Best PHP Frameworks in 2020: Cake, Phalcon

CakePHP

Lightweight styling and elegant code are the strengths of this "software framework". The framework is characterized as a simple and easy to learn environment, thanks to an optimized CRUD system. CakePHP will be the optimal solution for creating visually impressive and functional websites.

Features of CakePHP:

  • Fully compatible with PHP4 and PHP5.
  • Convenient interaction with the database through the built-in ORM (Object-Relational Mapping).
  • Support for a large number of plugins and DBMS (PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite).
  • Creation of applications based on the scaffolding principle - the database structure.
  • There is a division of the framework into main components (collections, validation, utilities, events, core) that can be used independently of each other.

Phalcon PHP

It is a full-featured PHP framework that implements patterns for designing web applications using MVC architecture. Since its introduction in 2012, Phalcon has been written in C and C ++. The version rewritten in Zephir is currently supported.

The functionality of the framework is based on operating with PHP classes, which allows you to achieve a wide variety of goals in backend development. The documentation is presented as a step-by-step guide, but much less standardized.

Phalcon features: 

  • The basis of all components is the C programming language.
  • Interaction with the database is based on ORM technology.
  • There is support for the most common operating systems - Linux, Windows, Mac.
  • High performance due to direct interaction of the framework with PHP internal structures.
  • Minimal resource costs and required file operations.
  • Became the basis for other popular frameworks - Kohana and Rain Framework.

PHP Frameworks Advantages

  • Performance. Frameworks speed up development. For example, a PHP framework saves you the hassle of writing database queries. The frameworks implement the essential CRUD functions that are necessary for working with databases.
  • Scalability. Applications written in frameworks are easily scalable.
  • Convenience. The framework code is concise, so it's easy to work with. It's easier to maintain a project in a framework than in native PHP.
  • Simplicity. PHP frameworks use design patterns (like MVC). This greatly simplifies development, making the process faster.
  • Safety. Framework applications are better secured than pure PHP applications.
  • Profitability. The frameworks implement the DRY principle. This allows developers to write less code.

Output

The PHP framework is the ideal tool for building APIs and full-featured server-side web applications. They allow you to save time on "manual" programming using ready-made templates and solutions.

The choice in favour of this or that framework will depend on the complexity of the project. The larger it is, the more resources and technologies are required. Difficult tasks imply a thorough preliminary analysis of the PHP platform's functionality, compatibility in terms of PHP versions, supported databases, resource consumption, scalability, and production criteria. For smaller projects, you can choose universal solutions with the optimal balance of the main components and the absence of demand for resources.