What is Laravel? Overview of Benefits of Web Development

In the fast-paced world of information technology, new tools that can revolutionize the industry emerge regularly. One such tool is Laravel, a contemporary, adaptable, and efficient framework that embodies the pinnacle of PHP programming. Its advanced syntax and robust features make it the perfect choice for building highly scalable web applications. Today, Laravel stands tall as one of the most in-demand frameworks worldwide.

Let's delve deeper into Laravel's distinctive features, why this framework is indispensable in digital business, and why it garners such high acclaim.

What is a framework, in simple terms?

A completed web product can be likened to the main course of a restaurant, serving as a brand's unique business card, much like a website. The chef skillfully blends the correct ingredients, patiently applies heat with special care, and adds personal touches, and the masterpiece is born. In under an hour, the dish was ready, yet the chef's mastery stems from years of honing their skills.

Developing a high-quality web product is much like preparing a signature dish. It requires a wealth of experience, a deep understanding of technological complexities, and using the best available tools. Just as a chef doesn't start from scratch when making their signature dish but relies on various ingredients stocked in their kitchen, most web development companies use pre-existing components in their process.

Once upon a time, code was exclusively written from scratch, line by line, until it became apparent that similar tasks recurred within the same environment — such as database management, interfacing with external services, and more. Pre-made sections of standardized code started being publicly shared, with the finest examples incorporated into libraries, eventually giving rise to frameworks built upon these libraries.

A framework is more than just a collection of tools for web development. It's a comprehensive system that includes essential functions such as templating, caching, and email sending. With these pre-built components, developers can avoid the need to start from scratch and instead focus on implementing the project's unique business logic, making the development process more efficient and streamlined.

Laravel framework: a refined power

Laravel is a robust PHP framework crafted by Canadian developer Taylor Otwell in 2011. It emerged as a response to various challenges and deficiencies within PHP during that period, including complexity of use, inconsistency in application structure, and absence of convenient tools. Laravel adeptly demonstrates that code can be both elegantly beautiful and potent simultaneously.

Today, Laravel has attained immense popularity and is revered worldwide for its graceful syntax, extensive features, and robust ecosystem. The plethora of features integrated into Laravel offers a broad spectrum for developing web projects of diverse complexities, ranging from straightforward websites to intricate corporate solutions. While a stylish design contributes to the final appearance of the web product, the architecture ultimately dictates the reliability of the outcome and how everything functions internally.

Modular architecture

Laravel embraces a flexible modular model-view-controller (MVC) architecture. The MVC architectural pattern is a method of structuring code to facilitate comprehension of a website's functionality and interactions with databases and users. Each component—model, view, and controller — fulfills its designated role:

• The model manages data.

• The view presents it on the screen.

• The controller orchestrates their interaction with each other.

Essentially, this MVC architecture dictates how data is stored and presented to users of your web product, whether as an open online product catalog, restricted access to paid courses, or a sophisticated logistics system with varying levels of authorized access. Developers favor this architecture for its logical organization and convenience in testing.

Elegant syntax

Laravel adheres to simplicity, elegance, and readability principles in its codebase. Its expressive and intuitive syntax facilitates rapid and efficient development, saving time and resources.

Clean code is ideal for projects with intricate logic, as its clarity and logical structure prevent confusion. New members of the development team and even third-party contractors can seamlessly join the work, alleviating business owners' concerns about being left with a visually appealing website but perplexing code.

Advantages for online businesses

The Laravel framework has built-in authentication, security, and database management features, rendering it ideal for constructing online business platforms. Furthermore, its regular updates ensure continuous enhancement of all components and safeguard them against emerging threats. Web projects that can be created using this framework include:

• Online stores: comprehensive systems for organizing catalogs, managing orders, coordinating deliveries, processing payments, and conducting analytics.

• Business websites: showcase companies and their services or products.

• Electronic catalogs: offer quick search and filtering options for various products or services.

• B2B sites: serve business clients with Business-to-Business transactions and services.

• CRM systems: manage all business operational processes and maintain a customer base effectively.

• ERP systems automate an enterprise's business processes for enhanced efficiency and productivity.

• WMS (Warehouse Management System): manage warehouse processes and maintain inventory records efficiently.

• SCM (Supply Chain Management), HRMS (Human Resource Management System), TMS (Transportation Management System), RPA (Robotic Process Automation), PMS (Project Management System), DMS (Document Management System), and other management systems automate and optimize various aspects of business or project management.

• Bitcoin exchanges: facilitate trading of cryptocurrencies and exchange cryptocurrency assets securely.

• Analytical platforms: collect, analyze, and visualize data to derive valuable insights.

• Marketplaces: enable users to exchange and sell goods or services conveniently.

• Booking-type projects: offer services for ordering and booking accommodations, tours, etc.

• Online educational platforms provide learning and knowledge acquisition opportunities over the Internet.

• Reporting systems: collect and process data for analysis and reporting purposes.

• Food establishment websites: allow users to order food online for delivery to their address.

• Various other web products tailored to specific business needs and requirements.

While numerous excellent frameworks for creating these web projects are available, Laravel distinguishes itself with its exceptional flexibility and extensive development tools.

Functionality

Laravel provides comprehensive packages of tools and pre-built components for developing a wide range of web applications. It is renowned for its successful e-commerce solutions, including shopping carts, payment processing, order management, authentication systems, and user account management. Additionally, Laravel simplifies the implementation of multilingual and multicurrency support, streamlining content version management and providing localization tools for engaging with users from diverse countries.

Security

Laravel's emphasis on security is paramount for online business owners. In addition to regular updates, it employs secure hashed passwords, ensuring they are never stored in plain text in the database. Moreover, Laravel incorporates built-in security features such as protection against cross-site request forgery, SQL injection, and cross-site scripting attacks. These measures enable developers to configure various levels of security by filtering HTTP requests to the web application. As cyberattacks evolve in sophistication and prevalence, safeguarding a web product from potential threats and data loss is imperative.

Speed of development 

The expressive syntax of Laravel enables developers to craft clean and organized code swiftly. Laravel streamlines code composition by using a well-designed routing system that efficiently maps user requests to their execution, which is like following a pre-planned roadmap. This approach eliminates the need to construct routes from scratch, resulting in significantly shorter lines of code.

Performance

Laravel is renowned for its speed and efficiency in developing web products, owing to its built-in caching system and support for asynchronous tasks. This capability is crucial for projects handling large volumes of data and transactions simultaneously, such as financial applications, or e-commerce platforms. Consequently, Laravel proves exceptionally well-suited for online businesses where delivering an uninterrupted and responsive user experience is paramount.

Ecosystem

Laravel, an open-source framework accessible to all, has fostered a vast and dynamic community of developers who are continuously innovating with new plugins and extensions. Regular meetups and global conferences facilitate the exchange of experiences and knowledge, keeping developers abreast of the latest development trends. This expansive ecosystem presents many opportunities for talented developers, benefiting businesses seeking cutting-edge solutions.

Scalability

Scalability is another pivotal advantage of Laravel. As your business expands and website traffic surges, you require a platform capable of accommodating the increased load without compromising performance. Laravel's inherent scalability makes it effortless to handle growth, seamlessly incorporating new features as your company expands. Additionally, with over 41,000 packages and extensions available for Laravel, developers can effortlessly integrate the latest functionalities into web applications, further enhancing their capabilities.

API integrations

Laravel's numerous packages and dependency management allow for seamless integration of third-party APIs to extend web application functionality. This capability is crucial for online businesses leveraging payment gateways, delivery services, and social media platforms. It enables offerings like unified sign-on options for all services and automation of routine processes, enhancing customer experience.

Technical documentation

Development teams find value in well-crafted white papers that simplify complex concepts for easy implementation. With access to resources, tutorials, and plugins, there's only a little task that can't be tackled with Laravel. It's such a user-friendly framework that web product owners can focus on their business's operational processes without delving into technical complexities.

The secret behind Laravel's success

The platform's simplicity, robust features, and comprehensive technical documentation facilitate the creation of exceptional web projects. Let's now delve into Laravel's main components.

Object-Relational mapping tool

The object-relational mapping (ORM) tool simplifies database management by enabling a more intuitive and object-oriented approach to working with data. Additionally, Laravel includes a built-in migration system, streamlining database schema updates and changes for developers without the need for complex SQL queries, ultimately saving time.

Blade templating engine

Blade facilitates the development of dynamic and reusable layouts through conditional statements and loops. This enables rapid adjustments to the website's appearance, ensuring adaptability to evolving digital market trends and user preferences.

Artisan interface

The Artisan command-line interface grants access to Laravel features and tools, including database management, unit testing, user authentication, and authorization. It significantly simplifies repetitive and laborious programming tasks, relieving developers from manual work they might otherwise avoid.

Authentication library

Laravel includes pre-installed libraries and modules that accelerate the development process. For instance, the Authentication library encompasses features like user tracking, Bcrypt hashing, and CSRF protection, effectively managing user privileges and access restrictions.

Observer and event system patterns

Laravel's Observer and event system can be advantageous for working with a team of programmers, as it can respond to events without interfering with the specific details of the technical implementation. Such patterns are necessary for developers to define their own scheduled tasks in the framework.

Database migrations processes

Laravel simplifies version control and changes tracking by preserving each database schema modification as migration files. This feature proves especially beneficial for coordinated teamwork on projects.

Unit testing

Laravel offers native support for testing through the PHPUnit library. Developers can write application tests to ensure correct functionality and prevent future errors. This testing process aids in early bug detection and resolution and ensures that new changes or code additions do not disrupt previously implemented functionality.

In summary

Laravel's optimized architecture ensures high-performance web applications even under heavy traffic loads. With its philosophy of making simple and complex tasks achievable, Laravel offers an elegant syntax, modular architecture, built-in security features, and a vast community. It is an excellent choice for developers who build fast, scalable, and secure websites. However, Laravel is just a tool, and skilled developers are essential to create reliable and fast web products. At Asabix, our team possesses deep expertise in handling high-load and complex web projects, designing the appropriate architecture, and optimizing code. If you're seeking a reliable partner in web development, our team is poised to elevate your online business to the next level!