A few days ago in the office, there was an ensuing argument as to whether Laravel developers have a future in the IT industry. This argument was based on the fact that Laravel is seen to be lacking in terms of continuity between different versions. Although this argument is subjective, the pessimists we right. Laravel migration and upgrade is an uphill task as developers are left to deal with a broken application when transitioning from version 4 to 5.
Although that may come as a step down, the optimists carried the day once the merits and demerits were put neck to neck.
If you are a company looking to embrace Laravel development in your projects or are just a beginner developer looking to learn Laravel, all is not lost. This article will give you a detailed idea of what Laravel is and some of the reasons why it’s the most sought-after framework.
What is Laravel?
It is a PHP framework that follows the MVC model and helps web artisans easily go about their programming tasks in a simple, elegant, and well-documented manner.
PHP as a back-end programming language helps executes commands from the application using available web servers like Apache, IIS, etc.., and return the feedback in form of the required MIME type.
Being a contemporary open-source framework, Laravel helps developers work with reduced codes hence creating high-quality products at must faster pace. First released in 2011, the framework came under heavy fire and criticism from different quotas who complained about inconsistencies in the syntax design, a situation which has since improved.
With that said, any Laravel developer out there who have worked with the framework will agree and vehemently so that on the following points dead-on.
Laravel is simple – Developers who like coding without sweating it out will love Laravel. The functionalities of this framework are easy to learn and equally easy to implement. This simplicity also means its a fertile ground for developers who are still in their early stages of programming.
It is elegant – Laravel requires minimal configuration to breathe life into most of its functions. Without compromising on the industry-standard conventions, developers can deal with less code hence produce quality and functional applications.
Laravel is well-documented – The documentation of this framework is consistent and always up-to-date. The creator of Laravel consistently updates the documentation before a new version is released. As a result, new developers have an updated framework to work with and learn from.
Samples of Laravel Syntax
In programming and particularly PHP web development, syntax simply refers to the specified rules that correctly define a combined sequence of symbols. Developers use these rules to create a coherent structured program to communicate with the computers using the appropriate programming language. If the syntax-semantics malfunctions, programmers can’t communicate with the computers which may result into a redundant application.
Here are 4 prominent examples of Laravel Syntax that Makes the Work of a PHP Laravel developer easier.
- Blade
Whether working on minimum viable projects or even multifaceted ones, Blade is one of those syntax semantics that any developer would love to have at their disposal.
This template system makes programming easier thanks to its capability to handle simple nested template inheritance and even the complex conditionals. Blade syntax is integrated and further cached into PHP code, this allows developers to enjoy faster web server performance compared to using stand-alone PHP.
- Composer
Another outstanding feature that elevates Laravel higher compared to other frameworks is the fact that it’s Composer ready. As a matter of fact, Laravel is a combination of dissimilar Composer components which enhances the interoperability of the framework.
Since its’ a dependency management tool specifically meant for PHP, Composer helps in managing the coexistence of a project’s dependencies. For example, if a certain library depends on two more libraries, it eliminates the need to upgrade all these libraries. This is because they can be dealt with using a single command line.
Another unique attribute of the Composer is that it’s able to generate and handle autoload files right from the vendor directory. The vendor directory holds all the project’s dependencies that are then redirected to the classes autoloading if it is assimilated into the PHP script. By doing so, the developer doesn’t need to recall individual dependencies’ paths and individually wire them to their respective files. They simply need to utilize the autoload file provided by Composer.
- Eloquent
In the case of Laravel 4, it comes bundled with an Object Relational Map called Eloquent. This is a powerful and much-needed tool that helps developers define objects, map them to their appropriate database tables, and finally manipulate them using PHP methods.
- Artisan
In the course of web development, a developer using Laravel is able to interact with the framework courtesy of a command line utility which allows for creation and handling of the website code.
This framework comes bundled with Artisan which is a built-in command-line tool that can perform recurring and mundane programming tasks which a developer would simply overlook if they were to performed manually.
This tool can also be used by developers to build a skeleton code, database schema, and migration which are important when it comes to managing or repairing database systems. That’s not all, Artisan can be deployed to quickly create View and Controller files, basic models using the command line, and managing all their configurations at a go.
Last but certainly not the least, developers will also appreciate the fact that they can create personal commands using Artisan and even conduct unit tests even before the application is completed.
Final Remarks
Laravel is one of the most sought-after PHP frameworks. This is because it mainly focuses on giving the end user first-class experience, which means simplicity, clarity, and functionality. That notwithstanding, its a darling to developers thanks to the reduced development time without muddling the application with redundancies.
Individuals and large companies are using this framework to build small recreational projects to the large and complex applications. So, if you are looking to build a website, this framework should top your list. For upcoming programmers looking to learn how to use Laravel, the industry has so much to offer and the fact that you have read this, it means you are on the right path.