Do you want to create an outstanding web application? You would need a flexible and scalable framework in terms of architecture. Laravel and CodeIgniter have gained a lot of popularity in the last few years. Both frameworks can use to create robust and high-performance web apps. Laravel powers around 0.37% of the websites while CodeIgniter holds 0.36% of the market share.

Laravel, being a popular open-source PHP framework, is widely used for building websites and web applications. As this framework uses the MVC pattern, it provides comfortable and easy development. One gets complete control over the project over the development of applications as external APIs can be implemented. Laravel’s MVC architecture reuses the application logic to create scalable web apps.

On the other hand, CodeIgniter is an object-oriented, event-driven functional framework that helps to create fully-featured web applications. It considers as one of the best frameworks to develop dynamic websites and web apps. As the users do not need to rely on MVC development patterns, it can be integrated with third-party plugins to add complex features to the web app. CodeIgniter is known for its amazing security.
 

1. Built-in modules

Laravel allows web developers to break the project into smaller modules through a bundle. They can re-use the models across different projects and save development costs.

CodeIgniter does not support built-in modules and the programmers need to create and maintain multiple modules with the help of Modular Extension.
 

2. Library Usage

Laravel possesses object-oriented libraries that used to add the right features. Laravel libraries are comparatively easier to use than the ones available for CodeIgniter.
 

3. REST APIs

Laravel offers RESTful controllers to help the developers create custom REST APIs without writing any additional code. CodeIgniter does not provide such a feature to simplify the development of APIs. CodeIgniter developers may have to write more code as compared to Laravel developers while creating web apps.

Useful Read: What Is The Future Of Web Development? [Latest Trends In 2021]

4. HTTPS Support

Laravel supports the HTTPS route and helps programmers to make the right decision for creating a specific URL for each HTTPS route. With CodeIgniter development, programmers need to manage URL helpers to enable protection for data transmission.
 

5. Data Migration

Laravel provides greater support for data migration while CodeIgniter may have limitations and it may be time-consuming to migrate data while using it.

6. PHP Version support

Both Laravel and CodeIgniter frameworks support the latest PHP version i.e. PHP 7.X. The developers and testers may find it easy to build web apps with Laravel as compared to CodeIgniter development.
 

7. Technical Documentation

When we talk about the technical documentation for both frameworks, CodeIgniter wins the race as it has easy-to-understand documentation. On the other hand, Laravel has tough documentation that may not be easy to understand for all programmers.
 

8. Community support

Both the frameworks Laravel and CodeIgniter possess a huge community of experts to help the developers if they get stuck with the development. The Laravel development community is wider as compared to that of CodeIgniter development.
 

9. Stability

Web application owners need a stable and reliable solution. There’s no doubt that the PHP framework is a reliable framework and the risks of bugs and other technical problems are found more in Laravel and less in CodeIgniter.
 

10. Authentication

Laravel offers an authentication class that allows the programmers to implement authorization. The developers need to write custom code for CodeIgniter extensions.
 

11. Unit Testing

Laravel allows the developers to check the application code thoroughly. CodeIgniter does not have any inbuilt unit testing tools. Hence, the developers need to use additional tools for testing the apps.
 

Some common FAQs about CodeIgniter and Laravel:

1. Is Laravel backend or frontend?

Laravel is a backend framework that is a server-side PHP framework. It is widely used to create full-stack applications with amazing features.

2. Why do business owners choose Laravel?

Being a popular PHP framework, Laravel is based on MVC and used for creating web apps faster. It is an extendable framework that has a great number of components for building future-ready web apps.

3. Does Laravel ensure the best performance?

Yes. Laravel is used for building high-performing apps for different industries. When optimized correctly, Laravel used to craft high-performance and speedy apps.

4. How much does hiring Laravel and CodeIgniter developers cost?

Usually, the average charge for hiring Laravel developers is $12 to $30 per hour. You can hire CodeIgniter developers for $20 to $45 per hour.

Also Read: Are You Following The Right Website Development Process?

Wrap Up

So, which framework should you choose for your business? Well, it depends on your business requirements and budget. It is important to make the right decision while selecting the framework for web development. It can be a good idea to contact a few web developers and get suggestions based on your needs. You can look for the best PHP development company to provide you with a custom quote and time estimation for your project.

If you are planning to build an e-learning web app, you can choose Laravel. Business owners who need to create a custom CRM or an invoice management system can select CodeIgniter. Self-hosted website-performance monitoring apps can build with Laravel. Point of Sales (POS) systems can be developed using CodeIgniter. Laravel mostly used for building interactive websites with appealing and attractive content. People who look for a powerful PHP framework with enhanced security can opt for CodeIgniter.

Solwin Infotech is a leading PHP web development company that has a huge team of developers to help clients get the best solutions to achieve their business goals. We have also worked with a lot of businesses across different industry verticals and helped them get the best solutions at affordable prices. Feel free to get in touch with us to know more about our services.