In the ever-evolving landscape of web development, choosing the right framework for your project is crucial. One framework that has gained significant popularity in recent years is Laravel. Known for its elegant syntax, developer-friendly features, and robust ecosystem, Laravel has become a go-to choice for many developers. However, when it comes to large-scale projects, is Laravel up to the task? In this blog post, we’ll delve into the strengths and weaknesses of Laravel to determine whether it’s a suitable choice for big projects.
What is the Laravel framework and why is it so popular?
Before we begin, you do know that Laravel is a framework, right? But, what exactly is a framework and why does it contribute to development? Well, frameworks are reusable software solutions that allow developers to build applications quite quickly. The aim of frameworks is to help reduce the total development effort needed by developers to build complex and highly functional applications. Some frameworks also deal with UI, database, and security fixes, and are great development tools that help reduce the overall time and cost.
Laravel is a typical example of a framework and was launched in 2011, following which it rose to great popularity. A prime reason contributing to Laravel’s popularity is that it is based on the MVC (model-view-controller) model, which is a popular web development pattern and makes development quite easy. Laravel is also an open-source technology and is highly straightforward which makes development quicker and effortless.
Owing to these benefits, a huge number of developers started using Laravel, which is why the Laravel community has grown. Laravel developers have also developed highly functional apps, packages, and extensions using the language and have made several contributions to the Laravel ecosystem.
What are some other benefits of Laravel that contribute to its popularity?
Now that you have a brief idea about what Laravel is and why it is so popular, let us look at some other benefits of the framework. This will help us better answer the question – “is Laravel good for big projects?”
Jump right into this section and check out the top benefits of Laravel that contribute to making it a great technology choice for highly complicated and large development projects and applications.
1. Safety and Security
Regardless of the data your application stores, the security of your database is of utmost importance. With the PHP framework, developers can easily build security and blend it into the application’s design. Another significant advantage is that Laravel offers specifications that also help ensure the protection of the device. This is because Laravel does not store passwords as plain text, but instead, an automated token is generated every time someone logs in to prevent unauthorized access.
Another advantage is that Laravel offers ready-to-use SQL statements which make injection attacks quite difficult to land on servers. Some security features of Laravel that also contribute to its popularity include:-
- Use of encryption
- Options to reuse passwords with alerts set
- Secured routes
- User authentication
- HTTP security authentication
- Login storage
- Manual user logins
- Authentication drivers
2. Highly cost-effective
Compared to other PHP frameworks, Laravel is quite cost-effective and highly affordable. This is because Laravel follows the MVC pattern which means that developers must divide their code into three parts – models, views, and controllers. The interesting part is that all of these modules have different roles assigned and work together to help deliver a functional and effective application to developers. Thus, this modular approach significantly contributes to cost-effectiveness by dividing the final code into well-organized modules.
3. Database migration
When developing complex applications, a common problem that developers often face is the difficulty of maintaining harmony between database and production devices. Laravel facilitates this process; its ease of handling data migrations using the platform means that developers can make database changes without much repercussions. The ease of database migration with Laravel is essentially and easily one of the framework’s best features.
4. Self-regulated bug checking and testing
Once your application is launched, the work and effort needed do not end there. It is undoubtedly essential to test your app for bugs and continuously maintain it. As a business owner, if you do not have much time to spend or the technical knowledge to test apps, it is best that you hire a qualified tester to test the app and a developer to maintain it. Alternatively, you can choose Laravel because it uses automation to run tests and fix bugs in different ventures, making the testing and maintenance process quite easy in both the long term and the short term.
5. Automated discovery of packages
Traditionally, it was quite difficult to mount packages in web development projects, which complicated the process and made development quite time-consuming. With Laravel 5.5, developers can utilize a function known as Automated Package Discovery, which helps automatically identify the package that a developer wants to run. This also means that developers are not required to install any providers or aliases when downloading new packages that are to be used.
BONUS – Scalability: The prime reason for Laravel’s popularity
We have explored the 5 major benefits of using Laravel to essentially answer – “is Laravel good for big projects?” However , our answer would be incomplete without mentioning Laravel’s scalability features and the benefits it provides to business projects.
Other than being flexible, the Laravel framework is highly scalable too, making it a great development tool and aid. Since Laravel is highly scalable, it is suitable for large projects and is widely recognized as the industry standard. After all, Laravel can tackle complex, large, and diverse requirements and has the capability to deliver high-quality solutions catering to these.
Since security provisions and advanced authentications come as standard to Laravel, businesses can easily create and deliver multilingual web applications. Multilingual applications, as we know, offer businesses a viable means to scale and expand their operations globally . This is why Laravel is the ultimate tool to have at a developer’s disposal and perfectly complements digital projects of all sizes.
Conclusion
If you’re looking to get started with PHP and Laravel or want to adopt it for larger development projects, a word of caution – dedicate time to stay updated on the industry’s key trends and technologies. This is because new versions of PHP and Laravel are launched frequently, which is why developers must update their codes as per these updates at the earliest. We recommend hiring professional Laravel and PHP developers with a passion for coding and technology to ensure that they are aware of any updates, technology trends, and releases.
You must also ensure that your Laravel and PHP developers have a wide portfolio that attest to their design and development skills. After all, when used properly, Laravel can aid developers in creating highly functional applications catering to different user needs in multiple verticals. We hope the above article helped you determine whether Laravel is suitable for your large development projects and business needs or not.
