Comparison of Development Using Core PHP and PHP Frameworks
Published On :10 August,2012
Overview
Today, PHP is more of a revolution in the arena of website development or it can also be considered as one of the most impulsive server side scripting language ever used for web development till date. Developers and programmers all round the globe use PHP to develop websites and web applications. That’s not it, business conglomerates hire dedicated full-time developers in order to fulfill their web development requirements. People especially amateur programmers/developers are often in a state of verbal war concerning the edge of core PHP over PHP Frameworks or vice-versa as per their own opinion and view points. To start with let me tell you that “there is nothing as such a bad programming platform or a language but a bad programmer” indeed who can spoil the party! To keep things simple and uncomplicated let me explain to you the difference between core PHP and PHP Frameworks.
One should know that Core PHP is the root of frameworks. A much complicated platform compared to PHP Framework, Core PHP is regarded as the fundamental base to website development. Every programmer should have the knowledge of Core PHP in order to be a successful developer in any of its frameworks. Moreover, I would also like to add that 'Core PHP' is often complicated when programmers start writing their own codes or logic in it. Inconsistency is the main culprit that leads to a programmer writing several codes to get a result which can be achieved easily with two or three lines of codes.
Why choose Framework over Core PHP?
Frameworks are time-saver, assures reliability and consistency. The rich set of functionalities available in it makes sure that a web developer does not have to embed codes again n' again while these rich set of functionalities are enough for you to develop a healthy PHP web application. That's not all, as you may already know that it has been developed in OOPS, which enables its users to extend the existing functionalities to gain absolute control over the web application. PHP Framework enables the best team coordination by making the code understandable, irrespective of the developer and as a result the entire module can be integrated just like that!
One of the best features that I found in Frameworks is that it takes care of all the possible parameters that I have to keep in mind while developing a project like database support, documentation support and model view controller architecture. One of the key functionalities present in framework is MVC (Model View Controller), which ensures the separation of logics, designs and functions.
Modification Projects
Let's face it! A client is never satisfied with the work you do as there is always a minute scope for improvement regardless the level of perfection you claim to have achieved :). There may arise a situation when certain innovative changes have to be introduced to an already completed project. Now, if the project was completed in Core PHP then, most probably your answer will be a big 'NO' to which even I have to agree with. However, from my personal experience I can assure you that for the same set of innovative changes in case of Framework, the task will be a cakewalk for the developer, such is the simplicity of framework over Core PHP.
Even Framework is not perfect!
Other than the numerous benefits that I mentioned above, there are still some drawbacks or limitations that trouble web developers at times. Although not major ones but I still feel that these should be enlightened to my readers for their benefit. The first one on the block is the learning curve, which means to work on PHP Frameworks as a web developer you should have the knowledge of Core PHP and functions, classes and methods offered by the opted Framework.
Let me remind you that good frameworks are complex and to learn them is a full-time job in itself, which is why some of us prefer sticking to 'Zend' or 'CakePHP' or ‘CodeIgnitor’. Apart from these, a good Framework will need much more coding to accomplish a general purpose task. For a beginner a Framework often proves to be a lengthy task at hand due to the code overload.
Conclusion
Love it or Hate it! But you simply can't ignore Core PHP, which I feel is somehow the origin of Framework. Core PHP actually assists in understanding the main logic behind working of a PHP framework, which in-turn boosts the working on the latter. I would advise a beginner to never go for a Framework without acquiring the knowledge of core PHP as that can be a pricey decision to make especially when you start working on complicated projects in future. I would also appeal to the programmers out there to read the documentation before starting to work on Framework as often people write Core PHP codes into Framework, which I feel is clear disrespect and sheer insolence. Last but not the least, use PHP Frameworks to make your website robust and secure.
Author Profile
Maneet Puri is a professional Web Consultant and also the Managing Director of Lexolution IT Services, a professional web design company in India. A visionary at heart, Maneet Puri has a flair for writing on upcoming technologies and futuristic concepts that have a direct relationship with mankind. With a decade long technical experience in his stride, he has been offering valuable advise and suggestions to his clients located all over the globe.
