[thelist] PHP database application framework

[Raoul Snyman]

Hi John,

On Wednesday 10 September 2008 17:35:26 John Corry wrote:
> Is there some code library that I can re-use with each new project that
> will handle these most basic functions and be customizable for adding
> new application specific functions?

I while ago I went on a fairly major Application Framework hunt, and looked at 
the various PHP frameworks. I evaluated CakePHP, Symfony, CodeIgnitor and 
Zend. Eventually I actually started writing a framework of my own, which I 
then abandoned because PHP 5 itself failed on a few crucial OOP tests.

CakePHP was my "favourite" of the lot. It features ActiveRecord, good 
separation between Model, View and Controller, you don't have to write reams 
and reams of code to get your app up and running, and it uses PHP 5 (someone 
was complaining about PHP 4 frameworks?).

One thing CakePHP does have, which I think you're looking for, is it's "bake" 
script. This script will ask you a couple of questions, and create your 
models and things for you.

I didn't like the look of Symfony or CodeIgnitor. They seemed to require too 
much to get things going.

Zend is not a framework. It's a set of code libraries they like to call 
a "framework" and it's MVC/application framework library is a half-hearted 
attempt to do something like the others.

Having said all of this, I've actually left PHP behind in favour of Python. 
Python is a much better language, with a very extensive set of modules. I'm 
using the Pylons MVC framework, which doesn't force me to work a certain way 
like Django does, and is lighter and easier to deploy than TurboGears.

Apologies for the brain dump, but I hope it helps.

-- 
Raoul Snyman, B.Tech IT (Software Engineering)
Saturn Laboratories
m: 082 550 3754
e: raoul.snyman at saturnlaboratories.co.za
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