Laravel vs CodeIgniter - Which PHP Framework is Best for Development?

 

Are you wondering whether you should invest in Laravel or Codeigniter development services? Then, you are at the right place. This Laravel vs CodeIgniter comparison guide is here to help you make a better decision for your project.

Enriched with several in-built web development functionalities, PHP-based frameworks have been constantly evolving to become the first choice of developers. When talking about PHP frameworks, Laravel and CodeIgniter are two of the best and most popular PHP development frameworks. Both PHP frameworks come with their own sets of pros and cons so if you’re looking to choose a PHP framework for your web development project, then here’s a quick Laravel vs CodeIgniter comparison for you.  

Laravel vs CodeIgniter - Overview

Laravel	CodeIgniter
MIT licensed PHP-based framework	MIT licensed PHP framework
Follows the MVC (Model View Controller) architecture for web development	It is not a staunch follower of the MVC design pattern.
Source code available on GitHub	Ideal for creating dynamic websites
Ensures high-end security	Ensures high-end security
Has extremely expressive and accurate syntax pattern	Allows for third-party integration
Common web development tasks such as caching, authentication, routing, and sessions, are streamlined with Laravel which saves a lot of development time and resources for developers.

 

Laravel vs CodeIgniter - Features

Laravel	CodeIgniter
Modular packaging	Simple-to-use MVC Framework
Simple-to-use Blade-Templating Engine	Advance Security & XSS Filtering
Built-in Caching & Authentication Mechanism	Offers Data Encryption
Provides Better IO Capabilities	Search-Engine Friendly URLs
Quality Session Control	Very Light Weight Framework
Potential ORM Alternative in Query Builder	Offers Form & Data Validation
Seamless Integration with 3rd Party Libraries	Session Management
Fully Composer-based Dependency Manager	File Uploading Class
Laravel Admin Panel Generator ·      Voyager: The Missing Laravel Admin ·      LaraAdmin: Admin Panel + CRM ·      Orchid	Error Logging
Laravel Ecommerce Packages ·      Bagisto ·      AvoRed	Image Manipulation Library
Laravel SEO Packages ·      Laravel Meta Manager ·      SEOTools ·      AutoMeta ·      Laravel Seoable ·      Laravel-SEO ·      Laravel CMS ·      October CMS ·      Asgard CMS ·      PyroCMS	Offers Class for Calendar, Template Engine, & Unit Testing
	Support for paging & Data Encryption
	Hooks & Class Extensions
	Inbuilt Class Support for Sending Mail

So, these are the feature sets of Laravel and CodeIgniter. You can compare both PHP frameworks based on these features and what value they can add to your project, and then decide whether you need to hire Codeigniter developers or Laravel developers.

Laravel vs CodeIgniter - Pros

Laravel	CodeIgniter
Easy to learn	Open Source
Good for building RESTful APIs	Output Caching
Has an excellent built-in ORM	It is Well Documented
Comes with its own CLI	Lightweight
Easy to write web apps with authentication	Simple Templating Engine
Can use Symfony Components	Storage requirements only include 256 MB
Beginner-Friendly Framework	Ideal for running fast and small-scale applications or personal websites
Without spaghetti code, beautiful solutions to HTML can be offered using Blade templates	Easy to learn and master
Ideal for enterprise app development
The high-end availability of libraries ensures better documentation

 

Laravel vs CodeIgniter - Cons

Laravel	CodeIgniter
Has a Steep Learning Curve	Doesn’t have some basic functions
Laravel is Bloated in size	CodeIgniter is Outdated
Hard to use model properties	No global template structure and a small library offering
Doesn’t have Unit Testing	Ongoing maintenance could be tedious. Also, there are many possibilities of rewriting the codes.
Query Builder and elegant ORM inconsistencies	Modular separation is not being supported here.
Laravel development doesn’t import legacy systems well.
Heavy bloated codes

Based on the aforementioned pros and cons, you can decide whether you would benefit more from investing in Laravel or Codeigniter development services.

Laravel vs CodeIgniter - Differences

Here are some of the differences between Laravel and CodeIgniter that will help you decide whether you need to opt for Laravel or Codeigniter Web Services.

Laravel	CodeIgniter
Database Model
Based on the Relational Object-oriented concept	Based on the Object-oriented concept
Development Paradigm
Component-based	Object-oriented Event-driven Functional
Template Language
Blade template engine	PHP proprietary
Supported DBMS
Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, IBM DB2, MySQL, PostgreSQL OrientDB, and JDBC Compatible	MySQL, PostgreSQL, Microsoft BI, and MongoDB. CodeIgniter Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, DB2, etc.
Structure & Updates
MVC Structure of Filing, Command-line tool called the Artisan	MVC architecture and offers on-boarding Object-oriented programming
Popularity & Latest Trends
Expressive Coding makes Laravel very popular	It offers 2x ease of use which makes it most preferred by developers
Built-in Modules
It comes with built-in modularity features that allow developers to break an application into smaller modules through the bundle.	It does not offer built-in modularity features, and therefore developers need to develop and maintain modules using Modular Extension.
Support for RESTful API
The RESTful Controllers help developers to create a collection of REST APIs in less time.	CodeIgniter does not support the streamlined development of REST APIs.
Template Engine and API Building
The Blade Template Engine helps PHP developers to optimize web app performance by improving and manipulating views.	CodeIgniter does not have any built-in template engine. So, developers need to integrate it with a template engine tool like smarty. This enables them to create common tasks and enhance website performance.
Online Support and Libraries
It comes with official documentation. You can find additional help from Laracast.com or Laravel developers.	It offers numerous built-in functionalities and the website offers a useful guide that can be used.
HTTP Support
Developers can define custom HTTPs routes. They can create a specific URL for each HTTPS route.	It does not completely support HTTPS. So, developers need to use URLs to keep data transfer secure by creating pats.
Authentication
The Authentication Class feature helps developers to implement authentication and authorization rules.	It does not offer a built-in authentication feature. Therefore, developers need to authenticate and authorize users by creating custom CodeIgniter Extensions.
Unit Testing
It comes with PHP Unit testing that allows developers to check the code thoroughly.	It does not come with in-built unit testing tools. Developers need to use additional testing tools to assess the code quality of the application.
Learning Curve
Not beginner-friendly as it offers many additional features that are difficult to learn	It is beginner-friendly.

CodeIgniter vs Laravel - Which PHP Framework is Better?

So, that’s all about the CodeIgniter vs Laravel comparison. Your decision to hire CodeIgniter developers or Laravel developers depends on your project requirements, nature, and goals. Hope this CodeIgniter vs Laravel comparison guide will help decide whether you need to invest in Laravel or CodeIgniter web services. If you need further clarifications, you may consult with professionals to find out which PHP framework is better for your project.