Choosing the right platform for your eCommerce business can feel like a minefield. We're Magento Experts at Develo, but we're also knowledgeable on many other platforms, such as Laravel. Let's look into why Laravel could be a good option for your SME business and compare it to Magento.
Why Choose Laravel for Your Business
Laravel is a powerful tool that simplifies the process of building and maintaining web applications, it is a free open source framework using PHP. Designed with user-friendliness in mind, it helps developers create efficient, high-quality apps that can meet business needs.
The Key Benefits of Laravel
Extensive Options for Customisation
With a wide range of add-ons, or "packages," Laravel can easily enhance your application. Whether you need features for user registration, subscription management, or a dedicated admin panel, there's likely a package available to help you implement them quickly and efficiently.
Easy-to-Read Code
One of Laravel's features is its clean and straightforward coding style. This makes it easier for developers to read and update the app, ensuring that any future changes can be made smoothly and without complications.
Flexible Routing
Laravel’s user-friendly and adaptable routing system provides flexibility to handle various types of web requests and makes it easy for users to navigate to organise applications.
Intuitive Database Management
Laravel uses a feature called Eloquent ORM, which makes it easier for developers to work with your application's data. By allowing developers to interact with the database more naturally, it reduces the amount of complicated code needed. This not only speeds up development but also minimises errors.
Added Security and Control
Laravel includes a feature called middleware, which adds security to your application. It helps manage things like user access and data protection, ensuring that your application remains secure while still being flexible enough to meet various requirements.
Powerful Command Line Tool
The Artisan command-line interface allows developers to perform many tasks quickly and efficiently, such as updating databases or running tests. This saves time and effort, allowing your project to progress more smoothly.
A Supportive Community
You're never alone when using Laravel, it has an active large community of developers. This means there are plenty of resources available—with tutorials, forums, and shared packages, there are plenty of resources to help solve problems and enhance skills.
Comprehensive Documentation
The documentation for Laravel is thorough and user-friendly, making it easy for developers to find the information they need. This ensures that the apps built with Laravel are robust and tailored to your specific needs.
Magento vs. Laravel: A Simplified Overview
This simplified comparison should help you understand the key points when considering Magento and Laravel for your business needs.
Differences Between Magento and Laravel
Main Purpose: Magento is specifically built for online stores, with features designed for eCommerce. Laravel, on the other hand, is a versatile framework that can be used for a wide range of applications, not just online shopping.
Structure: While both use a structured approach, Magento is tailored for eCommerce needs, whereas Laravel offers more options for how developers can organise their projects.
Community Support: Magento has a niche community focused solely on eCommerce, providing resources specific to online businesses. Laravel covers various aspects of web development, so has a wider active community.
Ease of Learning: Magento can be more challenging to learn because of its specific features for online selling. While Laravel is generally easier to pick up, thanks to its user-friendly design and plenty of learning resources.
Performance: Magento is optimised for running online stores effectively, with features that improve speed and performance. Laravel also supports building fast applications, but it might need additional tuning for very busy sites.
Laravel at Develo
At Develo, we leverage Laravel to create customised apps for both our internal use and our clients. The framework's robust features and user-friendly coding style enable us to develop high-quality, scalable solutions tailored to your unique requirements. By choosing Laravel, you can trust that your applications will be well-built, maintainable, and designed to help your business thrive.
If Laravel is not right for you, take a look at how Magento can help your business
Sebastian Tracz
Senior Magento Developer
Sebastian is a Senior Magento Developer who has worked on eCommerce projects since 2019 and has been with Develo since 2021. Seb’s favourite aspect of web development is impacting clients’ businesses through meticulous detail in development. His favourite aspects of Magento are its flexibility for client growth and its supportive community. His best achievement from his time at Develo so far is writing a top-performing Laravel blog. Outside of work, he is a rockstar in several bands..
Develo is a leading Magento agency and eCommerce web development company based in Birmingham, in the UK, serving clients globally since 2010. We provide our Learn articles to share knowledge of magento web development, web app development and more to the wider web developer community. To extend your team with our white label web developers, collaborate or consult with us on your project contact us here.
