Laravel vs PHP-MVC: What are the differences?

Introduction

Laravel and PHP-MVC are both frameworks used for developing web applications in PHP. While they have similarities in terms of being MVC (Model-View-Controller) frameworks, they also have distinct differences that set them apart from each other. In this article, we will explore the key differences between Laravel and PHP-MVC.

1. Configuration and Convention Over Configuration: Laravel follows the convention over configuration principle, which means that it includes pre-defined configurations and conventions to make development easier and faster. On the other hand, PHP-MVC requires manual configurations for each component of the MVC architecture, giving developers more flexibility but also requiring more time and effort for setup.

2. Database Connectivity and ORM: Laravel includes its own powerful ORM (Object-Relational Mapping) called Eloquent, which simplifies database operations and provides an expressive syntax for working with databases. PHP-MVC, on the other hand, does not include an ORM by default, and developers need to use external libraries or write raw SQL queries for database connectivity.

3. Routing and URL Dispatching: Laravel provides a powerful routing system that allows developers to define routes and map them to specific controller actions easily. It also includes features like named routes and route model binding. In PHP-MVC, routing needs to be implemented manually, and developers have to write custom code for URL dispatching and handling different routes.

4. Template Engine: Laravel comes with a built-in template engine called Blade, which provides features like template inheritance, components, and layouts. It allows for cleaner and easier to maintain code for the front-end. PHP-MVC does not have a built-in template engine, and developers need to use external libraries like Twig or Smarty for rendering views.

5. Community and Ecosystem: Laravel has a large and active community, which means that there are many open-source packages and libraries available for extending its functionalities. It also has its own package manager called Composer, making it easy to manage dependencies. PHP-MVC, being a more generic term, does not have a specific community or package manager associated with it.

6. Learning Curve and Documentation: Laravel has extensive and well-documented official documentation, which makes it easier for developers to learn and use the framework. It also offers a wide range of tutorials, videos, and courses available online. PHP-MVC, being a more general concept, does not have official documentation or tutorials specific to it, making the learning curve steeper for developers.

In summary, Laravel provides a convention-based approach with pre-defined configurations, a powerful ORM, and a built-in template engine, along with a large and active community. On the other hand, PHP-MVC offers more flexibility in terms of configurations and database connectivity but requires more manual setup and lacks some of the convenient features provided by Laravel.