"PHP is dead⚰️" .. what's next? Is Laravel worth it? 😎

What is this article about?

It's been 4 years from my last article!
Glad to be back! So... If you find yourself in the same position I was in four years ago knowing only basic PHP coding skills and having lots of questions about which framework to use this article will give you a better understanding of what Laravel is and whether it suits your needs. Good to know that in these 4 years, I've used Symfony and Laravel as well, so this article is only my personal opinion. Let's get started!

What is Laravel, and Why Should I Use It?

If you're a PHP developer looking to create modern, robust, and maintainable web applications, Laravel is a framework you should seriously consider. But before we dive into what makes Laravel special, let’s briefly touch on what PHP does.

What is PHP?

PHP is a widely used server-side programming language designed for web development. It powers millions of websites and applications, making it one of the most accessible tools for developers to create dynamic and interactive web content. However, as your projects grow in complexity, managing PHP code can become challenging. That’s where frameworks like Laravel come in.

What is Laravel?

Laravel is an open-source PHP framework that simplifies web application development by offering a range of tools, features, and best practices. Created by Taylor Otwell in 2011, Laravel aims to make development enjoyable and productive by taking care of tasks like routing, authentication, and database management, etc.

Here’s what Laravel offers and why it stands out:

1. MVC Architecture Laravel follows the Model-View-Controller (MVC) design pattern, which separates your application into three components:

Model: Manages the data and business logic.

View: Handles the presentation layer (what users see).

Controller: Acts as the intermediary, processing user requests and returning responses.
This separation keeps your code clean, organized, and easy to maintain.

1. Routing
   Laravel’s routing system allows you to define clean and readable URLs. Whether it’s a simple webpage or a RESTful API, Laravel’s routing makes it intuitive to manage application endpoints.

2. Eloquent ORM
   Eloquent is Laravel’s built-in Object Relational Mapper (ORM). It simplifies database interactions by letting you work with models instead of raw SQL queries. With Eloquent, you can manage relationships between tables (like one-to-many or many-to-many) effortlessly.

3. Blade Templating Engine
   Blade is Laravel’s lightweight and powerful templating engine. It allows you to write reusable and dynamic views using simple directives like @ if and @ foreach, making your front-end development more efficient.

Why Laravel?

1. User-Friendly Documentation
   Laravel is known for its excellent documentation, which is clear, well-organized, and beginner-friendly. Whether you’re a experienced developer or just starting out, the documentation provides everything you need to get started and advance your skills.

2. Clean Code Practices
   Laravel encourages developers to write clean, readable, and reusable code. Its tools and structure promote industry best practices, such as the use of design patterns and dependency injection.

3. Comparison to Symfony
   While Symfony is another powerful PHP framework, it has a steeper learning curve and often requires more boilerplate code. Laravel, on the other hand, is more approachable for beginners and comes with many built-in features, allowing you to focus on building applications rather than setting up configurations.

Is Laravel Right for You?

Laravel is an excellent choice if:

You’re building a web application with dynamic features and need a structured framework.

You want to save time by using prebuilt tools for routing, authentication, and database management.

You value readable and maintainable code.

However, for lightweight projects or if you’re already familiar with Symfony, Laravel may not always be the perfect fit.

Conclusion

Laravel is a powerful PHP framework that simplifies web development without compromising flexibility or functionality. Its features like MVC architecture, Eloquent ORM, and Blade templating make it a joy to use, especially for developers who want clean, maintainable, and scalable code. With its beginner-friendly documentation and vibrant community, Laravel is an ideal choice for developers ready to take their PHP skills to the next level.

In upcoming posts, we’ll dive deeper into these features and show you how to leverage Laravel’s tools to build incredible applications. Stay tuned!

Useful Links: LARAVEL DOCUMENTATION