PHP is popularly used for web development because it not only offers interoperable with several HTTP server interfaces but also with database interfaces in the likes of My SQL, Oracle, MS SQL, and Informiz. Since PHP web development bears a striking resemblance to JavaScript and Java, so it is no more a challenge to find and hire PHP developers. Moreover PHP offers a secure environment for the development of web based solutions through multiple security levels. Another major advantage that makes it popular is the support that it derives from the open source community. The open source foundation of PHP enables developers across globe to add extensions and new features in programming. PHP programming involves certain specific aspects critical to programming and they are:
• Object Oriented Programming (OOP)
• Template Engines
• Management of Mails
• PHP Framework
• PayPal Integration
• Payment Processing
• Database Tutorials
• Regular Expression
• Security
PHP web development involves a huge gamut of development opportunities and they include web applications, CMS, e-commerce applications, RIA development, Mashup development, job portals, social networking application and intranet web applications. This clearly testifies that with each passing day, the requirement to hire PHP developers is increasing.
Web application development irrespective of types of scripting and programming languages involves prototyping. Prototyping has evolved as a critical phase in web development because it helps adding meaningful insights while preparing the final coding specs for the system. Now Rapid Application Development (RAD) is one of the upcoming software development methodologies that enable rapid prototyping. Interlaced with various structured techniques, information engineering mechanisms and prototyping techniques, RAD is believed to have enabled faster development and superior application maintenance. Now PHP is known to enable the Rapid Application Development through its certain frameworks. Some of these are:
• CodeIgniter Framework: It’s an application framework that enables faster development of projects through a rich set of libraries. This also reduces the amount of coding.
• Cake PHP Framework: It is an application development framework that offers exhaustive architecture for effective development, maintenance, and deployment of applications. Furthermore, it reduces development cost by offering design patterns like MVC and ORM within the given configuration.
• Zend Framework: It is an application framework released under the New BSD License. Basis a flexible architecture, this framework is focused on building secure, reliable and web 2.0 compatible applications and services.
• PHP Dev Shell Framework: It is an application framework specifically used for developing admin based applications such as plugins. Additionally, it offers a light weight functionally GUI with exhaustive configurations.
• Symphony Framework: It is a web application framework that develops enterprise based applications and replaces the repetitive coding mechanism with speed and control. It is easy to install and can run on Unix or Windows with web server or PHP installed.
• Yii Framework: It is a component based framework used for developing large scale web applications and comes with a stack of features such as MVC, j Query-based AJAX support, scaffolding.
• Akelos Framework: It is a web application development platform that speeds up the creation of complex web applications basis its MVC (Model View Controller) design pattern.