The Top Twenty PHP Frameworks

March 19, 2025

There is a PHP framework for any purpose, whether you’re creating intricate web apps, enterprise-level systems, or tiny APIs. Knowing the needs of your project, such as scalability, speed, modularity, or simplicity of use, is essential to selecting the best framework from the top twenty outlined here.

One well-liked server-side scripting language for web development is PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor). It was first presented by Rasmus Lerdorf in 1994 and progressed from simple tools for monitoring internet traffic to a powerful programming language. Today, PHP powers more than 75% of websites, including WordPress, and is adored for its ease of use, adaptability, and compatibility. It is a popular option for developers all over the world because of its open source nature and strong community support.

Usage of PHP

PHP as backend

PHP runs WordPress by taking care of server-side functions including database management, form submission processing, and dynamic content delivery. It guarantees seamless communication between the frontend and backend of the website.

Frontend connection

A WordPress website’s frontend displays dynamic material to users, such as posts, pages, and widgets, using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript in conjunction with PHP-generated data.

WordPress dependency

Because PHP is used in the development of WordPress, it is essential to the efficient creation, modification, and administration of WordPress themes and plugins.

PHP trends

With the release of PHP 8, PHP continues to advance, becoming more developer-friendly and modern with features like named arguments, union types, and JIT (just-in-time) compilation for improved speed. PHP development innovation is fuelled by well-known frameworks like Laravel and Symfony, which prioritise efficiency, scalability, and modularity. Furthermore, PHP is becoming more and more integrated with cloud services and microservices architecture, which is in line with current web trends. Another new trend is the usage of PHP in headless CMS platforms, which manage content independently of the frontend.

PHP dependence

Because of its close interaction with WordPress, which powers 43% of the internet, PHP is still essential in web development even with the advent of other languages. PHP is used for backend processing in most content management systems (CMS), e-commerce platforms such as WooCommerce, and custom web applications. It remains current due to its extensive hosting support, ease of use, and robust library and framework ecosystem. PHP is still used by businesses who rely on outdated technologies to update and maintain their apps.

PHP system structure

PHP system structure typically follows a model-view-controller (MVC) pattern, where the model represents the data and business logic, the view displays the user interface, and the controller manages user input and interaction between the model and view. The structure involves PHP scripts running on the server that handle requests, access databases, and serve dynamic content through HTML. A web server, such as Apache or NGINX, processes the PHP code, while a database like MySQL stores and retrieves data. Frameworks like Laravel or Symfony enhance the structure with additional layers for routing, templating, and database management, ensuring clean and maintainable code.

Frameworks of PHP

There are two primary categories of PHP frameworks: micro-frameworks and full-stack frameworks. Comprehensive libraries, integrated tools, and all-inclusive architecture are features of full-stack frameworks like Laravel, Symfony, and CakePHP that make them ideal for creating intricate applications. For small or API-focused projects, micro-frameworks like Slim and Lumen provide lightweight solutions with few features.

There are two methods to source frameworks. With community-driven development, open source frameworks are publicly accessible and support a vast array of projects (e.g., Laravel, CodeIgniter, Yii). Although they are less prevalent in PHP, commercial frameworks may provide enterprise-level solutions, extra premium support, or customised features.

The project’s requirements, such as the level of customisation needed and if scalability, development speed, or performance are the most crucial considerations, will determine which of these options is best. Frameworks provide developers with a foundation upon which to build applications effectively, utilising defined patterns and reused code to expedite deployment.

Top PHP frameworks you should be familiar with

Laravel

Laravel is a modern PHP framework known for its elegant syntax, built-in tools for routing, authentication, and ORM (Eloquent). It’s designed for building scalable web applications.

Usage: Ideal for full-stack web applications, APIs, and enterprise-level solutions.
Installation: Install via Composer: composer create-project –prefer-dist laravel/laravel projectname
Benefits: Provides an elegant syntax, built-in authentication, powerful routing, and robust ORM.
Used by: Mastercard, 9GAG, and Pfizer

Symfony

Symfony is a flexible framework with reusable components, widely used for building large-scale and complex applications.
Usage: Best for enterprise applications and complex systems with custom requirements.
Installation: Install via Composer: composer create-project symfony/skeleton my_project_name
Benefits: Reusable components, great for large projects, robust security features.
Used by: Spotify, Trivago

CodeIgniter

A lightweight and fast PHP framework, CodeIgniter is easy to use and doesn’t require a large configuration.

Usage: Ideal for small to medium-sized applications and projects requiring speed.
Installation: Download from the CodeIgniter website.
Benefits: Fast, simple setup, minimal configuration, light on resources.
Used by: Buffer, Caspio

CakePHP

CakePHP is an open source PHP framework that allows rapid development and follows the convention-over-configuration principle.

Usage: Suited for rapid development and small to medium-scale applications.
Installation: Install via Composer: composer create-project –prefer-dist cakephp/app
Benefits: Convention-over-configuration, built-in tools, form validation.
Used by: Express, Hyundai

Yii

Yii is a high-performance, component-based PHP framework for building large-scale web applications.

Usage: Best for applications that need high performance, such as social media platforms or e-commerce sites.
Installation: Install via Composer: composer create-project yiisoft/yii2-app-basic myproject
Benefits: High performance, built-in caching support, security features.
Used by: BBC, Pusher

Zend Framework (Laminas Project)

Zend is now maintained under the Laminas Project, providing a comprehensive set of components for building enterprise-level applications.

Usage: Ideal for enterprise solutions, web services,
and APIs.
Installation: Install via Composer: composer create-project laminas/laminas-mvc-skeleton
Benefits: Modular, flexible, high performance, enterprise-grade security.
Used by: BBC, Microsoft

Phalcon

Phalcon is a PHP framework delivered as a C extension, making it one of the fastest frameworks.

Usage: Great for high-performance applications like real-time web apps and large-scale projects.
Installation: Install Phalcon extension on the server.
Benefits: Speed, low overhead, memory efficiency.
Used by: Badoo, 500px

Slim

Slim is a lightweight PHP micro-framework designed for building APIs and small web applications.

Usage: Best for building RESTful APIs and microservices.
Installation: Install via Composer: composer require slim/slim
Benefits: Fast, lightweight, ideal for REST APIs.
Used by: Twitch, Stripe

FuelPHP

FuelPHP is a flexible, community-driven PHP framework with an HMVC (hierarchical model-view-controller) pattern.

Usage: Suitable for creating dynamic, modular web applications.
Installation: Install via Composer.
Benefits: HMVC pattern, highly modular, flexible configuration.
Used by: Toyota, Suzuki

PHPixie

PHPixie is a lightweight, high-performance PHP framework designed for building scalable web applications.

Usage: Perfect for building fast and secure applications with minimal dependencies.
Installation: Install via Composer: composer create-project phpixie/framework
Benefits: High performance, clean structure, minimal dependencies.

Lumen

Lumen is a micro-framework from the creators of Laravel, focused on building fast microservices and APIs.

Usage: Ideal for building lightweight APIs and microservices.
Installation: Install via Composer: composer create-project –prefer-dist laravel/lumen myproject
Benefits: Fast, lightweight, API-first.

Flight

Flight is a micro-framework designed for building RESTful APIs and small web applications with minimal setup.

Usage: Best for rapid prototyping and microservices development.
Installation: Install via Composer: composer require flight/flight
Benefits: Lightweight, simple to use, no configuration required.

Medoo

Medoo is a lightweight PHP database framework that provides a simple and elegant interface to interact with databases.

Usage: Great for developers looking to work with databases without the complexity of ORM.
Installation: Install via Composer: composer require catfan/medoo
Benefits: Simple database handling, lightweight, no complex ORM.

F3 (Fat-Free Framework)

F3 is a fast and lightweight PHP micro-framework that helps build REST APIs and simple web applications.

Usage: Best for small applications and quick web services.
Installation: Install via Composer: composer require bcosca/fatfree
Benefits: Lightweight, fast, minimal dependencies.

Aura

Aura is a modular PHP framework designed to be highly extensible and lightweight for creating custom web applications.

Usage: Best for developers needing modular and reusable components.
Installation: Install via Composer: composer require aura/installer
Benefits: Modular, reusable components, fast performance.

Kohana

Kohana is a PHP5 framework that is built around the HMVC architecture and is designed for rapid development.

Usage: Suitable for complex web applications, built with flexibility and scalability.
Installation: Download from the Kohana website.
Benefits: HMVC architecture, modular, fast.

Lithium (Li3)

Lithium is a modern PHP framework known for its lightweight design and powerful architecture.

Usage: Used for high-performance applications and projects that require scalability.
Installation: Install via Composer.
Benefits: High performance, scalability, minimalist design.

MicroMVC

MicroMVC is a simple, lightweight PHP framework for building small MVC-based applications.

Usage: Best for small-scale web applications or for developers needing simple structure.
Installation: Download from the MicroMVC website.
Benefits: Lightweight, fast setup, minimalist.

IcePHP

IcePHP is a full-stack PHP framework that allows for fast and scalable application development.

Usage: Ideal for rapid application development, especially when performance is important.
Installation: Install via Composer.
Benefits: Scalable, simple to use.

Pop PHP Framework

Pop PHP Framework is a full-featured framework designed for simplicity, performance, and flexibility.
Usage: Used for building secure, flexible, and scalable web applications.
Installation: Install via Composer: composer require popphp/framework
Benefits: Fast, flexible, secure.

PHP frameworks give programmers the instruments and frameworks they need to create robust, effective, and expandable online applications. Every framework has a distinct function, ranging from full-stack solutions like Laravel and Symfony to lightweight micro-frameworks like Slim and Flight. Many developers choose well-known frameworks like Laravel and Symfony because they provide a wealth of capabilities, community support, and comprehensive documentation. However, for smaller applications where performance and minimal configuration are crucial, lightweight frameworks like Slim and Phalcon might be more appropriate.

In summary, PHP frameworks are essential for contemporary web development since they streamline development, boost efficiency, and offer security and performance.