CakePHP vs Laravel: Here’s What You Should Know about These Popular PHP Frameworks

Laravel is an open-source PHP framework that helps create web applications. Laravel offers expressive command-line interfaces, fast web development tools, an extensive library with reusable components, and similar features. 

Developers use Laravel to build robust applications with less code. These applications offer easy-to-maintain codebases and are highly scalable. In addition, Laravel developers use object-relational mapping to access and manipulate databases. 

Laravel is a popular open-source PHP framework.

CakePHP is also an open-source PHP framework that facilitates the efficient development and maintenance of web applications. Cake PHP offers built-in validation, safe request handling, unit testing, business logic support, and other similar features.

Developers can leverage CakePHP’s environment flexibility to build fast web applications. Also, CakePHP provides support for databases like MYSQL, PostgreSQL, SQL Lite, and more.

Now, let’s compare the two.

Usage  

1. Laravel and CakePHP are open-source frameworks. However, Laravel is free to use and operate. In contrast, CakePHP requires a license to operate and use.
2. Laravel attracts more developers with its free-to-use feature in comparison to CakePHP.

Architecture

1. Laravel uses MVC architecture. The model-view-controller architecture has three parts: the model, the view, and the controller. The model handles data of the application, the view displays data to the user, the controller interacts with the model for any data queries, and the view for user inputs and then updates the view accordingly. Laravel offers two-way data binding, which helps developers share and update data in different component classes.
2. CakePHP uses Hierarchical-Model-View-Controller (HMVC) architecture. In the HMVC architecture, different components have separate model-view-controller triads that interact with each other to update the application. By using HMVC architecture, CakePHP reduces dependencies, increases reusability, and makes the application more extensible.
3. The MVC architecture of Laravel is ideal for enterprise solutions, whereas the HMVC architecture of CakePHP is best suited for small websites.

Related post:  MVC vs. Flux vs. Redux: What Should You Pick?

Templates

1. Laravel uses Blade, a templating engine, to design unique layouts. Developers can use plain PHP code in blade views to create a consistent design and structure. Blade compiles and caches the views in the resources/view directory for easy accessibility.
2. Templates in CakePHP are regular PHP files with ctp extensions, using alternative PHP syntax to control output and structures. These templates have the necessary logic to prepare the data sent by the controller into an organized presentation format ready for the user.
3. Blade in Laravel does not affect the MVC structure, whereas CakePHP templates can affect the HMVC structure.

Object Relational Mapping

1. Both CakePHP and Laravel use Eloquent ORM for building queries and retrieving data. Developers can organize the database quickly with the help of Eloquent ORM.
2. However, Laravel offers two ORM options, Query Builder and Eloquent ORM. Both ORMs create bad returns.
3. CakePHP, on the other hand, doesn’t create any issues during object-relational mapping, ensuring consistent outcomes.

Security

1. CakePHP offers several advanced security features like hashing, encryption, and decryption. Also, CakePHP restricts actions to SSL, prevents form-tampering, handles blackhole call-backs, and limits cross-controller communication.
2. However, Laravel only offers basic security features like user authentication, password validation, password reminder and reset protection from cross-site request forgeries, and more.
3. Hence, CakePHP offers more security features than Laravel.

Testing

1. Laravel offers two ways to test your application- unit testing and feature testing. Feature testing enables you to test your codebase, whereas unit testing allows you to test your classes, models, and controllers.
2. CakePHP also offers two types of testing- unit testing and web testing. Unit testing allows you to test small parts of your code, whereas web testing enables you to automate testing for different website components to identify and resolve errors.
3. Both Laravel and CakePHP offer good testing features. 

Other key differences

Key differences between CakePHP and Laravel

Related post: 10 PHP Frameworks Developers Should Look Out for in 2022 

So, which PHP framework is better, Laravel or CakePHP?

CakePHP allows developers to work in an organized manner without losing flexibility. By using CakePHP, developers do not have to build applications from scratch. 

Laravel offers several features to build robust web applications. By using Laravel, developers can immediately deploy applications. 

Developers must choose between Laravel and CakePHP as per the project requirements and project timeline. In addition, developers must check out the pros and cons of each framework before making their choice. 

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1. Is Laravel back-end or front-end?

Laravel is a back-end framework that helps build server-side applications with features like order management, user accounts, etc.

2. Is CakePHP easy to learn?

CakePHP is a powerful open-source PHP framework that is easy to learn. 

3. What is Blade in Laravel?

The Blade is a templating engine in Laravel that offers unique templates and makes syntax writing easy. 

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