cakephp VS codeigniter VS zend framework

Question

Very possibly very related:
What PHP framework would you choose for a new application and why?
Zend or CakePHP?

Which one is better?

Some people say CakePHP is better for php 4, what do you think?

In my case, I would like the following:

Lesser code to write, have really strong library and plugin base. Always have new library etc added in from contributor, eg: google map and etc...

Ability to use together with the templating system like smarty.

Have ACL that can control all the permission level issue.

Load class when needed, unload when not needed. Load class once and use globally.

Can run in windows environment (I am using xampp to run my php in windows.) After the site done, I will upload all codes into windows 2008 server (using php 5)

Answer 1

They are all very good. You may want to try each one of them separately and see which you/your team like the best. There is no such thing like A framework is better than B or C. It really depends on your needs and which one you are most comfortable with. All 3 are well supported and have decent documentation to get you started.

Answer 2

Your question is extremely subjective, and difficult, if not impossible to answer objectively. Only you will be able to tell which one is better (for your project) once you've researched them all with regards to your project and specifications.

Some of your requirements don't make a lot of sense, like "Flexibility to modify certain parameters in related to library", but other than that, I believe all three frameworks will handle everything in your list.

As for how much code you have to write, that all depends on how good a designer you are. ;)

Answer 3

Whoa, this is a big question to ask and is covered in hundreds of places (including Wikipedia). Nobody here will be able to tell you which is best for you. I'd suggest getting the latest version of each one and writing a simple blog app in each, it would take you a few hours in each one, but then you will definitely know which suits you and your style better.

Answer 4

We found CakePHP very easy to get started with, but certain things about it have gotten in the way; sometimes it's a little too magical for its own good. In particular, we haven't yet figured out how to connect to two copies of the database in order to transfer information between them.

Zend acts more like a library, where you can use the MVC bits, the AMF bits, or the Db bits together or separately. The code is cleaner, making it easy to figure out what's going on. It has modules for things we were wishing for when we wrote our first application; AMF was the one that finally pushed us to switch. However, it doesn't do quite as much for you; in particular, we have found ourselves writing more straight SQL, mostly because it doesn't seem to support the flexible conditions arrays we're used to writing in Cake.

Answer 5

Back in 2007 I was tasked with evaluating php frameworks and making a recommendation for which framework to become the new standard for building web apps at a previous employer.

The major contenders at the time were: CakePHP, CodeIgniter, Symfony, Zend, and (re-)writing our own in house framework.

Before looking closer at any of the possible solutions, I wrote a set of requirements based on what I thought was most important for a growing company with programmers of very different skill levels and experience.

Above is an excerpt from the blog Layers of Information, read the rest of the article here.

Answer 6

Hi You can use Cakephp with zend framework. Please go to http://www.docterweb.info/2009/11/cakephp-zend-framework-fusion.html to make it working

Answer 7

Top 1 PHP framework, i will say as following order:

1. Zend Framework
2. CakePHP
3. Drupal

Why?

A. Zend framework - is the father of PHP

• why here Zend showing? (why not we have here symfony or codeigniter or myname or yourname?), when php getting released you have embed zend written, does it still not make clear to all of us yet?

[root@www ~]# php -version PHP 5.2.12 (cli) (built: Jan 31 2010 11:31:11) Copyright (c) 1997-2009 The PHP Group Zend Engine v2.2.0, Copyright (c) 1998-2009 Zend Technologies with Zend Optimizer v3.3.9, Copyright (c) 1998-2009, by Zend Technologies You have new mail in /var/spool/mail/root [root@www ~]#

• IBM is linked with it somehow (like in backend ORACLE was father of sun/java/mysql) (lets think) a. Microsoft has ASP (windows server) b. Oracle has JSP (solaris server)

c. IBM have nothing? are you kidding? ( Aix bestest server still in history yet, php or zend is there support)

Answer 8

I think CakePhp is quite different from zend, you'd better has an overview with each framework and then create a simple app.

finally you will find what you want. every framework has its reason to be exist, so you have to take a further view of them.

Answer 9

ha ha ha, the post from Stackfan made me laugh. Sorry, no offense, but some of your arguments are unsubstantial and unfounded. Some make complete sense though. I will explain:

Zend is the company behind both PHP and the Zend Framework; but let's make difference between the company Zend and the Zend Framework as a product; the involvement of the PHP creator (Zend company) in the Zend Framework does not guarantee the Zend Framework qualities or credentials; similar to the involvement of Microsoft in their products for Windows does not guarantee their products superiority (vs products of other vendors) - often it does the opposite;

Notice that the mention of a Zend Optimizer does not necessarily refer to a Zend Framework optimizer;

Oracle is father of sun/java/mysql? - I do not know what you mean by that but Oracle had nothing to do with the credit the creators of sun, java or mysql can take. Sun was an independent (from Oracle) company, manufacturer of servers, unix like operating system - Solaris - and, yes, the inventor of Java; MySql was an independent (from sun and oracle) open source project; sun bought mysql; oracle bought sun; so oracle to me is nothing like a father to those but simply now owns them now;

IBM do support Zend products (PHP and Zend Framework) on their servers and are warming up to a friendship with Zend, the company, most likely in an attempt to, counter balance what Oracle has done with Java - expand their market and product offering with a widely accepted development platform. Notice that IBM has always strongly supported Java on their platforms too.