There is one important decision to make when creating a new PHP application: Which framework should you choose? When it comes to PHP Frameworks, there is often a “fight” between Laravel vs Symfony.

You could theoretically start with no, but that would be a bad choice if the project is not trivial. You have plenty of options. You have a lot of choices, and this can make it difficult to decide.

Even though there are many choices, if you scratch the surface, two will stand out: Laravel, and Symfony.

There’s a major difference between Symfony & Laravel that is visible at first glance. Symfony combines an Application Framework with a collection of reusable components. Laravel, on the other hand, is a Framework. Laravel actually uses many Symfony components. This fact answers the question about Laravel being based on Symfony.

In this blog, we will refer to Symfony Framework, but you should also consider it as a Meta-framework because of the way it is built.

You’ll discover the differences between Laravel vs Symfony and learn how to select the best one for your project.

 

What is Laravel?

The open-source PHP framework Laravel offers a unique and stylish syntax. It is based on the MVC architectural model. Laravel’s straightforward and fast writing style is highly regarded and requires minimal configuration.

It uses the latest elements from many frameworks to create a web app. If you’re familiar with PHP, Laravel will be easy to learn. Laravel’s simplicity reduces the development time. It has a Laravel dependencies manager and a module packaging mechanism.

Laravel’s prominent features, reliable performance, verification sessions, and adaptability make it suitable for any type of organization. Laravel is used for many applications. These include SaaS applications, multilingual CMS platforms, and on-demand streaming apps.

 

What is Symfony music?

The Symfony Framework is a collection of PHP components that work together. It includes a framework for web applications, a concept, and a community.

Symfony, with its MVC architecture and reusable PHP components, is a reliable and established platform that is suitable for enterprise initiatives. It reduces code errors and saves developers time.

Symfony is most commonly used for content management systems, microservices, and bots. eCommerce platforms, accounting systems, blogs, bots, reports, and blogging are also common use cases. This framework’s primary goal is to make it easy for users to build software to suit their requirements. Framework components are available in full for high-end installation.

 

Laravel vs Symfony-Advantages

In this section, we will discuss the advantages of Laravel and Symfony that are given by a PHP development company. So let’s have a look:

 

Advantages of Symfony

Symfony, a popular PHP Framework, is known for its flexibility, robustness, and a large set of features. Symfony has many advantages.

 

• Modularity and Reusability:

Symfony adheres to the “Don’t Repeat Yourself (DRY),” and encourages code reuse through its modular architecture. It offers a variety of reusable bundles and components that allow developers to integrate and extend functionality.

 

• Mature and Stable:

It has been around since the year 2005, and it has a large community. It has a fairly stable codebase and has undergone rigorous testing. As a result, it serves as a solid basis for developing complex corporate applications.

Symfony provides a great level of flexibility and adaptability. The components required by developers may be selected and set up as needed. It follows the convention-over-configuration principle, enabling easy customization and adaptability to specific project requirements.

 

• Scalability:

Symfony can handle projects of all sizes and complexity. It provides tools for caching and optimization as well as scalability. Applications may now withstand higher traffic or user loads.

 

• Testing and Debugging:

Symfony puts an emphasis on automated testing and offers a robust framework for testing. It supports unit, functional, and integration tests, making it easy to identify problems and ensure code quality during the development process.

 

Advantages of Laravel

 

• Simple Coding:

Web development is a difficult process, as any web developer would attest. Laravel simplifies the process. This is because Laravel has a large library of preprogrammed functionality, which reduces the amount of code required. The program streamlines the process of developing reliable web apps.

 

• Scalability:

Project sizes differ. Software that is highly scalable allows you to take on projects of any size depending on your requirements. Laravel, a scalable framework for web applications of small to medium size, is easy to use.

 

• Secure:

The software comes with a built-in, safe access control system. It also provides a robust system that makes it easy to deal with any bugs or problems. You may save your passwords in encrypted format rather than plain text using the framework. This adds an additional level of security for you.

 

• Easy data Migration:

Laravel makes data migration a breeze. You’ll also reduce the time required to complete your project.

 

• Laravel is Easy to Learn:

It is regarded as one of the most approachable frameworks by many web developers. This is due to the comprehensive user documentation, which is available in its simplest form. The software also includes PHP screencasts that are easy to follow.

 

Laravel vs Symfony-Disadvantages

 

Disadvantages of Symfony

 

• Learning Curve:

Symfony’s learning curve is steeper than other PHP frameworks. It is a complex framework with a large codebase. There are many components and concepts that need to be understood. This can be confusing for newbies or developers.

 

• Boilerplate Code:

Symfony may require a large amount of boilerplate to set up the project and configure various components. This can lead to a longer initial development period and more verbose codes compared to lighter frameworks.

 

• Performance Overhead:

Symfony provides a large range of features and functionalities. This feature-richness can, however, sometimes be at the expense of performance. Symfony’s extensive abstractions can impact the performance of an application.

 

• Complexity for Small Projects:

Symfony is a great choice for complex, large projects. Although Symfony is a strong framework, it might not be the ideal option for straightforward projects or little apps. Its intricacy and feature set could make straightforward undertakings more complicated than necessary.

 

• Limited Shared Hosting Compatibility:

Symfony is dependent on certain server configurations and requirements, including PHP extensions and server settings. It can be difficult to find a hosting provider that meets the required requirements, especially if you are using shared hosting.

 

Disadvantages of Laravel

 

• Lightweight Framework:

Laravel is a lightweight framework that has a large number of features built to make web development simpler. When compared to other frameworks, Laravel has fewer features. It can be classified as lightweight software. It can create robust and large web apps, but the task is tedious.

 

• Laravel’s Cost is High:

It’s not the most affordable framework. A Laravel Developer will cost you a particular sum of money. This will rely on a variety of elements, including their background, how much time they devote, and how you interact with them. When compared to other frameworks, it is still pricey.

 

• Limited Support:

Support for Laravel can be difficult to find. Support for the software may not be readily available. This could cause problems in the event of system downtime.

 

• Frequent Updates:

Laravel regularly updates its software, which is great. The drawback is that outdated software quickly develops bugs. Updates to new software versions can occasionally cause issues for web developers.

 

• Slow:

Laravel’s not the fastest framework to use. Web development is slow compared to other frameworks.

 

Laravel vs Symfony-Key Difference

	LARAVEL	SYMFONY
Modularity and Scaling	Uses MVC apps with pre-built dependencies. It is slightly less flexible but easier to use if you are using MVC apps.	More reliable modularity is ensured by the usage of reusable components. The code is more clearly laid out.
TEMPLATING ENGINE	Blade is the default templating tool, which allows for code reuse that Twig does not allow. Lumen, another sub-framework that the framework uses is perfect for creating APIs.	Twig is the default template engine.
DATABASE SUPPORT	uses object-relational mapping (ORM) using Eloquent to retrieve data. The databases MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, SQLServer, and SQLite are all supported by Laravel.	uses object-relational mapping (ORM) through Doctrine to retrieve data. Symfony comes with support for the following databases: Drizzle (MySQL), Oracle, PostgreSQL, and SAP Sybase SQL Anywhere.
DATABASE MIGRATIONS	The migration of a database is manual. However, it does not require the definition of fields.	Data migration happens automatically and only requires simple definitions of fields within the model.
DATA MODELING	Requires a solid understanding of SQL. Eloquent is also often tied to the DB design, which makes it less flexible.	It does not require extensive SQL knowledge. However, you will need to create a repository per call.

 

Laravel vs Symfony-Detailed Comparison

 

1. Laravel vs Symfony: Projects

Symfony can be a good choice for complex, large web apps or apps with non-standard features. It could be a streaming music/video app, an e-commerce application, or an enterprise app. Spotify, Trivago, and Dailymotion are all well-known companies that use Symfony to develop their complex web applications.

Laravel is better suited to smaller projects that need fast implementation. Laravel has built-in authentication and easy database migration. It also simplifies configuration.

 

2. Laravel vs Symfony: Speed & Performance

Performance measurement can be a complex issue as it is based on many variables. Laravel is the winner in most benchmarks when it comes down to speed. Symfony, however, is well-known for its numerous optimization options.

There are also many levers that can be pulled. Beginners may not be able to take advantage of all the scalability options and optimization options offered by Symfony. Laravel development is simple and fast.

Web developers do not have to manually maintain or tune up the framework because it has many auto-configured options. Performance isn’t a big deal as long as you use the latest version of each PHP Framework.

 

3. Laravel vs Symfony: Database Access

Laravel and Symfony both provide an object-relational map (ORM), which is used for data access. Doctrine is responsible for ORM in Symfony. Eloquent handles ORM in Laravel. ORM makes data manipulation much easier in any PHP framework.

Software developers must create repository functions in order to access required data. Web developers have to manually migrate data when using the Eloquent database system. To access data, they must use Eloquent syntax, which performs all CRUD operations (Create, Read, Update, and Delete) with databases.

 

4. Laravel vs Symfony: Security

Symfony’s security system can be powerful, but it is a bit complex to configure. It has a finely-grained permissions model and allows for different authentication methods. Laravel takes a more simplistic approach to security. However, the basic features are sufficient in most cases.

 

5. Laravel vs Symfony: Templating Engine

Template engines are software that combines templates and a data model in order to create multiple pages with the same appearance throughout the website. PHP is a template engine. Adding an additional templating engine allows for more advanced templating and less syntax.

Laravel offers a little more than Twig, the default templating tool provided by Symfony. The blade is Laravel’s default templating tool. It has a lot to offer. The blade is a better alternative to Twig because it allows code reuse, which Twig does not allow. Lumen is a sub-framework that Laravel uses to build APIs and Micro-services.

 

6. Laravel vs Symfony: Modularity & Scaling

Symfony PHP and PHP Laravel are both developed using MVC architecture. However, in terms of code modularity and component reuse, Symfony is the winner. It is a program that structures itself in an organized manner and can be used for large and complex projects.

 

7. Laravel vs Symfony: Popularity

Laravel has definitely risen to the top of the popularity charts. Google Trends shows that Laravel is the most popular PHP Framework for the past 5 years. Symfony is a close second. Laravel may not be the best choice for every project.

 

Laravel vs Symfony? Which Should You Choose?

Due to the robustness and dependability of both Laravel and Symfony, this topic is difficult to answer. Laravel works best for smaller web development projects, while Symfony excels at long-term and complex projects. It is stable, durable, and fast.

You can find the best solution for your website development project if you carefully weigh your options and consider the advantages and disadvantages of the PHP frameworks as discussed above.

 

Conclusion

Both Laravel vs Symfony has their advantages for web development. Your business needs and the features that you wish to include in your app will determine which one to choose.

You should Hire Laravel developers if you are looking to create a simple web application with minimal expenses in a short period of time. Complex web apps and lengthy development projects requiring novel development techniques are best suited for Symfony.