Web-apps : to framework or not to framework?

Question

I know PHP and am just beginning with MySql (but plan to use ODBC). I don\'t need any books explaining that.

I am probably qualified to develop a simple web site, bu

Answer 1

Using a framework saves you a ton of time and helps you to organise your app mroe logically.

If the app is small then frameworks like CodeIgniter or Kohana are ideal.

If you are building a bigger app that needs to scale the Symfony or possiby Zend are the ones to look at.

If you were to start your app in Symfony you would instanly get:

• url rewriting using routes
• a form framework for handling everything to do with your web forms
• internationalisation and localisation
• emailing
• caching
• admin area generator, to help you add data quickly
• unit testing framework

Plus the whole framework is extendable and custmisable to suit your needs.

Starting without a framework you'd have to write all of this yourself. Or integrate several disparate open source modules.

Hope this helps.