How will you describe a scripting language which is currently powering 244 Million sites? Big League, Right? In the web arena we call it PHP! Yes! PHP or Hypertext Preprocessor is the most eminently used server-side scripting language, driving almost 39% of the websites operational today. Almost every web development company renders PHP-driven app development as a part of its service portfolio.

Furthermore, even business conglomerates are bringing ardent developers on board, who can develop high-end business apps for them and get them the due recognition in the virtual arena. However, there is one dilemma that concerns every developer, amateur or pro, alike. Which one is better to work with- PHP core or PHP Frameworks?

Well, primarily it’s a matter of choice but as you dwell down on the various pros and cons of both, you establish an understanding of which of the two is best suited for development purposes. To begin with, let’s understand the primary difference between PHP core and corresponding frameworks.

PHP core is the root of frameworks. More complicated in nature and execution, core language forms the fundamental base to PHP web development. If you wish to work with frameworks, a thorough knowledge of the core is critical. The only hitch comes up when developers start adding self-written code snippets and logics in the core.

Why Frameworks Do the Trick?

Time-savers! Yes! That is what frameworks are. Rendering consistency and reliability to a web development venture, frameworks cut down on the time invested in the development cycle. Enriched with high-end functionalities, they bail out developers from the painstaking task of writing code over and over again.
MVC or Model View Controller is one the core functionalities of the frameworks which allows strategic separation of functions, logics and designs. Furthermore, being built on OOPS, they give your development team the freedom to extend functionality to any extent, which in turn makes you the boss of the app. Frameworks make code more understandable, which results in highly integrated applications.

Last Minute Flurry!

Admit it! No client is satisfied with your initial deliverable. There is always a scope for last minute improvements. If you are working on core PHP, your answer to last minute innovations would be a big ‘NO’, for obvious reasons. But if you are using any of the frameworks, implementing these changes becomes a cakewalk for you, thanks to their simplicity.

But Wait! Frameworks Aren’t Perfect Too

Every coin has two facets and the same applies in case of frameworks too. Besides the numerous pros discussed above, there are some limitations as well. First and foremost is the learning curve. In order to master frameworks, you need to have a thorough knowledge of core PHP at the first place. Secondly, accomplishing a general purpose task using frameworks involves extensive coding. For an amateur developer, using frameworks will be just like a lengthy coding task at hand.

The Bottom Line

Like it or hate it but you simply can’t ignore core PHP. After all, your beloved frameworks owe their origin to the core. With Core PHP, you establish an understanding of the basic logic involved in the functioning of frameworks and this obviously helps you in rendering high-performance applications. If you are a beginner who is yet to initiate his first development venture, it is advisable that you grasp the knowledge of core initially. Frameworks can follow.

Author Bio
Vinay is a long-time developer and a passionate educator.Vinay with a B.Sc.and M.Sc in Computer Science. He serves as a senior software engineer at Xicom Technologies.Xicom is a leading web development Company providing custom php web development services and affordable php development outsourcing services based in india.