There is no opponent to PHP’s dominance as it supports 79% of all websites to some degree. To increase PHP’s flexibility, developers organized and packaged a few commonly utilized PHP functions. These packages are referred to as PHP frameworks. One of the most popular PHP frameworks nowadays is CodeIgniter, while another is Laravel. Their remarkable services had a profoundly positive impact on the modern digital space.
Some of the popular PHP frameworks are CodeIgniter and Laravel. However, choosing a framework has proven to be difficult for many developers. One of them is your Right PHP Framework if you’re seeking web development technologies to construct your web application or want to start a career in web development. But it raises the query, which one?
In this article, we will compare Laravel vs CodeIgniter in-depth to see which PHP Framework Is Right for You. Let’s dive into further details about the idea and distinction between the CodeIgniter and Laravel frameworks.
Laravel is a free and open-source PHP framework that makes it easier to write code for reliable applications. The model-view-controller (MVC) framework, which is based on Laravel, provides an integrated packaging system and dedicated dependency management.
The MIT License governs the use of its source code, which is available on GitHub. Given that it adheres to precise and expressive language standards, it is a reliable PHP framework.
Many developers favour Laravel because of its robust ecosystem and a wide range of accessible packages and extensions that speed up development. PHP is now quicker thanks to Laravel, which has also assisted developers in improving it. Laravel has played an important role in keeping PHP alive.
The codebases of applications created with the Laravel framework are simple to maintain and highly extensible. Model view controller (MVC) architecture was used to build this framework by Taylor Otwell, who was inspired by Symfony, another PHP framework.
Let’s examine Laravel’s primary features:
The migration system in Laravel enables you to modify the database schema using PHP code. Database migration is possible using Laravel schema builders without having to memorize them. You may transfer without any delays or data loss thanks to our automated approach.
The benefit of an MVC framework is that it lets you categorize web applications, giving you a compartmentalized perspective of what’s happening. In essence, MVC allows you to separate your program into three different parts:
The most important aspect of Laravel is security. Through its internal security system, it manages the security of your website.
A command-line tool called The Artisan simplifies and automates common coding operations in Laravel. It is propelled by the powerful Symfony Console component. For instance, it may manage assets according to the requirements, execute code migration, and produce an MVC file structure or database design.
ActiveRecord is a very straightforward solution for database interaction in Laravel’s object-relational mapping (ORM) framework. You may create database queries with PHP instead of SQL. It also integrates programs and database records by allocating appropriate models, making it faster than previous PHP frameworks.
Blade, Laravel’s lightweight templating engine, sets it apart from competitors. It allows you to produce beautiful layouts, integrated CSS, and strong JavaScript frameworks. Additionally, by using the flexible template engine, you may modify, experiment with, and organize layouts without coding.
Here are a few more advantages of the PHP framework to assist you in understanding all the advantages you may receive from it, even if Laravel’s characteristics speak for themselves.
The contexts and configurations in which the apps we develop occasionally operate may vary. Developers may specify and control many parameters for their apps using Laravel’s feature-rich configuration management system. The management of such setups is made simple and trustworthy by Laravel.
When utilizing Laravel, programmers may break their code up into manageable chunks. Composer dependency management is useful when developers wish to update various components of the code base.
The built-in authentication mechanism enables users of a Laravel-based online application to register, log in, and even retrieve passwords.
The routing system provided by Laravel provides a simple and structured approach to constructing application routes. Ensuring that URLs are mapped to certain actions or controllers, makes it simpler to manage the flow of requests and answers. With Laravel’s specified routing capability, defining various application routes is easier.
You may avoid doing manual maintenance or inclusion pathways with Laravel’s autoloading capability.
Through its built-in testing kit, Laravel includes an automated testing function. Thus, defects may be found early by developers, who can then correct them before they become costly or result in a complete failure.
The comparison between the PHP frameworks Laravel vs CodeIgniter will go as before: we’ll first define CodeIgniter and then elaborate on how it contrasts with Laravel.
CodeIgniter is an open-source, portable PHP framework for creating dynamic, feature-rich websites. Developers utilize this framework’s extensive library collection to carry out repetitive and usual tasks.
EllisLab published the CodeIgniter web framework on February 28, 2006. However, they gave the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) control for CodeIgniter in 2014. All CodeIgniter version updates and maintenance have been handled by BCIT to date.
CodeIgniter is built on the model-view-controller (MVC) architecture, just like many other PHP frameworks. Therefore, the controller is the first to respond when a user requests a resource. Before requesting the required data, the controller first assesses the user’s request.
The framework is appropriate for programmers looking for simple yet sophisticated toolkits to build feature-rich web applications. CodeIgniter gives developers greater authority over the process because it does not significantly rely on the MVC development model.
Let’s examine CodeIgniter’s primary features:
If quick web solutions are what you’re after, CodeIgniter is the way to go. The framework is not only simple to use, but it is also trustworthy and efficient. It has a sizable library that is accessible online and can be used to construct systems for you. Additionally, CodeIgniter is simpler to understand than most PHP languages, making it possible to develop online applications much more quickly.
While being based on the MVC architecture, CodeIgniter is less rigid than Laravel in how it does things, providing its users with more freedom and adaptability. It may be set to enable hierarchical model view controller (HMVC) patterns to operate, which would make things much simpler for its users. HMVC structures are created to fill in the flaws that MVC has, such as greater organization support, code reuse, and increased extensibility of online systems.
Test-driven development, sometimes known as a sequential testing approach, is supported by CodeIgniter. It allows you to thoroughly test the website throughout the development phase and assess its performance step-by-step.
CodeIgniter makes switching between servers a breeze. Companies solely use CodeIgniter because it helps with frictionless migration. Old data may be easily transferred to this framework. In addition, if you run into migration difficulties, you may turn to its sizable and supportive community.
CodeIgniter’s core system is slim and quick since it only utilizes a limited number of tiny libraries and loads additional libraries as needed. As a result, CodeIgniter produces quick web apps in addition to prototypes and minimal viable products (MVP).
CodeIgniter also has an active user and growth community. The CodeIgniter forum, which is thoughtfully split into conversations of various categories, is one of the most active areas you’ll discover online. In addition, you may explore a variety of different platforms on social media and the internet.
The characteristics of CodeIgniter speak for themselves, but to help you grasp all the benefits you could get from it, below are a few more benefits of the PHP framework.
It’s simple to install CodeIgniter and create your first program. When you run into trouble, you may simply refer to the instructions included with this web framework.
As CodeIgniter does not necessarily adhere to the MVC design, developers are free to personalize their web apps as they see fit.
The use of CodeIgniter is simple. The idea that consumers should be able to create anything they wish underlies its simplicity. This also implies that CodeIgniter provides a variety of alternatives for modifying your code.
CodeIgniter generates URLs that are search engine friendly. Hence, it generates well-written, simple-to-understand slugs, which is a bonus in terms of SEO.
CodeIgniter gives developers the freedom to utilize the coding standards and procedures that they find most comfortable. It does not impose rigid norms, providing developers the freedom to organize their projects as they see fit.
Although CodeIgniter doesn’t have an internal testing function, you may use several third-party libraries to test your code as you write it.
Different frameworks, Laravel and CodeIgniter, were created for various use cases. While Laravel enables web developers to make use of elegant relational object mapping ORM, CodeIgniter does not support ORM.
Although CodeIgniter includes modularity capabilities built-in, similar to Laravel, it still necessitates that developers construct and manage modules using an adaptable extension.
Let’s make a comparison of Laravel vs CodeIgniter side by side and go over some of the most fundamental programming parameters
Given its shallow learning curve, the CodeIgniter framework is simpler for developers to understand and use.
It takes developers some time to learn and practice with the Laravel framework because of its high learning curve.
Developers may break up large projects into smaller modules using Laravel’s built-in components. Developers can work on them independently by doing this.
The CodeIgniter framework lacks any built-in modules, unlike Laravel. Extensions are a need for developers to build and manage distinct modules.
The Laravel framework enables programmers to create unique HTTP routes. Additionally, developers can designate a unique URL for each HTTP route.
The response and request technique is used by CodeIgniter to configure HTTP routes. Paths must be built by developers to enable data transfer.
Developers that use CodeIgniter must provide their extensions for user authentication and permission.
To perform authentication and permission for online applications, Laravel, on the other hand, provides the authentication class functionality.
PHPUnit is a unit testing feature that comes with Laravel. PHPUnit enables developers to extensively examine the application code.
There is no built-in support for unit testing in CodeIgniter. Developers of apps and code using the CodeIgniter framework must use external unit testing tools to evaluate the quality of their work.
Among other databases, the Laravel framework supports IBM, Oracle, DB2, OrientDB, JDBC, MYSQL, and PostgreSQL.
Except for IBM and JDBC, CodeIgniter also provides support for database management systems. Additionally, Microsoft BI and MongoDB are supported by the CodeIgniter framework.
Everyone has benefited from using CodeIgniter, from new coders to well-known business brands. Many different developers, businesses, and organizations utilize CodeIgniter to create web applications of different sizes and levels of complexity.
CodeIgniter is being used by many companies. Here are some notable CodeIgniter users to consider:
The most well-liked web development framework, Laravel, has increased demand. The popular PHP web framework Laravel is praised for its clean syntax, developer-friendly features, and strong ecosystem. Many different corporations, organizations, and developers utilize it to create contemporary online applications. Thus, Laravel is used by companies of all sizes.
The following are some of the largest companies that have used Laravel:
Popular PHP frameworks include CodeIgniter and Laravel. Both have sizable and active communities, not to mention carefully crafted manuals and guidelines that make it simple for developers to get started. We may conclude that Laravel and CodeIgniter are equally excellent and well-suited for various uses when choosing the best PHP framework. Your company needs and the nature of your web project will determine which of these two frameworks you choose. However, there are a few use cases in which Laravel vs. CodeIgniter will work better than others.
The two greatest PHP frameworks you can use to construct web apps are Laravel and CodeIgniter. Initially, learning Laravel may appear more challenging for beginners than learning CodeIgniter, but after you do, you’ll find that it provides you with some more sophisticated capabilities that are suitable for your website.
However, CodeIgniter is a strong PHP framework that is simple to learn and suitable for simple web applications without the need for additional authentication capabilities.
Thus,
Laravel tends to make database schema conversion easier due to the database agnostic migrations trait offered, but CodeIgniter may not give any specific capabilities to ease the migration.
Lead of the Custom Development team at KrishaWeb, holds AWS certification and excels as a Team Leader. Renowned for his expertise in Laravel and React development. With expertise in cloud solutions, he leads with innovation and technical excellence.
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