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Web Developer Resource Index: Frameworks

PHP Frameworks, unlike code libraries, are designed as a foundation for building entire Web sites or Web applications that fit into any number of design patterns, such as blogs, wikis, forums, portals, intranets, and so forth.

The term framework is often intermixed with the concept of a content management system (CMS), which generally target non-programmers and are designed to make it easy and intuitive for end-users to add new content to the system. A newspaper site is an excellent example of a CMS use-case.

Frameworks are generally at a lower level than a CMS. For instance, there are many blog site software packages, such as WordPress, MovableType and TextPattern, that are fairly easy to install, configure and are usually “skinable,” meaning you can alter the aesthetics by selecting from a list or build your own. They are also typically extensible through a plug-in architecture.

Pure frameworks, on the other hand, are generally sets of OOP class libraries that solve certain problems and are more appropriate for building custom Web sites from the ground up with a specific goal in mind, and often one that doesn’t fit neatly into a design pattern.

On the other hand, frameworks, and the classes, properties and methods the developer has access to, generally make it easier to get started on a project since he/she doesn't have to build the tools nesessary for any number of problems they might encounter building a Web site. For example, classes are usually abstractions for connecting to and interacting with databases, dealing with safe input and output of user data, session, authentication and authorization handling, Web services, internationalization (i18n) and localization (l10n), and so on.

The core of most frameworks are designed using an MVC architecure, with views handled by a templating engine—either one built-in or a third-party package such as Smarty or Savant.

Updated: Friday, November 14th, 2008 @ 9:06 AM EST

Programming:Languages:PHP:Frameworks {0}(8)[76]

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1.CodeIgniter

A MVC Web application framework unlike some of the others you may have run across. It has a small footprint, it's fast, and it doesn't get in your way. Only use the parts you need and discard the rest. If Rasmus endorses this one then I'm all ears. [1814]
★★★★☆
URI:http://codeigniter.com/
Author:
EllisLab
[1]
Reviewed:Tuesday, November 11th, 2008 @ 4:51 AM EST
by:
Douglas Clifton

CodeIgniter framework mvc performance php
2.PHP MVC Frameworks

A table of MVC frameworks written in PHP. Some of them are reviewed here, others are not. Each framework is listed, most with links, checkboxes indicate PHP v4 and v5 support, along with additional notes and any other framework the entry is modeled after. [1823]
★★★★☆
URI:http://www.phpwact.org/php/mvc_frameworks
Author:
WACT Development Team
[1]
Reviewed:Friday, November 14th, 2008 @ 9:06 AM EST
by:
Douglas Clifton

PHP MVC Frameworks framework mvc php reference resources reviews
3.Zend Framework

Based on simplicity, OOP best practices and a well tested codebase, Zend Framework is focused on building more secure and reliable Web applications. Classes include MVC, DB, filtering and validation, I18n, sessions and authentication, and Web services. [1818]
★★★★☆
URI:http://framework.zend.com/
Author:
Zend Community
[3]
Reviewed:Wednesday, November 12th, 2008 @ 1:29 PM EST
by:
Douglas Clifton

Zend Framework authentication database filter framework i18n mvc oop php programming security validate web services zend
4.Symfony

Built from Mojavi (Model View Controller), Propel (object-relational mapping), Creole (database abstraction) and inspired by Rails, Symfony is an open-source PHP5 MVC framework designed to quickly create and easily maintain enterprise Web applications. [1632]
★★★★☆
URI:http://www.symfony-project.com/
Author:
Symfony Team
[1]
Reviewed:Monday, February 6th, 2006 @ 9:57 PM EST
by:
Douglas Clifton

Symfony database developer framework mvc oop open-source php programming web
5.WASP

Web Application Structure for PHP is a powerful MVC Web application framework built from the ground up in pure Object Oriented PHP 5. WASP allows Web developers to make great applications with more fun and less code, but in the familiar playground of PHP. [1546]
★★★★☆
URI:http://wasp.sourceforge.net/content/
Author:
Brian Fioca
[1]
Reviewed:Wednesday, October 26th, 2005 @ 8:40 PM EDT
by:
Douglas Clifton

WASP developer framework oop php programming
6.The Horde Project

An object-oriented, open-source, open-standards framework for developing Web applications in PHP, as well as a set of existing applications including IMP, Turba, Kronolith, Nag and Mnemo. Phew! Supports localization features such as Unicode and RTL text. [1510]
★★★★☆
URI:http://horde.org/
Author:
Horde Core Team
[1]
Reviewed:Tuesday, August 23rd, 2005 @ 10:54 PM EDT
by:
Douglas Clifton

The Horde Project developer framework oop open-source php standards unicode
7.Yellow Duck

An object-oriented framework for developing PHP applications which uses Smarty templates for its presentation layer. Other features include support for RSS and Atom feeds, multiple database backends, XML-RPC, authentication, shopping carts and more. [1362]
★★★★☆
URI:http://yellowduck.be/ydf/
Author:
Pieter Claerhout
[1]
Reviewed:Saturday, July 2nd, 2005 @ 3:03 PM EDT
by:
Douglas Clifton

Yellow Duck atom database developer framework oop php programming rpc rss xml
8.CakePHP

Ruby on Rails is all the rage these days, and the author calls his OOP PHP rapid application framework a Rails "rip-off." The problem with Ruby is most hosting companies don't support it. Worth a look, but I would like to see it mature a little more. [1330]
★★★★☆
URI:http://cakephp.org/
Author:
Michal Tatarynowicz
[1]
Reviewed:Friday, June 24th, 2005 @ 10:28 PM EDT
by:
Douglas Clifton

CakePHP api database developer framework mvc oop php programming