Top 10 PHP Frameworks Every Developer Should Learn

PHP has become the de facto as a server side programming language, making it one of the most powerful programming languages currently on the market. It currently holds approximately 81.9% of the market share in the server-side programming language segment.

Developing websites or web apps from scratch is an arduous task, having to write lines and lines of code for every bit of information on the website. This has resulted in the developers creating frameworks that provide a structure for the website or app and simplifies the process of building complex websites.

If you want to learn PHP from scratch and have any confusions that you wish to clear about the programming language, PHP the Right Way is a good resource.

There are many different frameworks that are available online to help PHP developers ease their lives. However, each PHP framework comes with its own list of pros and cons. Hence, picking the right framework for your PHP project can often make the most difference.

We’ve carefully selected the most popular frameworks that are available on the internet that can help streamline the process of backend development.

1. Laravel

Although relatively new, Laravel has quickly climbed the ranks to become one of the most popular PHP framework online. Sitepoint’s recent survey pegged Laravel as the go-to framework in PHP in many English speaking countries.

Laravel wins the popularity contest because of its expressive framework that offers elegant syntax that reduces coding common tasks such as routing, caching, sessions, authentication, etc. The system comes with an instant hosting and deployment platform, with the website offering numerous tutorials on how to learn the technology.

2. CakePHP

The benefit CakePHP offers is code generation, which allows you to build applications quickly. You don’t have to deal with any complicated configuration, you simply have to set up your database and you are all set. The framework comes built in with items such as validation, caching, database access, translations, etc. It also offers built-in security features including XSS (cross-site scripting) prevention, input validation, CSRF (cross-site request forgery) protection, SQL injection prevention and much more.

3. Yii2

The lazy loading technique of Yii2 is what makes this framework popular and also one of the fastest. Yii2 is heavily object-oriented and relies on the DRY (Don’t Repeat Yourself) Method, resulting in clean and logical code. It has been designed to work seamlessly with jQuery and AJAX. It also offers security features such as SQL injection, output filtering, validation and cross-scripting filtering.

4. Symfony

Symphony is not only a PHP framework, but also offers a set of PHP components that can be used by other frameworks including Drupal CMS and Laravel. The components include reusable PHP libraries that can perform tasks such as routing, object configuration, templating, authentication, etc. It simplifies the process of constant coding by allowing you to reuse codes in the application. You can choose the Full Stack option (if you want to build a complex application), or you can go with the Brick by Brick option, which means you have the flexibility to build your own application.

5. Codeigniter

Released around a decade ago, Codeigniter PHP it is still a php popular framework because of its simplicity. It requires no configuration, has no restrictive coding rules and offers simple solutions for coding problems. It comes packed with rich libraries and a simple interface. It is perfect for avoiding PHP version conflict as it works nicely on all shared hosting platforms.

6. Zend

A complex and robust framework for complex projects because of its numerous configuration options. It has partnered with big names including Microsoft, Google and IBM. It comes with fancy features such as easy-to-use drag and drop editor, support for front-end technologies, cryptographic coding tools, instant online debugging, PHP Unit testing tools, etc.

7. Slim

As the name suggests, Slim is a PHP framework that is meant for smaller apps, where a full stacked framework would be too much. This micro framework is easy, concise and only gives you what you need for development. It helps in writing simple, yet powerful applications and APIs. The framework even includes features like HTTP caching, access to error handling and debugging, AES-256 encryption and Flash messages and secure cookies.

8. FuelPHP

Based on the best ideas of other frameworks, this framework actually offers the best of all the frameworks combined together. It offers full HMVC as part of its architecture, also providing Presenter (formerly ViewModel) as a layer to hold logic between the Controller and View layers. FuelPHP is extendable and can also be divided into packaged models for use as reusable codes.

9. Ph Phalcon

Written in C and C++, Phalcon is touted to be as fast as a Phalcon and offers a high level of performance optimization. The best part? If you already know the C language, you don’t have to learn anything new. Phalcon boosts execution speeds and even decreases resource usage, along with offering fancy features such as asset management, security, caching, translation, etc.

10. Kohana

Kohana reduces the amount of coding by offering a set of common components that helps in building apps quickly in easily. It comes packed with tools such as database access, encryption, validation, translation tools, etc. It is an OOP framework, which means it is extremely DRY. There are no code generators or configuration files, so it’s easy to simply write your own code.

These are the 10 top frameworks that have maintained their position as favorites among server-side developers. There are many different tutorials for learning these technologies, but one that teaches almost all of these technologies together in one PHP course can be found at Eduonix.

If any of the technologies above do not perform the task you want, there are numerous other PHP frameworks on the market including Nette, PHPixie, Silex, Limonade and Flight.

I am a technical blog writer and content developer at Eduonix Learning Solutions, beside content writing I also love to discuss on topics related to web designing, SEO and other stuff which are trending in today's web development world.