Laravel Framework a Top Choice for PHP Web Development

Web development tools and frameworks are abundant nowadays, and picking the apt platform may seem tedious. PHP continues to be a major force behind the websites, and a large section of web developers prefer this Open source scripting language. However, with time PHP has evolved, and nowadays, most developers rely on using the popular PHP-centric frameworks. Again, there are several PHP-based frameworks for website development. Laravel is one of the top contenders, and its popularity has remained intact over the years.

The basics of Laravel

Laravel is a PHP-based web development framework known for its elegant, expressive syntax. It enables web developers to utilize the core strengths of PHP, but they don't have to cope with the pain points and complexities. With Laravel, web developers can get rid of executing commonplace tasks like caching, authentication and routing. Taylor Otwell created this framework in 2011 to aid web developers, and his intention was to simplify coding complexities. 

Reasons Laravel continues to be so popular with web developers.

There are many other PHP-centric web development frameworks such as Codeigniter and Symfony. Despite the presence of other contenders in this segment, Laravel enjoys lasting popularity. Listed below are the reasons behind the lasting popularity of Laravel in the web development sector:

• Faster site and app creation- Web developers prefer using tools and frameworks that help expedite the development process. Laravel is a framework that ships with several pre-built functions. The developers can gain by using these embedded functionalities. So, they are able to create apps and websites faster when Laravel is used. That explains why PHP developers choose Laravel over the other options for completing projects within tight deadlines.
• Comes with nice Authentication and Authorization- Nowadays, web developers pay attention to secure access when creating websites and apps. In fact, unauthorized access is a factor that web users are worried about too. Fortunately, Laravel comes with a complete authentication system that is easy to deploy. It is amazing that steps like Registration, Login and Password Reset can be done using a single command in it. 
• MVC Architecture-Much has been said about the MVC Architecture on which the Laravel framework is based. MVC architecture ensures Laravel ships with a number of built-in functionalities. These make web app development simpler for the developers. MVC architecture also brings better documentation on board and ensures smoother performance. This is another area where it leaves the other PHP frameworks behind.
• Freedom from Technical Vulnerabilities- Web development professionals remain worried about the loophole known as 'Security Vulnerabilities.' Malicious hackers look for security loopholes in websites, and they often succeed in compromising site security using techniques like cross-site request forgery and SQL injection. Fixing these vulnerabilities can be costly and tedious. Laravel comes loaded with robust security measures to safeguard your site and apps from such online security loopholes. It also offers CSRF tokens for better security.
• Automated and Unit Testing- No matter what framework is used by web developers, extensive testing is a prerequisite. Without it, locating the bugs and resolving them will not be possible. Laravel Framework comes with inbuilt options for executing extraordinary testing. It also comes with automation testing support, which helps in cutting the downtime required for testing. The unit testing feature is another beneficial aspect of Laravel. 
• Scheduling and Automated Task Execution- It is better if a web app has an inbuilt task scheduling mechanism. This can be useful for notifying users and sending reminder emails etc. Earlier, web developers relied on Cron entry for task scheduling. Laravel negates the need to do this as it ships with an automatic command scheduler. So, the developers can use a single cron entry for executing many tasks using the Server.
• Enhanced traffic management- Any website and app have to cope with varying amounts of traffic from time to time. The instances of huge load on web servers leading to temporary snags and Server crashing are not unheard of. This is what e-commerce portals have to undergo during flash sales and festive timings, in particular. Using Laravel, web traffic management becomes simpler. The framework has an inbuilt message queue system, and that facilitates load balancing.
• Easy for new developers- The newbie PHP developers find it easy to learn and use Laravel for web development needs. For them, Laravel is desirable as it comes with many libraries. So, developing a website becomes faster and simpler. Through Laravel, implementing CSS and JavaScript, HTML is easy. 
• Artisan tool- The project environment found in Laravel makes developing sites and apps easy. The embedded tool named Artisan is often used by veteran PHP developers. Its structured way of coding helps simplify complex web development projects. Using Artisan, tedious tasks can be handled and executed with ease. This can be handy for developing Laravel Enterprise applications.
• Robust documentation and community support- Web developers using any platform or framework gain from quality documentation and support of online communities. In these aspects, Laravel scores very well. It ships with robust documentation. Besides, it enjoys the support of a growing and massive online community. Over the years, this community has grown stronger. So, newbie Laravel developers get support, and they do not have to face delays in executing projects. They gain from Laracasts a collection of video tutorials.
• Mail Service Integration- It is prudent that a web application comes with an embedded mail service. Laravel provides solid Mail Service Integration. So, an app made with it can be used to send an email over the cloud. Not only that, Laravel makes sending notifications using various online channels simplified. It supports widely used mail services and protocols like Amazon SES, SMTP, and Mandrill.
• Blade templating engine- Laravel comes with a Blade templating engine, and that gives it an edge over the other PHP frameworks for web development. It is intuitive and works rather well with PHP/HTML code. The templates are typically lightweight, and so developers can make stunning layouts easily. The top Laravel outsourcing agencies make use of this feature often. 
• Database migration- A lot of websites need to be linked with databases. Creating or modifying such sites with Laravel is hassle-free. Developers using Laravel face no hardship in sharing such databases with others in the team. The solid database migration feature helps save precious time. 

Are there any drawbacks to using Laravel?

No web development framework can be called the perfect, and Laravel also has a few drawbacks. The composer of Laravel is not as good as that of Ruby gems, say the experts. Upgrading from older versions of Laravel to the newer version can prove to be tedious sometimes. Laravel development speed is somewhat slow compared to other PHP frameworks. However, these drawbacks of Laravel are not enough to overshadow the numerous advantages, and these can be handled easily. An experienced Laravel company can overcome such small hurdles. 

Summing up

Laravel is a feature-laden PHP framework that comes with many useful features, and it is built to simplify the complexities involved with traditional PHP web development. Its focus on security, coding simplification, automated testing and task scheduling has made it so popular with PHP developers. The framework is quite flexible and customizable in nature, and that has ensured steady popularity. However, to leverage the full potential of the framework, it would be necessary to hire a veteran and reputed Laravel website development agency