you even think about using Joomla you’r a lost cause.
Actualy… I like ‘Blogging System’ instead of ‘Content Management System’ since it can be abbreviated as BS.
I don”t understand why they develop so many frameworks. I know three frameworks mentioned above and still I have many to learn.
I never used frameworks in my real projects and I still don’t have any intention of using any. But If I were to use, I would stick to Codeigniter because it is simple, and one can learn the basic within a day and does not need many third-party thingy. What I hate about Laravel is the Blade syntax and static class. When framework depends on a lot of other tools, it becomes complicated. I focus mainly on one tool that can do many things rather than many tools that can do a thing or two.
@mawiahl:disqus it’s rare to see people who don’t use frameworks, congratulation! I wish I never used a framework in the past and I stayed with “simplicity”
Why should I use a php framework?
Read this you will understand http://stackoverflow.com/a/1851925/815003
you should use a php framework because you should complicate your life 🙂 yep you will see everyone tell you use framework A, another NO use framework B, and again another will tell you No use framework C and so on… and after you try them all you will find that all those frameworks are outdated and framework G is coming with a powerful marketing and powerful promise and Hey everyone who told you use framework X in the past will tell you now use that new framework, so you have to learn that too to complicate your life more :p and keep in mind that frameworks change very quickly so you have to upgrade every time a new version is out… and the most fun part of a framework is that you gonna get tons a features that you will never use them in your life, also expect to have a lot of magic…I mean most of the time you gonna use things that you never understand how they work, and if someday you stuck with a problem you have to wait for the largess of someone to come and give you the solution because only few people know magic! Frameworks are fine they organize work in your team, I mean because they will make your life very complicated, you will need to get a full team to deal with the framework especially when it’s time to scale your app, and more your life become complicated more you will need people to join your team to keep your app (I mean your framework) running. Are you convinced now why you should use a framewoke ? There is much noise out there about frameworks, and most people will tell you use a framework, just go to stackoverflow or any other place and see answers about the beauty of frameworks haha yes people love to complicate their lives, and maybe you have to follow the rule too! it’s up to you 🙂
Great explanation
no http://www.fatfreeframework.com ? and cakephp is really bleh :S
Maybe you don’t know Scriptcase, more.than a framework it’s a RAD (Rapid Application Development) tool to develop PHP applications in a blink of.en eye.
http://www.scriptcase.Net