Symfony framework is a software framework which mainly turns useful for building or creating websites or web applications powered by Hypertext Preprocessor, which is also known as the PHP. The unique selling proposition of Symfony is that it can help in developing a web application or a website through reusable components.
Laravel PHP framework, on the other hand, is an open source and a free tool used for creating websites or web applications by making use of an architectural framework like the model-view-controller or the MVC with Symfony as the base.
According to research conducted by Similar Tech, it was found that almost 18.12% of the business and industry sector makes use of the Symfony framework. The health sector contributes about 11.19% and other sectors excluding art, entertainment, and shopping comprise of at least 62.11%.
Also, research published in Built With reads that the US has the largest number of users for Laravel which amounts to about 51,206 million. Also, Russia follows the league by contributing around 4,635 million users for the PHP framework in question
Features of Symfony:
☛ Website or web application development becomes speedy
Symphony framework enables faster delivery of web application or website through its feature of model-view-controller which is also known as the MVC. This enables testing the particular application for viruses or run-time errors to make the app development process speedy and faster along with high performance.
☛ Maintenance is easy
The maintenance for a Symfony framework becomes easy due to the feature of reusable codes or code lines. Symfony also provides additional features of readability of the codes and debugging a particular app in case of bugs or errors at the time of developing dynamic and extensive applications for various users.
☛ Lesser errors or mistakes
There are a lesser or lower set of errors or mistakes in the Symfony development as there are other supportive features like logging of errors, routing of URI in a flexible manner, and privacy for cybercrime activities like forging or hacking codes across websites for which the application is developed.
☛ Privacy and support
Symfony framework despite having reusable components or codes for developing a particular website or web application does provide privacy for all the applications or programs that have been developed through it. Also, due to dynamic and large community presence, it also provides support for its variant users.
Features of Laravel:
☛ The template engine
PHP framework Laravel makes a difference through its templates which are built in and don’t have to be downloaded from a different source for designing the particular application or developing a website through a database of dynamic content. The templates are easy to develop with the availability of a CSS or JavaScript code in the form of widgets to the tool.
☛ The presence of Artisans
Just like artisans are present for creating masterpieces and other related pieces of art, Laravel framework also has Artisans in the form of an inbuilt tool for setting up the command line or coding for the particular application or the website which is being developed or built. This feature of the Laravel framework also indicates the fact that the coding becomes automated and enables the developers to do their work quickly and faster.
☛ The unique feature of the Eloquent Object-relational mapping
While considering PHP framework comparisons, the feature of having an Eloquent ORM becomes quite necessary which enables adding a customized code or the PHP syntax in such a way that the developers do not have to involve SQL codes for developing the websites or applications. Further, for making the coding and development simplified, a PHP Active Record is also added with the ORM to make app development faster.
☛ Existence of libraries and modulation
This particular PHP framework has got a number of libraries which are object-oriented and built-in the software already. The feature that enables the installation of the libraries in a built-in format is unique to Laravel and is not available in any other PHP frameworks, making the development of applications and websites much easier for the developers. There are modules present in this particular framework which assist in developing applications in a modular way.
Advantages of Symfony:
☛ Easy coding and fewer hassles
In PHP framework comparison Symfony holds an advantage of easy coding and thereby simplifying the development or building process for a certain website or a web application in a faster and speedier way. Also, the unique feature of performance optimization of the websites and applications created for various businesses makes such a PHP framework hassle-free and reliable.
☛ Reusable codes and components
Symfony is the only PHP framework which initiates the involvement of reusable components and codes in such a way that it does not have to set up a new code every time a particular app or website needs to be developed. Also, the modularity and the architecture of model-view-controller (MVC) make the framework develop its projects faster for its clients. A factor of Time to Market or the TTM is comparatively faster in the Symfony framework.
☛ Presence of Twig template system
The dynamic template system is designed to function in a template engine of the Symfony PHP framework in such a way that detection of source codes are enabled in such a manner that whether they are trusted or not can be easily found and can be worked upon. The sandbox function of Twig enables such a feature. Further, the presence of a parser and a lever code for the framework allows the developers to customize the templates according to the needs of the client. This particular shall be considered in the PHP framework comparison.
☛ The advantage of Interoperability
Symfony adheres to the standards of the PHP frameworks in a way that conventions for naming or nomenclature and the feature of PHP Unit is enabled to help developers in seamless and hassle-free app development. It also enables the usage of certain software like managing translation, injector for dependency, as well as managing forms to enable developing dynamic web applications with the help of libraries which shall help in customizing web applications for various users. Such a feature is however unique to only Symfony framework and is available only in selected other frameworks.
Disadvantages of Symfony:
☛ Complicated privacy and support
Despite latest updates in privacy and support in the particular framework, the codes and command line are not that easy as they look for getting the protection for the framework as well as the application which has been developed. As compared to that of Laravel, the privacy and support for the latter works more efficiently than the former and hence the PHP framework scores less in this domain.
☛ Parser and lever files are not easy for handling
The parser and lever codes in a Symfony framework may look easy to access but are not. It is a complicated and difficult process as compared to that of the Laravel framework. The codes though have to be developed in PHP syntax but require more time to develop and test before being launched to the market or submitted to the client or the final user.
☛ Not suitable for developing or building large or small scale apps
This is yet one more limitation of the Symfony framework that the particular framework is not suitable for developing or building a small scale or medium scale applications as compared to that of large scale applications. Whereas Laravel can support the development of the medium, small, as well as large scale applications through the MVC framework and other additional factors for the development of apps.
☛ Lack of an Eloquent ORM
Unlike Laravel, Symfony does not support an object-relational mapping model for its templates or template engine. It also does not have the capability to develop its very own PHP syntax in such a manner that customized coding can be enabled for the particular framework to develop or built the required applications or websites. The likelihood of making use of SQL codes for programming becomes much higher in such cases.
Advantages of Laravel:
☛ The benefit of authorization and authenticity
As compared to the Symfony framework, Laravel stands one notch higher in matters where authorization and authenticity come into the picture. Due to the presence of adequate coding to check the authenticity of the request and codes, Laravel shall be trusted for creating or developing websites or web applications. Also, the presence of libraries and support make it easier for trusting for authorization and authenticity.
☛ Mail service integration
The feature integration with the mail service or mail system of the user makes it more trustworthy for use in such a way that at every point of development of the certain application or the website, the user or the client be updated. This feature is unique to Laravel among other PHP frameworks and thus more trustworthy than Symfony.
☛ Enables faster development of Apps through tool integration
Lavarel is highly integrated with all its back end tools like out of the box and file cache driver in such a way that these features help in faster and speedy development or creation of large and small scale web applications or websites as compared to that of Symfony framework even though both are supported by the MVC
☛ Advantage of error and handling of exceptions
In comparison to the symphony framework for developing or creating web applications for various clients, a business may choose Laravel due to its feature and ability to detect and handle errors and various other exceptions. The feature of Sandbox in the ORM is an example of such a feature.
Disadvantages of Laravel:
☛ Absence of features for payment
As compared to the other PHP frameworks and Symfony, Laravel does not support the features required for payments to the specific sources from which the software may be bought or installed. The same applies for advanced or additional templates which are not inbuilt.
☛ The disadvantage of upgrading the versions
Unlike Symfony, Laravel lacks the ability to transition or upgrade into a higher version. For upgrading a higher or newer version of Laravel, one either needs to delete or uninstall the older version of the software because the application might just collapse if forced to upgrade.
☛ Need for professional developers only
Laravel can become complicated in terms of dependency injector or documentation can turn complicated at times for amateur developers and may demand a certain level of expertise for using the framework for developing applications for various users.
Conclusion
Though Symfony Vs Laravel frameworks are based upon MVC, one may support large scale applications while the other may support the creation of medium or small scale applications.
It thus can be concluded that a certain PHP framework should be chosen according to the needs of the user for its application when Laravel Vs Symfony are being compared.
