Mastering Laravel: PHP Web Development Powerhouse

Laravel is an open-source PHP framework used to build web applications. It was developed by Taylor Otwell in 2011 as an alternative to the CodeIgniter framework. It uses a model-view-controller(MVC) design pattern. Functions in Laravel have basic PHP features- CodeIgniter, Yii, programming languages like Ruby on Rails, etc. If you have a little bit of knowledge of Core PHP and Advanced PHP, you can easily create your website in Laravel. It is both secure and less time-consuming.

Features of Laravel

Authentication

An authentication system is created to make sure that unauthorized users do not have access to the resources. Laravel simplifies the process of authorization logic and controls access to the resources.

Testing of software

It is extremely important to test the products for any errors or bugs or crashes. Handling the products has a deep impact on the user experience. Laravel is properly configured with exception handling and errors.

Routing

It is an important concept in Larvel. It allows routing all the application requests to their designated controller. Routes are defined in the app/Http/routes.php file.

Cookie Management

Cookies are the small bits of data stored in the web browser and are used to identify a user’s activity on the web browser. Laravel manages cookies and users can set, delete, and retrieve cookies easily.

Middleware

It is the interface that acts in coordination between request and response. It is another important part of Larvel and provides the method to filter HTTP requests that are entered into the project. This feature will let the user proceed further with the project after verifying the authenticity. Another middleware named CORS is responsible for adding headers to the requests.

MVC Architecture Support

Laravel uses MVC Architecture since it allows one programmer to work on the view and other to work on the controller to create business logic for web applications. It not only helps in a faster development process but also multiple views for a model. Another important feature of MVC Architecture is that it separates business logic from presentation logic, therefore there is no need for code duplication.

Artisan

This is the built-in tool for command-in-line provided by Laravel. Artisans can be used to develop skeletal code, database structure, their migration making it easier to manage of database. It also allows the developers to generate their commands and MVC files can be generated through the command line.

Why is Laravel the best PHP framework?

Various factors make Laravel so popular among developers and programmers. It is hailed as the best PHP framework for web application development. Why? Let’s find out.

Eloquent ORM

Techopedia defines ORM as a “programming technique in which a metadata descriptor is used to connect object code to a relational database”. Eloquent ORM is included by default in Laravel. It is responsible for interaction with database tables, providing object oriented approach to inserting, updating, and deleting database records, and also providing a streamlined interface for the execution of complex SQL queries. Eloquent ORM can also be used for multiple databases using Active Method.

Object-oriented Libraries

Object-oriented libraries are one of the chief features distinguishing Laravel from other PHP frameworks. It includes 20 in-built libraries and modules with each module having its own built-in Composer dependency management system which makes updating very easy. Functions include encryption, Cross-site Forgery protection, hashing, resetting of passwords, etc.

Another additional feature is that developers can segregate these functions into different units with advanced PHP principles for responsive and modular web application development.

Database Migration

Migration of data is important for websites that are to be redesigned and redeveloped. Laravel houses an inbuilt migration system that enables the “programmers to migrate and re-migrate the data without remembering them”. The entire process is automatic and ensures secure database migration.

High Security

Laravel has the strongest security system in the PHP framework. All the data is protected by the hashed and salted password system. To prevent SQL injection attacks, encrypted passwords are generated through hashtag algorithms which ensure high security. Programmers can also create SQL statements to safeguard from SQL injection attacks.

Blade Templating Engine

A blade is a powerful tool in Laravel that allows easy use of the template engine and it makes syntax writing very easy. It has its structure like conditional statements and loops. It can be used to create a master template that can be extended by other files. All the blade templates are stored in the/resource/view directory. To create a blade template you have to create a view file that will be saved with a .blade.php extension instead of a .php extension.

Conclusion

Laravel has proven itself to be the best open-source web development framework. It is not only functional, simple, and secure, but also allows the developers to be creative in creating web applications. From the time of its development to today Laravel has proven its ability in handling everything from single database management, unlike other frameworks. It is the ideal PHP framework that is equipped with modern technology and elegant features and syntax making it the first choice of developers and programmers.