Key Takeaways:
? Laravel is an open-source framework that follows the model-view-controller pattern.
? Symfony is based on an open-source framework that follows the principles of modular development.
? Laravel offers simpler and faster development, while Symfony provides flexibility and scalability.
? In Laravel vs Symfony, both offer robust security features that protect against vulnerabilities.
? Regarding Symfony vs Laravel performance, Symfony is ideal for a long-term complex project, whereas Laravel is a good choice for smaller web development.
Table of Contents
Preface
Choosing the right PHP backend framework to build web applications is a make-or-break decision. When it comes to the best PHP frameworks, Laravel and Symfony have secured their top position by providing robust and reliable web applications.
According to BuiltWith, 1,706,641 websites use Laravel, and 110,124 websites use Symfony. The data signifies the popularity, performance, and extensive features that make Laravel and Symfony developers’ favorites.
But choosing among these two becomes even more challenging because of their advantages. Thus, we have curated this blog to help you decide which PHP framework would be ideal for your project.
In this comparison guide, you will find an in-depth comparison of Laravel vs Symfony, its advantages and disadvantages, its use cases, and when to choose or not.
Difference Between Laravel and Symfony
Let’s compare Laravel and Symfony and how these two PHP frameworks differ.
| Parameters |
Laravel |
Symfony |
| Performance |
Faster for complex web development |
Slower for complex web development |
| Learning Curve |
Ideal for beginners |
Ideal for advanced experts |
| Architecture |
MVC architecture |
Reusable components used with any architecture |
| Templating Engine |
Blade |
Twig |
| Scalability and Modularity |
Better for medium and large projects |
Better for large-scale enterprise projects |
| Security |
Hard but challenging to set up |
Requires more configuration to set up |
| Database Support |
Uses ORM data access through Eloquent |
Uses ORM data access through Doctrine |
| Speed |
Quick development and faster execution time |
Slower in filesystem operations and HTTP requests |
| Code Structure |
Opinionated code structure |
Flexible but requires more knowledge to run |
| Scaffolding Tools |
Built-in scaffolding tools |
Supplied with a scaffolding tool known as SensioGeneratorBandle. |
| Popularity |
Popular among developers and users |
Popular among developers who want advanced features |
Laravel vs Symfony: A Side-by-Side In-Depth Comparison
As we can see, there’s tough competition among the popular PHP backend frameworks. Let’s discuss it more through in-depth comparison.
Websites using Laravel take 60 milliseconds, and Symfony takes 250 milliseconds to load. Laravel has a faster performance in terms of response time compared to Symfony.
When it comes to the Symfony vs Laravel benchmark, Symfony has better memory usage and processing time. In the Laravel vs symfony performance, Laravel is the winner.
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Symfony vs Laravel Learning Curve
The Laravel learning curve is easy to learn, and the Symfony learning curve is difficult to understand. Laravel has intuitive APIs that make it easier for developers to learn about documentation and video support.
Symfony’s modular design lets developers choose which components to use and provides documentation.
Laravel or Symfony for Architecture
Laravel has the Model-View-Controller (MVC) architectural pattern, and Symfony follows the MVC and Model-View-Controller-Entity (MVCE) architectural patterns.
Comparing Symfony and Laravel, Symfony is more flexible in creating efficient web applications.
Templating Engine Comparison: Symfony vs Laravel
Symfony uses the Twig templating engine, known for its extensibility and simplicity. Laravel uses the Blade templating engine, which offers a robust template and easy-to-learn syntax.
However, both templating engines add functionality in various ways. Also, both templating engines handle variable access differently.
Scalability and Modularity of Symfony and Laravel
Symfony’s modular systems can be scaled and tailored per the project’s requirements. Laravel can be managed with load balancing and route caching using the Artisan command-line tool.
Thus, Symfony’s component-based architecture offers more flexibility than Laravel’s monolithic architecture.
Laravel and Symfony: Which Offers Better Security?
Laravel has a built-in encryption system that secures data. Symfony provides granular security options that catch security vulnerabilities during the initial development stage.
Symfony provides advanced security features, whereas the Laravel version offers basic security features. The Symfony framework vs Laravel both deliver robust security.
Database Support: Symfony or Laravel
Both PHP frameworks support object-relational mapping (ORM). Symfony’s ORM is handled by Doctrine, and Laravel’s ORM is managed by Eloquent.
Symfony provides MySQL, Drizzle, SAP Sybase SQL, and Oracle. Laravel supports PostgreSQL, SQLServer, MySQL, and SQLite.
Laravel or Symfony for Fastest Speed
Laravel has built-in features and tools like the Artisan command-line interface that make the development process faster. Symfony’s routing system and microservices optimize the web development process.
Both frameworks can deliver fast performance, but Symfony requires advanced features to optimize performance.
Code Structure Comparison: Symfony or Laravel?
Symfony has a steeper curve that emphasizes separating different components, while Laravel’s convention over configuration approach makes it easier for developers to start the process.
Comparing PHP Symfony vs Laravel for code structure, Laravel offers simplicity and ease of use for developers.
Laravel’s scaffolding tool “Artisan” support models, test controllers, and database migrations. Symfony’s scaffolding tool “MakerBundle” supports testing, database migration, and security.
Laravel’s built-in authentication systems simplify adding functionality, whereas Symfony provides generators to create entitles and forms. Both are efficient in their way.
Laravel vs Symfony Popularity
Laravel PHP framework holds the cup in terms of popularity. Laravel has a large community, while Symfony is less widely used than Laravel.
Laravel developers can find immense support from the latest Laravel documentation, Laracast discussion forum, Codebright, Treehouse, and Sitepoint. Symfony developers get enough support from the official documentation page.
Pros and Cons of Laravel
It is essential to know the advantages and disadvantages before deciding. Thus, here are the pros and cons of Laravel.
| Pros |
Cons |
| Artisan Command-Line Interface simplifies the development process |
Coupled with the Eloquent ORM |
| It’s an extensive package ecosystem that easily installed through Composer |
Limitations for developing complex websites and custom queries |
| Built-in lightweight templates for simple and compound web development |
Lack of built-in support for microservices architecture |
| Robust routing to map HTTP requests and define routes clear |
Larger applications become complex and challenging to maintain |
| Automate testing ensures code quality and catches bugs quickly |
Independent libraries created complications among different packages |
Pros and Cons of Symfony
| PROS |
CONS |
| Synfomy handles a large number of requests, and mechanisms reduce responsive time |
A steep learning curve makes it difficult to learn for the beginners |
| Wide range of configuration options that allow developers to tailor as per the requirement |
Complex configuration system and time-consuming to understand components |
| Stay updated with the latest tools and technologies |
Small and heavy for small-scale applications |
| Built-in security features, including authorization and authentication |
Require to write a lot of boilerplate code, which is time-consuming |
| Easily integrated with other third-party databases and library |
Dependencies on other technologies slower the process |
Use Cases of Laravel and Symfony
Let’s look at the examples of renowned companies that have used Laravel and Symfony for web applications:
Laravel Real-Life Examples
FedEx
Using Laravel, FedEx has managed a large volume of requests and provided real-time shipping information to clients
Vogue
Laravel’s templating engine has to assist Vogue in delivering content with its extensive library of pre-built components.
Tesla
Using the PHP framework, Tesla handles a large number of transactions, and Laravel’s flexible routing helps to create personalized as well as secure user experiences.
BuzzFeed
Laravel’s modular architecture helps Buzzfeed build highly scalable CMS, and its database migration tools manage complex data.
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Market Usage Statistics of Laravel
- Of all the frameworks that exist today, Laravel stands at a market share of 0.32%.
- Approximately 80,144 live websites are currently using the PHP Laravel framework.
- In the USA, 3,48,499 websites are using Laravel.
Symfony Real-life Examples
Spotify
Using Symfony’s caching and optimization, Spotify can deliver a quick and responsive user experience and manage large requests.
The Economist
Symfony PHP framework helped the Economist build faster and highly customizable websites that deliver seamless reading experiences and secure users’ data.
Dailymotion
With Symfony’s flexible architecture, Dailymotion can manage numerous users and operate video streaming efficiently.
Drupal
Symfony’s extensible architecture allows Drupal to build scalable CMS and deploy new features.
Market Usage Statistics of Symfony
- Relatively, the market share of the Symfony framework is quite low at 0.04%.
- At present, 10,633 websites are using Symfony.
- In the USA market, 16,973 websites are using the Symfony components or the framework.
PHP Laravel vs Symfony: When to Choose What?
Still, confused about which one is better? Let’s simplify it and understand when to choose and not to.
When to Choose Laravel
- For rapid development and deployment of web applications
- When you are looking to customize applications
- Want to build ResTful APIs for quick and easy application development
- Ensure consistent quality code and modern syntax
When Not to Choose Laravel
- While managing specific tasks and the structure of the code
- When developing a small website that doesn’t require much customization
- Its synchronous approach to handling requests unsuitable for multiple projects
- Lack of maintenance makes it challenging and time-consuming
When to Choose Symfony
- When you are looking for a new latest framework to implement
- Flexible architecture and scalable framework
- Ideal for long-term projects and faster development
- Integration with other systems
When Not to Choose Symfony
- For smaller projects and fewer requirements for the projects
- Projects with limited resources like budget and time
- Restrictions on coding and simple framework
- Dependency on other systems and components
Laravel or Symfony? Pick the Right Framework for Your Project
There are several PHP frameworks, and determining the ideal based on numerous factors is daunting. However, it is essential to choose the particular requirements of your project. Laravel is an excellent choice for faster development, large community, and documentation. At the same time, the PHP Symfony framework is for flexibility, customization, and scalability.
We hope the comparison guide of PHP Laravel vs Symfony helps you understand its strengths and limitations.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Laravel is more popular because of its quick development capabilities, supportive developer community, extensive rich features, and ease to use.
Symfony and Laravel are similar because Laravel uses 3rd party libraries from Symfony’s components. However, using the Laravel framework makes it easier to learn and developer-friendly
Symfony benchmark because of its built-in performance tools, such as Debug Toolbar and Profiler, that make it easier to identify performance and optimize code. Laravel also provides similar but is less comprehensive than Symfony.
No, but it is challenging for initial developers due to its complex architecture, advanced features, and extensive documentation. It may require an experienced developer to build robust web applications.
Switching Laravel to Symfony can be tricky because they have different coding approaches and architectures. However, an experienced developer can make the transition smoother by understanding differences and similarities.
