Latest PHP trends in 2019

3 minutes, 48 seconds read

Published on Jan 2, 2019

Updated on Apr 17, 2020

PHP, or hypertext preprocessor, is an open-source server-side scripting language. It’s extremely popular, too — almost 80% of all websites were using PHP as of October 2018. The major reason for its wide popularity is that it is actually an open source programming language that means it is free to use. It supports MS SQL, MySQL and Oracle databases without any sort of trouble.

A PHP framework provides a basic structure for streamlining the development of web apps. We use them because they speed up the development process. In our last year edition, we already mentioned the top PHP trends but technology always has something new or different to offer. Apart from Laravel, CodeIgniter, Yii, Zend, Cake PHP and Symfony which are as popular as anything can be in the PHP world here are a few PHP trends to look out for this coming year.

Phalcon

A full-stack PHP framework that employs the MVC web architecture design pattern, Phalcon was originally written in C and C++ and released in 2012. Since it’s delivered as a C-extension, you don’t have to worry about learning the C programming language. Phalcon is easy to install and suitable for creating highly configurable web applications that are in line with enterprise development guidelines. Key features include increased execution speed, asset management, a universal autoloader, and top security and caching. Unlike other frameworks, Phalcon optimizes performance due to its efficient memory utilization. If you’re looking to create a blazing fast website, give Phalcon a try. On the negative side, Phalcon developers are a bit slow to patch bugs, which may not jive with today’s need for high levels of security.

FuelPHP

FuelPHP is a flexible, full-stack PHP framework first released in 2011. Apart from supporting the MVC design pattern, it has its own version called the hierarchical model view controller (HMVC). With HMVC, unlike with MVC, content doesn’t need to duplicate to show on multiple pages. As a result, it consumes less time and memory. FuelPHP helps developers deliver end-to-end web solutions that are diverse in size and complexities. Key features include HMVC implementation, RESTful implementation, a URL routing system, vulnerability protection, and a caching system. It extends its security approach beyond ordinary security measures, making it a great option if security is crucial for your project. Because FuelPHP is relatively new, it offers less support and may present a steeper learning curve.

PHPixie

Introduced in 2012 and just like FuelPHP, PHPixie implements the HMVC design pattern. Its goal was to create a high-performance framework for read-only websites. It’s easy to get started with PHPixie, which is suitable for social networking websites, customized web applications, and web app development services.

Key features include HMVC architecture, standard ORM (object-relational mapping), input validation, authorization capabilities, authentication, and caching. PHPixie is built using independent components. For this reason, you can use it without the framework itself. Note that PHPixie has relatively few modules. Besides that, it lacks support for components independently made from the dependencies. Since it’s relatively new, it’s less popular and has a smaller community of users than other frameworks.

Slim

Slim   is another popular PHP micro-framework that helps developers quickly create simple but powerful web applications and APIs. Just like PHPixie, Slim is easy to learn. PHP developers use Slim to develop RESTful APIs and web services. Key features include URL routing, session, and cookie encryption, client-side HTTP caching, and more.  It’s the best framework for a small web application that doesn’t necessarily require a full-stack PHP framework. In addition, active maintenance and friendly documentation make Slim super user-friendly.

Fat free

Just as the name suggests, Fat free is free of fats. This is one of the most popular and trending PHP micro frameworks that comes with a number of packages. It comes with features, such as data validation, CSS compression, unit testing, image processing, Open ID and others. It supports both SQL and NoSQL databases, supporting the development of web apps with ease.

Aura

It is a set of decoupling libraries that can be used for developing basic apps. These self-contained libraries can be easily integrated with any projects and the best part of these libraries is that they have no dependencies. All the libraries are flexible, compliant and well documented.

PHP programming language helps you to develop web applications that are complex, reliable and faster. Based on your business requirements, hosting plans, experience level, app needs, and development timeframes, although there are a large variety of PHP frameworks to choose from it is important to have a clear understanding of what actually your business needs on the basis of the latest PHP trends.

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Let’s rewind the clock for a moment. Thousands of years ago, humans had a simple way of keeping tabs on things—literally. They carved marks into clay tablets to track grain harvests or seal trade agreements. These ancient scribes kickstarted what would later become one of humanity’s greatest pursuits: organizing and understanding data. The journey of data began to take shape.

Now, here’s the kicker—we’ve gone from storing the data on clay to storing the data on the cloud, but one age-old problem still nags at us: How healthy is that data? Can we trust it?

Think about it. Records from centuries ago survived and still make sense today because someone cared enough to store them and keep them in good shape. That’s essentially what data observability does for our modern world. It’s like having a health monitor for your data systems, ensuring they’re reliable, accurate, and ready for action. And here are the times when data observability actually had more than a few wins in the real world and this is how it works

How Data Observability Works

Data observability involves monitoring, analyzing, and ensuring the health of your data systems in real-time. Here’s how it functions:

Data Monitoring: Continuously tracks metrics like data volume, freshness, and schema consistency to spot anomalies early.
Automated data Alerts: Notify teams of irregularities, such as unexpected data spikes or pipeline failures, before they escalate.
Root Cause Analysis: Pinpoints the source of issues using lineage tracking, making problem-solving faster and more efficient.
Proactive Maintenance: Predicts potential failures by analyzing historical trends, helping enterprises stay ahead of disruptions.
Collaboration Tools: Bridges gaps between data engineering, analytics, and operations teams with a shared understanding of system health.

Real-World Wins with Data Observability

1. Preventing Retail Chaos

A global retailer was struggling with the complexities of scaling data operations across diverse regions, Faced with a vast and complex system, manual oversight became unsustainable. Rakuten provided data observability solutions by leveraging real-time monitoring and integrating ITSM solutions with a unified data health dashboard, the retailer was able to prevent costly downtime and ensure seamless data operations. The result? Enhanced data lineage tracking and reduced operational overhead.

2. Fixing Silent Pipeline Failures

Monte Carlo’s data observability solutions have saved organizations from silent data pipeline failures. For example, a Salesforce password expiry caused updates to stop in the salesforce_accounts_created table. Monte Carlo flagged the issue, allowing the team to resolve it before it caught the executive attention. Similarly, an authorization issue with Google Ads integrations was detected and fixed, avoiding significant data loss.

3. Forbes Optimizes Performance

To ensure its website performs optimally, Forbes turned to Datadog for data observability. Previously, siloed data and limited access slowed down troubleshooting. With Datadog, Forbes unified observability across teams, reducing homepage load times by 37% and maintaining operational efficiency during high-traffic events like Black Friday.

4. Lenovo Maintains Uptime

Lenovo leveraged observability, provided by Splunk, to monitor its infrastructure during critical periods. Despite a 300% increase in web traffic on Black Friday, Lenovo maintained 100% uptime and reduced mean time to resolution (MTTR) by 83%, ensuring a flawless user experience.

Why Every Enterprise Needs Data Observability Today

1. Prevent Costly Downtime

Data downtime can cost enterprises up to $9,000 per minute. Imagine a retail giant facing data pipeline failures during peak sales—inventory mismatches lead to missed opportunities and unhappy customers. Data observability proactively detects anomalies, like sudden drops in data volume, preventing disruptions before they escalate.

2. Boost Confidence in Data

Poor data quality costs the U.S. economy $3.1 trillion annually. For enterprises, accurate, observable data ensures reliable decision-making and better AI outcomes. For instance, an insurance company can avoid processing errors by identifying schema changes or inconsistencies in real-time.

3. Enhance Collaboration

When data pipelines fail, teams often waste hours diagnosing issues. Data observability simplifies this by providing clear insights into pipeline health, enabling seamless collaboration across data engineering, data analytics, and data operations teams. This reduces finger-pointing and accelerates problem-solving.

4. Stay Agile Amid Complexity

As enterprises scale, data sources multiply, making Data pipeline monitoring and data pipeline management more complex. Data observability acts as a compass, pinpointing where and why issues occur, allowing organizations to adapt quickly without compromising operational efficiency.

The Bigger Picture:

Are you relying on broken roads in your data metropolis, or are you ready to embrace a system that keeps your operations smooth and your outcomes predictable?

Just as humanity evolved from carving records on clay tablets to storing data in the cloud, the way we manage and interpret data must evolve too. Data observability is not just a tool for keeping your data clean; it’s a strategic necessity to future-proof your business in a world where insights are the cornerstone of success.

At Mantra Labs, we understand this deeply. With our partnership with Rakuten, we empower enterprises with advanced data observability solutions tailored to their unique challenges. Let us help you turn your data into an invaluable asset that ensures smooth operations and drives impactful outcomes.