Many web developers prefer PHP to other server-side programming language. But the developers look for robust PHP frameworks to simplify and speedup development of custom web applications. The developers have option to choose from an array of open source PHP frameworks. CakePHP is currently one of the widely used PHP frameworks. As an open source web framework, CakePHP helps developers to curtail web application development cost efficiently. At the same time, it helps programmers to write custom web application rapidly by providing an array of features. That is why; it becomes essential for novice web developers to understand the important features of CakePHP.
Understanding Important Aspects of CakePHP
Reduces Coding Time
CakePHP is designed with features to allow programmers to build PHP applications without writing lengthy and complex code. It further enables developer to reduce the overall coding time by reusing their existing code. The developers can avail the code generation and scaffolding features of CakePHP to build web application prototypes rapidly.
Supports PHP 7
Like other web frameworks, CakePHP supports PHP 7. Hence, the developers can use the latest version of CakePHP to avail the new features provided by the latest version of PHP including enhanced speed and minimal resource consumption. PHP 7 further helps programmers to speed up their web applications without putting extra time and effort.
MVC Programming Paradigm
CakePHP can be used for developing web applications of varying scale and nature. Like other modern frameworks, it supports model-view-controller (MVC) architecture. The architecture enables users to speed up development of large websites by keeping the business layer and user interface separate. They can easily insert, update and access data from the database without affecting the presentation and display. An enterprise can deploy separate teams to work on various aspects of the large scale website at a time, and complete the project within a stipulated timeframe.
Minimal Configuration
Often programmers have to spend time to configure the PHP framework in the most appropriate way. But they can start using CakePHP without making any complex configuration. The framework can detect and configure the required setting automatically. However, the developers are required to set up the database before starting coding. Once the database is set up, the framework can be used directly without checking any complex XML or YAML files.
Provides Several Built-in Batteries
The built-in batteries provided by CakePHP help developers to accomplish a variety of tasks without writing additional code. These batteries are actually integrated with the PHP MVC framework. The users can take advantage of these batteries to effectuate caching, database access, translation, authentication and validation. The validation features further enable developers to add multiple advanced validation rules to each field.
Facilitates Rapid Prototyping
Nowadays, prototyping has become an integral part of web application development process. While building innovative and complex web application, the programmers have to test the concept in advance by building a prototype of the application. CakePHP comes with features to help programmers to create prototype of the web application without putting any extra time and effort. They can take advantage of the code generation and scaffolding features of the framework to build prototypes quickly.
Comes with Built-in Security Tools
Some PHP frameworks require developers to use third-party tools to keep their websites secure and inaccessible. But CakePHP is designed with a number of built-in tools that help programmers to create secure websites. The tools make it easier for developers to protect the application from cross site scripting (XSS) attacks and SQL injection. At the same time, they can also use the tools to validate user input, prevent web form tampering, and eliminate Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF).
Provides a Flexible ORM System
The most recent version of CakePHP comes with a new ORM system. The ORM is inspired by the tool used by other web frameworks to facilitate object relational mapping. It provides a fluent interface to effectuate query building, while supporting data post-processing, composite primary key, and eager loading strategies. The users also have option to use custom data type logic to cast complex types while interacting with the database.
Boosts Routing Performance
Often developers use tools to define routes to distinguish the application implementation from its structure of URLs. The reverse routing technique used by CakePHP 3.0.0 enables users to convert a number of parameter into a URL string. They can further use the reverse routing to refactor the URL structure of the application without making any changes to the code. The quicker and improved routing technique used by the latest version of the framework can parse and dispatch the routes faster without affecting the routing performance.
Facilitates Unit Testing
In addition to speeding up PHP application development, CakePHP further makes it easier for users to test the websites easily. As PHPUnit is used as its underlying testing framework, CakePHP provides support for comprehensive testing. The integration makes it easier for developers to perform unit tests to evaluate the application’s features and functionality. However, they have to use PHPUnit additionally through the Composer or a PHAR package. The option makes it easier for users to deliver a high quality PHP application.
However, CakePHP, like other PHP frameworks, has its own shortcomings. Many developers even find CakePHP to be slower than other web frameworks. But each new version of CakePHP comes with several new features and enhancements to meet emerging web application development trends. The web application developers can use the latest version of CakePHP to avail several new features and improved performance.
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