What is a framework?
A software framework is a software environment that includes predefined elements such as classes and functions and helps in developing custom software. Framework speeds up the development process by providing a basis for building applications for the particular platform and frees programmers from “reinventing the wheel.”
What all frameworks do:
- Ease the work with complex structures
- Tie together discrete elements into a convenient form
- Help to write standardized and consistent code with fewer bugs
- Simplify the debugging of code by another programmer
What are the most popular frameworks
There are various frameworks for each programming language. These are the most popular ones:
PHP Frameworks
- Laravel – Powerful, elegant, and friendly to newbie developers.
- CodeIgniter – Simple and fine, “fully baked” tools for developers. Unfortunately, no longer available.
- Symfony Feature-rich full-stack framework with a very steep learning curve.
- Zend One of the most popular, but disputable, frameworks with armies of lovers and haters.
- CakePHP A robust framework with all the necessary built-in features.
- Yii A top-notch framework called after its simplicity and functionality.
- Phalcon Rapid framework written in C, with a somewhat difficult library code.
Python frameworks
- Django Top Python framework, swift and full-featured.
- TurboGears Microframework available for scaling into a full-stack solution
Ruby frameworks
- Ruby-on-Rails A breakthrough open-source framework
- Ramaze Simple and minimalistic Ruby Framework
JavaScript frameworks
- Prototype JavaScript framework that can be used as a stand alone or as a basis for other frameworks.
- Mootools Compact object-oriented framework with AJAX handling. Recommended for experienced users only.
- jQuery Well-balanced and functional framework that is becoming more and more popular.
Java frameworks
- Spring Full MVC framework but with some unnecessary complexity.
- Dropwizard Lightweight framework that perfectly connects components with one another for rapid development.
- Play Framework Framework that supports Play an object-oriented functional language Scala.