What is CodeIgniter used for? Why Chose this PHP framework?

What is CodeIgniter used for, and what are its advantages over other PHP web frameworks?

Today, running an office without a business space is easy, but you can't think of having a successful company business without a website. While there are various PHP frameworks to choose from, CodeIgniter is one of the most popular as it simplifies the PHP code and brings out an interactive and dynamic website in a short time. It provides high-performance and hassle-free website and application development. If you're looking to focus creatively on your project by minimizing the amount of code needed for a given task, CodeIgniter might be your answer. Reading further, find out more about its advantages and its uses.

What is it used for?

CodeIgniter is an open-source web development framework popular for the quick turnaround time in developing web applications. It was initially released in February 2006 by EllisLab, and it uses the Model View Controller (MVC) development pattern. CodeIgniter is also used to modify the Hierarchical Model View Controller (HMVC) by allowing developers to maintain a modular grouping of controllers, models, and views specially arranged in a subdirectory format. In addition, it provides plenty of libraries for varied operations such as uploading files, authentication, server connection, etc. Moreover, it has a simple interface and a logical structure to access these libraries, plug-ins, and helpers. Overall, this framework is quite popular, simple, elegant, and user-friendly.

Advantages of using PHP CodeIgniter web framework

Let’s look at the various advantages that the CodeIgniter web framework offers to answer what is CodeIgniter used for:

CodeIgniter PHP Framework is the most popular PHP platform among developers. It is the perfect choice when you seek a secure web development platform. Here, developers need not worry about data leaks while working on a code. This is especially helpful in e-commerce websites that require a payment gateway where the client's bank details become your foremost priority. CodeIgniter provides adequate security standards for a website and makes it hack-proof. The encryption and decryption feature offered with it surpasses the reliability offered by any other PHP platform.

Customizability

CodeIgniter is the only framework that provides ease of customizability compared to the other PHP frameworks. This means a developer can fix errors instantly, configure the files in a simplified form, and easily add new functions like class extensions, custom libraries, and third-party plug-ins/add-ons. Furthermore, CodeIgniter offers high performance, making it easier for PHP programmers and developers to extend and customize the PHP framework.

Highly dependable MVC

The CodeIgniter framework uses the Model-View-Controller architecture design, which augments the platform's overall dependency. MVC architecture is the standard web application practice that separates data, presentation, and business logic into three main components. Additionally, it offers easy integration with JavaScript frameworks. It speeds up the development of complex and large web applications since developers can develop and run the modules per the client's requirements.

Enhanced UI

The most attractive and important part of the website is its user interface. An attractive website user interface directly attracts most of the clients translating to the success of a business. With CodeIgniter, you get an easy-to-use interface to develop a great website that is responsive as well as dynamic. Besides, the simple UI helps to easily find out the errors/bugs affecting the website performance, which, in turn, enhances the overall user experience.

Better Search Engine Optimization

As an online business owner, you want to reach millions of people and be their first choice. For that, you have to develop an SEO-friendly website. In such cases, developers choose CodeIgniter as it can uplift the website's rank on google. Also, it offers features that better the website's overall optimization. For instance, one of its popular features is SEO URLs that can improve the search engine optimization on your site.

Test Driven Development

Most developers also prefer CodeIgniter to develop a bug-free website without compromising the overall quality. It is a platform based on the test-driven development approach. This means every phase can be checked during development, and if any improvement is required, it can be modified without hassle. Through this, developers can find bugs and errors early, so they don't have to write and rewrite the code. This also helps to examine any function concerning the client's requirement and adjust it accordingly.

Supports both web page and database caching

When it comes to speed, CodeIgniter outpaces other PHP frameworks. It achieves this through web page and database caching which reduces server load by allowing developers to cache web pages in their fully exhibit state. Here, developers get an option to enable caching on a per-page basis, with an option to set duration along.

Community support and accurate documentation

CodeIgniter offers hassle-free community support and accurate documentation for its usage. And,  if you face any problems with advanced development services, a dedicated team of high-quality professionals is always there to address your concerns. Also, you get source codes that are reusable with minimal modifications which helps in enhanced development.

Quick development time

Many businesses choose CodeIgniter for web development because it offers simple configuration and quick development services. It requires less code as compared to other platforms. So if you are expecting quick development services for your time-bound projects, CodeIgniter is for you.

While the advantages say it all, let's compare CodeIgniter to another popular PHP framework, Laravel, and what makes it stand out.

Why is it better than Laravel Framework?

- CodeIgniter and Laravel are well-known PHP frameworks used to develop web applications. While they are object-oriented, CodeIgniter supports explicit and implicit routing, but Laravel is relational and only supports explicit routing.

- CodeIgniter-based websites have a higher execution speed, whereas websites developed with Laravel are comparatively slower.

- CodeIgniter is event-driven, while Laravel is component-oriented.

- CodeIgniter is simple to use, whereas Laravel is complex.

- Getting support and instant answers is easier with the CodeIgniter community.

Conclusion

To wrap up, we answered questions such as ‘what is CodeIgniter used for’ and ‘what makes it a choice PHP framework.’ We also outlined its features that help developers build a superior website. The framework allows them to develop an application from scratch with a user-friendly interface and simple coding capabilities. Also, this well-structured framework is easy to use for building large-scale dynamic, and secured web applications. And, when it comes to community, there's always help available for anyone with problems or issues with advanced features. With this in mind, it's critical to note that each framework has its benefits and downsides. The final choice depends on the project and its requirements.

Author Bio:

Disha Prakash is a writer with around eight years of experience writing in diverse domains. Besides, she has published a few research papers in international publications in computer vision and image processing. She loves to read books, do yoga, and meditate in her free time.