Top ten PHP framework to look out in 2020

Estimated reading time: 24 minutes

Delving deep into the concept, you’ll get to know –

How PHP Frameworks Help Build Creative Applications?

Majorly, PHP web frameworks are known for offering an easy to implement structure and lets developers build powerful web applications without any trouble. 

Rest, you can consider the below points the best examples to understand the acclamation of PHP web frameworks.

So, PHP frameworks:

• Streamline the development of web applications through structural scripting

• Reduce the overall time of repetitive coding by offering pre-built modules to manage repetitive coding tasks

• Help beginners build more stable apps and ensure to render proper database interaction and coding on the presentation layer

• • Endless tools and libraries that can help you with
• • Database abstraction
  • input/output filtration
  • Session and cookie handling
  • Form validation
  • Email, calendar and pagination management, etc. 

• Provide fast web development that lets the developers invest more time in creating interactive websites.

• Operate on MVC (Model View Controller) that particularly available as an architectural pattern in programming that smartly isolates business logic from UI

• Provide optimum security as have many input and output filtering functions 

• Secured a huge and skilled PHP community that supports developers all the time to find an accurate solution to their queries

I guess the above-mentioned reasons are enough to make you understand why you should use PHP frameworks in this fast-paced web development world. 

Now, when you know what PHP frameworks are and why you should adopt them as ideal web development platforms, the time has come to make you aware of all the best PHP web frameworks available over the web.

How many types of frameworks are currently available in PHP?

I’ve gone deep into the web and curated a long list of PHP frameworks that are currently available and running immensely to render quality website development projects.

The list can still be expanded with many other PHP frameworks that are widely in use by PHP developers for PHP developing sites. Also, you can create your own PHP MVC framework and add it to this list to make interested people aware of the features and functionality of the same. 

Let’s make the list precise to you by mentioning the best PHP frameworks that are on the top, helping developers render the most scalable websites in the shortest possible time.

What are the top 15 PHP frameworks to be considered in 2020?

1. CodeIgnitor
2. Symfony
3. CakePHP
4. Yii
5. Phalcon
6. Zend
7. Laravel
8. FuelPHP
9. Slim
10. PHPixie
11. Aura
12. Kohana
13. Flight
14.  Seagull
15. Fat-free

#1 CodeIgnitor – A Light-weight PHP Web Framework

CodeIgnitor is considered as an agile PHP application framework. It’s the best open-source PHP framework that possesses the competence of handling complex web applications securely.

You can consider CodeIgnitor MVC framework as the best PHP framework for website development as it comes with small footprints (i.e., 2 MB size), allowing developers to build dynamic web applications. 

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

Additional striking attributes

• It’s a lightweight and straightforward PHP web framework.

• Ensures easy and hassle-free installation and usage.

• It comes with a simple process and well-illustrated documentation (best suited for beginners).

• Integrated with MVC architecture that provides it the potential to handle complex errors.

• This PHP framework is also acclaimed for its security attributes hence admired as the best secure PHP framework.

• Developers consider it the fastest PHP framework in comparison to others. 

Get started With CodeIgnitor

#2 Symfony – A PHP Framework To Build Complex Websites

If you’re looking for a framework that has the capacity to develop and manage large projects, Symfony can be your best bet. Launched in the year 2005, this PHP MVC framework is pioneering and serving the industry with the best in class projects.

Additionally, this PHP framework is also appreciated as a mature framework among all the new PHP frameworks. The best thing you’ll observe in this framework is in-built testing functionality that lets your web application run as it should. 

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

Additional striking attributes

• This PHP framework is laden with a lot of useful features and libraries.

• It’s easy to install and get easily configured on different platforms.

• Developed with reusable PHP components.

• Boasts database engine-independence.

• Known for stability as it complies with most web design and development practices.

• It allows absolute integration with other vendor libraries.

• It’s a flexible open-source PHP framework and can conveniently get integrated with big projects based on Drupal. 

Get Started With Symfony

#3 CakePHP – A PHP Framework With Built-in Validation

CakePHP always wins the debate when it comes to suggesting the best PHP framework for website development. Though it’s an old framework still, counted among the most popular PHP framework.

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

You won’t believe that PHP also attracted big brands like BMW and Hyundai due to its well-managed development environment and improvised modularity features. 

Additional striking attributes

• It’s a simple and elegant toolkit.

• Known as the rapid development framework.

• Helps create visually impressive and feature-rich websites.

• It’s one of the easiest and the best 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 ecommerce. 

• Apart from being appreciated as the fastest PHP framework, it also bags various compliments for modern layout and well-defined documentation.

Get Started With CakePHP

#4 Yii – A Universal PHP Web Framework

Yii is the next active entry in our PHP framework list. It efficiently proves its point when it comes to analyzing the performance of the websites based on it. 

This PHP framework is simply known as the best framework which comes with component-based architecture. It’s highly capable to build modern websites with high-quality and security attributes. 

Let’s unveil what Yii has in its feature bundle.

You’ll love to know that this open-source PHP framework is well-suited to develop all types of web applications that make it a universal framework to be used by all PHP developers. 

So, if you’re looking for a PHP framework that has the potential to create all types of modern, dynamic and high-performance web apps, Yii can be your best companion. 

Additional striking attributes

• It’s highly extensive and lets developers avoid the complexity of writing repetitive codes and SQL statements. 

• It can model databases in the form of objects that makes it more efficient to develop object-oriented web applications.

• Being highly-extensible in nature, this PHP framework allows every piece of code to be easily and efficiently customized. 

Get started With Yii

#5 Phalcon – A Full-stack PHP Framework

Phalcon can also be counted as a PHP MVC framework because it’s introduced with MVC architecture design pattern. 

As the framework is written in C and C++ that ultimately reduces the need for learning the C programming language for developers. This PHP application framework is basically introduced to build high-speed web applications. Therefore if you’re looking for the fastest PHP framework, choosing Phalcon should be on the top of your list. 

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

Additional striking attributes

• It can be easily installed and programmed for creating highly configurable web applications, mainly developed for large enterprises.

• Known for increased program execution speed, autoloading, asset management, caching and security level management. 

• Using this PHP framework provides efficient memory utilization and ensures to optimize a system for better performance. 

• Trying Phalcon will let you experience a blazing fast solution.

Get Started With Phalcon

#6 Zend – An Object-oriented PHP Framework

Based on the object-oriented programming concept, this PHP framework uses attributes like interfaces and inheritance that make it extendable to accommodate burgeoning web development requirements.

It’s the best PHP framework for website development that follows agile development methodology and helps developers to build complex enterprise-level projects with ease and finesse. Further, this PHP framework is the best fit for banks and IT departments. 

Going deeper into this framework, you’ll find it the most efficient development platform as it comes with MVC architecture, simple cloud API, session management and data encryption features. 

Zend is somehow typical to learn and implement. So, if you seriously want to implement Zend features in your web application, you need to first understand how to learn Zend framework in PHP.

Additional striking attributes

• It can be easily integrated with external libraries.

• It allows you to only use the components you want to integrate into your web app. 

• It is designed with highly-managed documentation and supported by a large community.

• You can easily reuse your code as per website or module requirements.

• Zend PHP framework packs with various functions like easy to use drag and drop editor, online debugging tools, scalable interface, coding tools, etc. 

Get Started With Zend

#7 Laravel – A PHP Framework with Expressive Language Rules

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

See how latest framework in PHP Laravel carry out complex web development –

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

The PHP framework Laravel has been built for simplicity thus known as the rapid development framework. As a developer, you get a rich set of features that can breathe life into any large-scale project within a matter of days.

Additional striking attributes 

• Laravel comes with its own template engine which is called “Blade”.

• It includes “Homestead” which is basically a packaged Vagrant box that lets you commence the development in a hassle-free environment.

• It helps customize complex web apps.

• The PHP framework ranking is highly expressive. 

• It also combined with many other features including MVC architecture support, data integration and migration, routing, security, authentication and view template engine. 

Get Started With Laravel

#8 FuelPHP – A Flexible Framework

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

FuelPHP is modular and can be easily extended. The 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.

At its core, this framework offers everything that is needed to build an end-to-end web application of any size or complexity.

Additional striking attributes

• It helps developers build high-power ecommerce stores online that are diverse in sizes, functionality and complexities. 

• This framework is designed with various competent features that are URL routing system, RESTful implementation, caching system and vulnerability prevention.

• It’s highly secure and keeps extending its approach beyond ordinary frameworks security measures.

Get Started With FuelPHP

#9 Slim – A PHP API Framework For Web Development

PHP Slim framework as the name suggests is a micro-framework that provides you with everything you need. When starting with a micro-framework like Slim, you don’t need to waste time learning it. 

It facilitates developers with built-in APIs to build advanced web applications hence also known as the best PHP rest API framework for project execution. 

The codebase is so tiny 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.

PHP Slim framework is a stylish and open source PHP framework that comes with URL routing and efficient class middleware architecture. It also supports encrypted cookies, flash messaging and caching. 

Additional striking attributes

• PHP Slim framework is best suited to build simple web applications that have solid APIs and build with full-flexibility.

• It allows you to write codes and also lets the developers plugin existing components from any other framework. 

• It’s easy to use and helps developers develop Restful APIs and different other services. 

• Using this framework, you’ll be able to reap the advantage of cookie encryption, URL routing, session management and client-side HTTP caching.

• The best part is its user-friendliness which is achieved from active friendly documentation and maintenance. 

Get started With Slim

#10 PHPixie – A Simplified PHP Framework

This is a relatively new PHP framework, introduced in 2012 with the objective of creating high-performance online store websites that are read-only. It is further capable of implementing HMVC design patterns like FuelPHP, built by making use of independent components. 

Let’s discover this PHP framework through the below image.

Its components are 100% unit tested and need a minimal dependency. There are features like standard ORM (object-relational mapping), caching, input validation and authorization capability that make it a robust and highly-reliable PHP framework to consider. 

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

Additional striking attributes

• It’s easy to get started with this framework.

• It is mostly considered the best PHP framework to build social networking websites and different customized web applications.

• It provides an impressive and efficient routing system.

• This open-source PHP framework is supported by a large community that renders active suggestions on queries generated by beginners and development practitioners. 

Get Started With PHPixie

#11 Aura – The PHP Framework for Clean Web Development

Aura is the next top-performing PHP framework on the list. Web developers consider it the best PHP framework for website development as it provides spotless and neat web development for all types of web development projects. 

Most of the time, it has been applauded as the best PHP database framework and the reason is its strong compilation of independent and fully-decoupled libraries. These libraries are well-defined and can be easily used in any project for database synchronization.

Above all, this PHP framework is widely known to be used for any type of coding structure. Each library integrated with this PHP framework is self-enclosed and doesn’t rely on any other functions to run. 

Additional striking attributes

• It’s especially meant for those who demand clean and quickly accessed self-governing packages and libraries.

• Aura PHP framework also offers a trivial, standard and thoroughly checked structure.

• It comes with enough libraries that help create your own PHP MVC framework for your web application development.

• All the associated libraries in the Aura PHP framework is fully-independent and can be easily used in any project without any dependencies. 

Get Started With Aura

#12 Kohana – An Organized PHP Framework

Kohana is the second name of the fastest web development platform which proves it’s prominence by building high-quality web applications for different businesses.

Being appreciated as the other fastest PHP framework, Kohana has also won developers’ hearts by facilitating them with translation tools, code profiling, database access, validation, encryption and many other useful attributes. Using the Kohana PHP framework, you’ll observe that it’s efficient and best to be used to handle complex real-world projects. 

More to be noted, it’s an OOP based framework and built using the strict PHP 5 objects and classes. 

Additional striking attributes

• Developers can use specific libraries with any simple tools to identify bugs and fix performance issues. 

• It provides simple routing and a well-commended code structure.

• Kohana is easy to understand and also quickly get started by following a few steps.

• It has secured an active community forum and developers’ channel thus offers instant support.

Get Started With Kohana

#13 Flight – A Speedy and Flexible PHP Framework

This is commonly known as PHP micro-framework as it is built with micro-structure for website development. Usually, Flight PHP framework is admired across the web development industry for easy, fast and highly-flexible web application development. 

This PHP framework goes well with the PHP 5.3+ version that is best suited to build heavy web applications for businesses. Being extensible in nature, this framework enables you to quickly create RESTful web applications. 

Additional striking attributes

• Well-defined and perfect routing for the database.

• It’s a PHP micro-framework and serves best to build robust web applications. 

• It’s also considered as the best secure PHP framework due to encrypted routing attributes.

• The framework ensures quality RESTful web application development hence called the best Rest service framework.

Get Started With Flight

#14 Seagull – PHP Framework to Build GUI and Command-line Apps

Seagull has gained an active and reliable position in the market due to its fast, easy and high-quality web application development. Another reason why industry-leading mobile app development companies prefer this framework is plenty of documentation and large community support. 

If you’re a beginner, this PHP framework will give you an opportunity to find sample applications that can further be customized to accomplish particular project needs.

Don’t worry, if you’re a seasoned web developer, Seagull has still a lot to offer including best practices, modular codebase, and coding standards.

Additional striking attributes

• Ideal for both beginners and experienced web developers.

• It helps build big complicated applications in a jiffy.

• It’s a mature OOP-based framework thus ensuring better coding implementation.

• Seagull allows developers to conveniently integrate and manage codes and other resources.

• It provides enterprise-ready and performance-oriented web design and development.

Get Started With Seagull

#15 Fat-free – A PHP Framework to Build Dynamic Web Applications

Fat-free! Doesn’ it sound to pronounce something clean and simple. Yes, this PHP framework is exactly that. It’s a powerful PHP micro-framework that is easy to use and helps build robust applications faster. 

Discover how it assists in building quality web apps.

Being condensed in a small single file of size (60 KB), this framework gives you a solid foundation and mature codebase to develop all types of web applications in a fast environment. 

Apart from offering a simple and neat web development environment, this framework bags a lot of useful aspects including easy to use web development toolkit, cache engine, a high-performing URL routing, built-in code highlighting, etc. 

Additional striking attributes

• It provides ultimate support for multilingual web applications.

• It requires no complex configuration to get started.

• It offers a well-organized directory structure.

• The framework ensures support for both SQL and NoSQL database connections.

• It comes with optional additional plugins to further extend the application’s functional capabilities (if needed). 

Get Started With Fat-free

The descriptions and well-defined features are enough to make you understand which PHP framework is suitable for your project. But still, you aren’t sure how to get started and which one to single out, I have some specifications for you.

How to choose the best one among all the available PHP frameworks?

Taking a look at the below pointers will let you know all the tactics to choose the best PHP framework for website development to accomplish your project needs. 

#Be clear about your project needs

Until you’re not sure what you’re going to integrate into your project, you can’t be able to finalize the development platform. Basically, these aspects are vice-versa and you need to be aware of both of these when initiating for any web development project.

If you’re clear what you want to build, you’ll more carefully look for the framework which possesses all the defined attributes you desire for your project.

#Look for robust architecture

One thing which needs to be strictly followed is to look for the framework design implementation architecture which by default emphasizes MVC (Model-View-Controller) design pattern. 

Check how strictly and tightly the selected framework follows MVC guidelines to accomplish web application development. If we take an example, Zend is the framework that is loosely coupled with MVC design patterns and allows developers to experiment with different aspects as per project needs. 

On the other hand, frameworks like Yii is the framework that rigorously adopts MVC architecture. 

#Make sure framework offers smooth database access

Uninterrupted database accessibility is one of the prime reasons that enforce developers to use the best PHP database frameworks instead of solely relying on flat PHP development. 

Using PHP frameworks, developers can get the opportunity to re-use the database access layer. This further eases the developers’ task by reducing their hassle of working on database connectivity. 

Proceeding further, you’ll get to know that there are a few PHP frameworks like CakePHP, Zend and Yii that are famous for offering ORM (Object Relational Mapping) connection support that ultimately makes the database programming a lot easier. 

#Check if the framework possesses built-in support

The integration of built-in support is mandatory for a PHP framework as it helps verify whether the activities (users’/developers are pursuing) are authorized or authenticated.

The process and permissions are required because a web page also needs authorization and authentication to run or proceed with any work. 

#Check framework for security factors

Security should be your top priority when you’re looking for a PHP framework for web app development. It’s something that you can’t overlook as it eventually harms the internal product’s functionality and makes it weak to combat severe functional issues. 

Therefore, if you’ve decided to go with any of the open-source PHP frameworks, make sure it possesses ample security attributes that can keep your project protected from all the relentless issues. 

#Investigate for the framework’s community support

The fact is clear that the introduction of PHP frameworks has reduced the learning PHP programming language up to a great extent. Here, the complete credit goes to the large developers and programming community that regularly introduced new procedures and helped beginners and experienced coding practitioners with absolute solutions to their queries. 

It’s mandatory to check that whether or not the PHP framework you’re going to work with has maintained a reliable or large community as it helps you when you will get stuck at some point and need expert assistance. 

However, every framework has its own pros and cons but if you’ll recall the above-mentioned points you’ll be able to quickly identify which one is suitable for you and for your forthcoming project. 

So far, I’ve discussed everything about PHP frameworks but now by keeping everything beside, I want to put the spotlight on a few major advantages of PHP frameworks. 

Going through them will make you more confident and firm on your decision of choosing PHP frameworks for robust, dynamic and quality-assured web applications.

Top Advantages of PHP Frameworks

Have a look at all the advantages of PHP frameworks available in the market.

#Speed up custom web app development

No matter if you’re developing a web application from scratch or want to customize the existing one to extend functionality, PHP frameworks are always the best fit. 

It has been observed that web developers need to write complete code to create an application. Utilizing any of the well-known frameworks will provide ample features, tools and pre-built code snippets that help reduce your efforts and help you create best in class products in no time. 

#Eliminate the need to write repetitive codes

Generally, developers have to write lengthy codes to implement functionality that consumes a lot of time and effort. 

Thankfully, almost all the PHP frameworks are available with code generation features that significantly eliminate the coding time and lets the developers build first-class web applications within stipulated time frames. 

#Careful and efficient database synchronization

Using PHP frameworks is a boon for those who don’t like to write lengthy SQL codes for database connectivity. With these frameworks, you’ll have complete access to ORM (Object Relational Mapping) support that allows developers to simplify database operations and lead development like a breeze. 

#Automate various common web development tasks

On a regular basis, developers have to work n a number of tasks except writing code for the application. And these activities require additional time and efforts that ultimately delay the process of web application development. 

With the automated features like session management, caching, URL mapping and authentication provided by the robust PHP frameworks, it’s become quite convenient and fast to handle different tasks. 

#Provide protection from targeted security attacks

Let us clear one thing that PHP is considered one of the most unsecured programming platforms and requires to keep searching for different ways to protect the system from harsh attacks.

This problem is not with PHP frameworks as these are packed with a lot of security attributes that prevent the web application from various threats like cross-site request forgery, SQL injections, and data tampering.

#Ensure less-expensive web app development

PHP is open-source and so all the frameworks that eventually help developers curtain the overall development cost. The developers have full access to choose any of the PHP frameworks from the list and integrate their project as per requirements. 

The best part is, you can do it all by not increasing or adding project overheads. In short, you’ll have access to a less-expensive venture for your project. 

Start planning for your next project!

Every project has different needs and so it requires a suitable platform to get all them accomplished. I don’t know what your project requirements are. But still, I’ve curated the most prominent and powerful PHP frameworks that you can choose to meet your project needs. 

Don’t wait and unhesitatingly select the one that you consider is the best fit for your project development. 

If you think I’ve missed something, drop your opinions in the comment box. Your views will be highly appreciated.

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