Laravel vs. Yii2: Why to prefer Laravel over Yii2
Published: 2021-01-12 14:07:51

Laravel and Yii2 are the most popular and competitive frameworks in today’s time. Both frameworks come with similar and different characteristics that influence the sophistication for the PHP developer. Here we have listed down the advantages, disadvantages, and features of the frameworks that will aid you in choosing the best one for your business.

As per a report by ValeCoders, 78.9% of the majority web servers use PH server-side programming language.

<b>Laravel</b>
Laravel is a free open-source PHP web framework that comes with a refined and well-crafted syntax. It is created to assist <a href="https://www.optimalvirtualemployee.com/hire-software-developers/">web application developers </a>as it relaxes the authentication, caching and routing following the MVC (Model View Controller - all the codes are in one place and easy to be found) architectural pattern. This PHP framework is based on Symfony with the GitHub source code, licensed under MIT license

<b>Advantages:</b>
Security - Laravel provides very high security and provides full protection against malware attacks, security threats and SQL injections to even enter the web application.
Minimal cost and good performance - Comes with Artisan tools that lessen the repetitive programming.
Easy Authorization and Authentication for PHP developers
Powerful Cache System - Redis and Memcached are supported and this PHP framework can also support various other cache configurations.

<b>Disadvantages:</b>
Inbuilt Tools - Laravel originally comes with less inbuilt tools, but the PHP developer can use third party tools to resolve the issue.
Lacks in community support
Legacy systems are tough to transfer in Laravel
Slow development
Complicated reverse routing 

<b>Features:</b>
Dependency Injection and Management - It aids sighting the container IoC functionality while Dependency Injection detaches and injects complex codes.

<b>High Security</b>
Modular - Simple design and development using a modular framework.
Caching - Aids in keeping a good efficiency
Authentication - Codeigniter lets you develop fully functional authentication with a simple command
Routing - It aids in the development of URL’s that are search-engine friendly.

Easy to understand database queries
Offers templates


<b>Yii2</b>
Yii2 is an open-source object-oriented component-based MVC PHP web application framework which majorly assists fast development of advanced web applications and has a simple code. It provides solutions for example NoSQL databases, multi-level cache support, RESTful API, ActiveRecord, Query builder among others. The code mainly is for high performance.

<b>Advantages:</b>
Web Applications - Lets the PHP developer build faster and is best foeCommercesightingce frames, content and data management system and forums.
Dependency Injection and Management - It aids in sighting the container IoC functionality while Dependency Injection detaches and injects complex codes. It also protects against cookie tampering, CSRF (Cross-Site Request Forgery) and CSS (Cross-Site Scripting).
Easy learning with tutorials
Tools - It has the perfect tools for code generation through CRUD.
Easy Error handling and logging
Huge Community Support
Powerful Cache System - A good developer can create highly enhanced applications, best for Memcache, XCache, ABC and DB.
Third-Party Frameworks - Codes from other frameworks such as PEAR and Zend can be used 

<b>Disadvantages:</b>
Features - Some features are not crafts well, therefore, PHP developers need to use JavaScript to overcome it
Precise developing is needed
Built on the static method
Complex for new developers
Thorough knowledge of programming and PHP is necessary. 

<b>Features:</b>
Dependency Injection and Management - It aids in sighting the container IoC functionality while Dependency Injection detaches and injects complex codes.
High Security
Fast development
Caching - Aids in keeping a good efficiency
Easy installation
Advanced Technology for any component in the PHP framework
Quick in performance
Helps in growth - It helps to increase the traffic without further costs

<b>Comparing the two:</b>

<b>Similarities:</b>
MVC Architecture - Both Laravel and Yii2 support the MVC architecture
Extensions - Both Laravel and Yii2 come with very helpful extensions that boost the performance
Security - Laravel and Yii2 provide high degrees of security but Laravel still requires third party support.
Validating Form - Lavarel and Yii2 comprise this feature but there is a difference in the execution.

<b>Differences:</b>
Requirements
Laravel: It supports PH 5.5 or higher along with PHP JSON and MCrypt extension.
Yii2: Yii2 supports PH 5.4 or higher only.

<b>Test</b>
Laravel: Laravel supports Symfony tools for testing, for example, BrowserKit, DomCrawler and HttpKernel and PHP units.
Yii2: Yii2 supports PHP unit out of the box sling with Codeception testing.

<b>Migrating</b>
Laravel: It permits the programme to incorporate seeders for the simple transfer of data.
Yii2: It is simple and easy for testing and filling of static directories

<b>Debugging</b>
Laravel: It has a lot of options, for example, logging, Imho which can fix problems using Laravel-Debugbar Extension and Debugging Console.
Yii2: It has the debugging console which includes callbacks stack


<b>Conclusive Take</b>
On one hand, we have Laravel which is a combination of all PHP frameworks and provides very trusted features, for example, Superob IoC, easy migration and integrated module testing while on other is Yii2 which has a faster deployment of modern applications with simple code. It also gives a full-stack framework which incorporates query builder, NoSQL database, RESTful API among others. 

Laravel can be considered a bit superior and victorious in front of Yii2 but even then it depends on the business and the PHP developer. Even in a study, it was shown Laravel was considered by 43.7% people taking the highest percentage amidst 8 others.