Laravel vs. CodeIgniter: A Comparison of PHP Web Development Frameworks

Laravel and CodeIgniter are the most popular PHP frameworks available today,

But which should you choose?
Is Laravel better than CodeIgniter?
Does it have more features?
Which framework do users prefer?

Before choosing which framework to use in your project, you’ll want to read this comparison of Laravel vs. CodeIgniter to get an idea of the pros and cons of each platform and why so many people prefer one over the other.

Introduction

PHP is one of the most popular programming languages for building web applications, with Laravel and CodeIgniter are two frameworks used to build these types of applications.

Laravel is a newer framework and includes many more features than CodeIgniters does. However, this comes with a price, as Laravel can be harder to learn due to its complexity. 

When deciding which framework to use for your web application, many other factors need to be considered, such as the project requirements and team size.

History

Laravel was originally released in 2011 as a response to the need for a framework more in line with modern development practices and has become one of the most popular available frameworks.
It uses an expressive, elegant syntax that will feel familiar to anyone who has used any other programming language in the past. Laravel is free and open source, and its core library is completely unit-tested and covered by thousands of tests. 

CodeIgniter’s history stretches back even further than Laravel, as it was first developed in 2006.

Functionality

Laravel and CodeIgniter are both excellent frameworks, but they have some differences. For example, Laravel is a full-stack framework with a server-side scripting language called Laravel Script. You can install Apache or NGINX on your web host to run Laravel applications.

In contrast, CodeIgniter does not include a server-side scripting language and therefore requires you to use Apache or NGINX as the web server for running applications.

Another difference is that Laravel uses an MVC (Model View Controller) architecture, whereas Codeigniter uses Model View Presenter (MVP).

The main difference between these two architectures is that MVC separates data from presentation, whereas MVP integrates them.

Also Read: Laravel Features That Make It The Best PHP Framework

Community

CodeIgniter is a robust framework that is easy to learn and can be used for various web-based projects. It’s also free to use, which saves time and money in the long run. It offers many features that Laravel does not, such as URL rewriting, support for multiple languages/scripts (PHP 5.3+ only), Facebook Connect integration, Google Analytics integration, and more. 

Laravel is more advanced than CodeIgniter, but it’s challenging to use if you’re just starting with web development or programming.

Documentation

Laravel and CodeIgniter are popular web development frameworks that have been around for quite a while. The following compares the two to help you decide which framework is best for your project. 

• Laravel is built on top of the MVC (model-view-controller) design pattern, which means that it can be easily extended using third-party libraries such as ReactJS, VueJS, and AngularJS.
• CodeIgniter does not support this design pattern and instead relies on its Model class to provide similar functionality.
  
• Laravel provides an ORM (object-relational mapping) system, but CodeIgniter does not have one. ORMs simplify data manipulation by providing methods that let you access data without writing SQL queries.

Pricing

CodeIgniter is a popular and free framework that has been around for a long time. However, Laravel may be worth a look as it is the most popular PHP framework in use today. It offers built-in authentication, increased security, and easy-to-learn syntax.
It also includes an extensive list of third-party packages to extend functionality without coding from scratch.

Conclusion

Laravel and CodeIgniter are excellent frameworks, but if you’re looking for a framework to build your next big project, then Laravel is the way to go. It’s a more robust framework, easier to use, and has a stronger community. So, when it comes to complex projects, hiring laravel developers is best for your company.

If you’re just starting on your own or with a small-scale project, then Codeigniter might be the better option. The trade-off with choosing one over the other is whether you want an easy-to-use but limited framework or a more robust framework that’s difficult to use but has more features.