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Yii Framework VS Zend Framework

Compare Yii Framework VS Zend Framework and see what are their differences

Yii Framework logo Yii Framework

Yii is a high-performance component-based PHP framework best for Web 2.0 development.

Zend Framework logo Zend Framework

An open source, object-oriented web application framework implemented in PHP 5
  • Yii Framework Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-17
  • Zend Framework Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-14

Yii Framework features and specs

  • Performance
    Yii framework is designed to be highly efficient by significantly reducing complexity in routine tasks and by optimizing performance for faster loading times.
  • Security
    Yii offers built-in security features such as input validation, SQL injection prevention, and Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) protection, making it a secure option for web applications.
  • Component-based
    The framework’s component-based architecture allows for reusability of code, encouraging developers to create modular applications with a higher level of maintainability.
  • Documentation
    Yii provides extensive documentation that covers almost every aspect of the framework including guides, tutorials, and API references, aiding developers in understanding and implementing features efficiently.
  • Active Community
    Yii has a large and active community, which means a wealth of third-party extensions, frequent updates, and active forums where developers can seek assistance.
  • Gii Tool
    Yii includes a powerful tool called Gii for code generation, which helps developers quickly generate models, controllers, forms, and CRUD operations, speeding up the development process.

Possible disadvantages of Yii Framework

  • Steep Learning Curve
    For beginners, Yii can have a steep learning curve due to its unique architecture and extensive feature set, making it somewhat challenging for those new to web development frameworks.
  • Overhead for Small Projects
    Due to its comprehensive set of features, Yii might introduce unnecessary overhead for smaller projects where a lightweight framework would suffice.
  • Advanced Configuration
    Yii offers a high level of customization but this typically requires a deeper understanding of the framework’s configuration settings, which can be complicated for less experienced developers.
  • Less Popular
    Compared to some other frameworks like Laravel or Symfony, Yii is less popular, which might make it harder to find resources, developers, and third-party integrations.
  • Extension Quality
    While there are many extensions available for Yii, the quality and maintenance of these extensions can vary significantly, potentially leading to issues if not chosen carefully.

Zend Framework features and specs

  • Modular Architecture
    Zend Framework is designed with a modular architecture, which allows developers to use individual components without necessarily adopting the entire framework. This promotes reusability and flexibility in project design.
  • Enterprise-Level Quality
    Zend Framework is often used for enterprise-level applications due to its robustness, extensibility, and adherence to best practices. It's a trusted choice for high-performance applications.
  • Large Community and Support
    Zend Framework has a large and active community, providing extensive documentation, tutorials, and forums. This makes it easier to find support and resources when developing applications.
  • Highly Customizable
    The framework allows for significant customization and configuration, enabling developers to tailor components and configurations to meet specific application requirements.
  • MVC Architecture
    Zend Framework follows the Model-View-Controller (MVC) architecture, which helps in separating business logic from presentation logic, making the code more organized and maintainable.
  • Strong Security Features
    Zend Framework offers built-in security features such as input filtering, data sanitization, and cryptographic tools, helping developers build secure applications.

Possible disadvantages of Zend Framework

  • Steep Learning Curve
    Due to its extensive feature set and flexibility, Zend Framework can be challenging to learn for beginners, especially those unfamiliar with enterprise-level frameworks.
  • Performance Overhead
    While powerful, Zend Framework can be slower compared to lighter frameworks, as it might introduce more overhead in terms of performance and resource usage.
  • Complex Configuration
    With its vast array of configuration options, setting up Zend Framework can be complex and time-consuming, especially for smaller projects that might not need such detailed setups.
  • Less Suitable for Small Projects
    Due to its enterprise focus and extensive feature set, Zend Framework might be overkill for small or simple projects, where a lighter framework or micro-framework might be more appropriate.
  • Declining Popularity
    Zend Framework has seen a decrease in popularity in recent years with the emergence of new frameworks. It may have a smaller pool of new tools, resources, and community contributions compared to newer alternatives.

Yii Framework videos

No Yii Framework videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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Zend Framework videos

Is Zend Framework Dead?

More videos:

  • Review - Zend Framework becomes Laminas project at Linux Foundation

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Yii Framework and Zend Framework)
Web Frameworks
80 80%
20% 20
Developer Tools
83 83%
17% 17
PHP MVC Framework
72 72%
28% 28
Python Web Framework
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Yii Framework and Zend Framework

Yii Framework Reviews

The Most Popular PHP Frameworks to Use in 2021
Familiarity with the command line is also key to using the Composer PHP package manager. The Yii Framework is one of several which uses Composer to install and manage dependencies, packages which are required for an application to run.
Source: kinsta.com
Top 9 PHP Frameworks For Web Development In 2021
The Yii framework has a whopping 11Mn+ downloads from Packagist and 13.6k+ stars on GitHub. Yii, branded as ‘YES, it is!’, is a fast, secure, flexible PHP framework for web development, especially for building MVC architecture websites. It ranks 4 on the PHP Benchmarks list. Yii is a strictly Object-Oriented PHP framework and requires knowledge of inheritance, polymorphism,...
The 10 Best PHP Frameworks To Use in 2021
Yii is a good choice for newcomers to PHP. The documentation for Yii is refreshingly comprehensive and not only will you learn about how to make an app, but you can learn more about working with database or MVC patterns, for instance.
Source: trio.dev
Top 4 PHP Frameworks to use in 2019
Yii2 is famous for advanced security and fast loading time. This framework applies a non-repetitive code principle. Such a principle allows for avoiding the repeated use of similar software patterns. Using Ajax and JQuery features, Yii2 simplifies the development of large-scale applications. Other Yii advantages are:
10 PHP MVC Frameworks in 2019 for Modern Web Developers
Another exceptional framework has graced the PHP framework list in the form of Yii. Pronounced as “yee,” this term means simple and evolutionary in Chinese. True to its Chinese semantic meaning, Yii is created to be simple, fast, and reliable. It is based in the DRY (Don’t repeat yourself) concept to help agile development for web developers.
Source: fullscale.io

Zend Framework Reviews

The Most Popular PHP Frameworks to Use in 2021
The Zend Framework is a long-established PHP framework that is now transitioning to the Laminas Project. Migration to Laminas is strongly recommended, as Zend is no longer updated.
Source: kinsta.com
10 Best alternatives of XAMPP servers for Windows, Linux and macOS
To date, the Zend Framework has been downloaded more than 15 million times. With the third version published in July 2016, a successor to Zend Framework 2.0 and incompatible with previous versions, it is possible to create applications and web services based on PHP 5.6 or higher.
Top 4 PHP Frameworks to use in 2019
Enhanced documentation. With The Zend Framework Reference Guide that includes over 1,000 pages and over 500 examples, your development team might find the necessary solution for your app. Moreover, Zendcasts includes numerous tutorial videos that highlight the framework functionality.
10 PHP MVC Frameworks in 2019 for Modern Web Developers
Implemented using 100% object-oriented concept with features like inheritance and interfaces. Its wide range of features includes drag-and-drop editor, cryptographic coding tools, and instant online debugging tools among the many others. The only detrimental side of Zend Framework is its complex components making it one of the most difficult PHP framework in the list.
Source: fullscale.io

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Zend Framework seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 1 time since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Yii Framework mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Yii Framework yet. Tracking of Yii Framework recommendations started around Mar 2021.

Zend Framework mentions (1)

  • XSS vulnerability found in Stack Overflow
    But in addition to the Zend Engine there is also a Zend Framework (which is now called Laminas, apparently). Source: over 3 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Yii Framework and Zend Framework, you can also consider the following products

Laravel - A PHP Framework For Web Artisans

CodeIgniter - A Fully Baked PHP Framework

Symfony - A PHP full-stack web framework

CakePHP - The Rapid Development Framework for PHP

Django - The Web framework for perfectionists with deadlines

Ruby on Rails - Ruby on Rails is an open source full-stack web application framework for the Ruby programming...