PHP Framework for a beginner, expecting a longlasting relationship with it

Question

i have decided to learn a php framework, and learn it well. I have heard codeigniter is very well documented and good for a beginner, but its based on php4, while php6 is in beta and php5 has been around for a while, should i invest on it? im confused (actually lured) by the expectation around Zend framework. any suggestions?

Answer 1

Oh no... not again.

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/575200/which-is-the-best-php-framework-to-use-for-php-5

Answer 2

trex279 is right, this question has been asked over and over. Look at the related questions in the right column of the SO site, you'll probably have more pertinent answers than what you will get out of this repost.

See for example:

• What PHP MVC framework can you recommend?
• Choosing a PHP Framework for long-term deployment
• What PHP Framework Would You Choose for a New Application and Why?

The fact that you are a beginner is covered in most of those questions and won't probably matter in the end as you want a long-lasting relationship with it so it's worth to invest in learning the one that talks to you the most.

About PHP5 or PHP4-with-PHP5-compatibility, I tend to favor all PHP5 frameworks now, it's definitely time to let go PHP4 but you'll still find a lot of shared hosting who only provide PHP4 (although it would worth finding the ones that provide PHP5 if it matters to you).

Good luck!

Answer 3

I've gone through the other questions linked to and this question is different (except for this which has been posted later). The poster is specifically asking about frameworks for beginners and I think it merits an own round of answers.