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Zend Framework VS Phalcon

Compare Zend Framework VS Phalcon and see what are their differences

Zend Framework logo Zend Framework

An open source, object-oriented web application framework implemented in PHP 5

Phalcon logo Phalcon

Web framework delivered as a C-extension for PHP
  • Zend Framework Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-14
  • Phalcon Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-17

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.

Phalcon features and specs

  • Performance
    Phalcon is known for its exceptional performance because it is implemented as a C extension, which runs at the speed of C while still providing high-level abstractions.
  • Low Overhead
    Due to its architecture and the fact that it is loaded into memory as a PHP extension, Phalcon has low memory and CPU usage. This makes it highly efficient for resource-intensive applications.
  • Rich Feature Set
    Phalcon comes with a comprehensive set of features and components, including ORM, template engine, request/response handling, and more, which can help accelerate development.
  • Good Documentation
    Phalcon has extensive documentation and a wide range of tutorials that can help developers get started quickly and address common tasks more easily.
  • Security
    Phalcon provides built-in security features such as CSRF protection and SQL injection prevention, which helps in building secure applications.

Possible disadvantages of Phalcon

  • Learning Curve
    Being implemented as a C extension means developers need to familiarize themselves not only with the framework itself but also with how PHP extensions work, which can be steep for beginners.
  • Hosting Requirements
    Phalcon requires specific PHP extension installation on the server, which can be complicated on shared hosting environments or platforms where you don't have full control over the server configuration.
  • Community Size
    Though Phalcon is growing, its community is not as large as some of the more established PHP frameworks like Laravel or Symfony, potentially leading to fewer libraries and third-party plugins.
  • Limited Debugging Tools
    Since Phalcon operates at a lower level compared to other PHP frameworks, some of the standard PHP debugging tools may not work seamlessly, which might complicate the debugging process.
  • Less Flexibility in Development Environment
    Phalcon's reliance on low-level code might require specific setups for development environments, making it less flexible when working across different systems.

Zend Framework videos

Is Zend Framework Dead?

More videos:

  • Review - Zend Framework becomes Laminas project at Linux Foundation

Phalcon videos

Setting up Phalcon PHP framework for the first time and Impressions

More videos:

  • Review - Thunder Kellie and Phalcon talk about "Kevin Terry and more...." Part 1

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Zend Framework and Phalcon)
Web Frameworks
41 41%
59% 59
PHP MVC Framework
39 39%
61% 61
PHP Framework
36 36%
64% 64
Developer Tools
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 Zend Framework and Phalcon

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

Phalcon Reviews

Top 5 Laravel Alternatives
One further thing that makes Phalcon stand out is that it was the first framework to use object-relational mapping (ORM) written in C. Zephir, a high-level programming language, which makes Phalcon incredibly adaptable. However, Phalcon also makes it possible to create PHP apps without learning C.
The Most Popular PHP Frameworks to Use in 2021
As Phalcon is loosely coupled, you can create your own directory structure. Phalcon’s code does not live in the project directory, making the code lightweight.
Source: kinsta.com
Top 9 PHP Frameworks For Web Development In 2021
You have Phalcon query language for writing queries, Phalcon transactions to ensure data integrity.
The 10 Best PHP Frameworks To Use in 2021
One fun fact about Phalcon is that the framework was written in C and it is in some ways a C-extension. However, being a PHP framework you do not need to use C in order to use Phalcon.
Source: trio.dev
Top 4 PHP Frameworks to use in 2019
Unlike other frameworks, Phalcon built on C and C++ coding. In its feature list, Phalcon has a universal autoloader, caching, security, asset management, translation, and much more. This framework uses low levels of architecture, which reduces overheating, typical of MVC-based apps.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Phalcon should be more popular than Zend Framework. It has been mentiond 7 times 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.

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

Phalcon mentions (7)

  • Top 12 PHP Frameworks For Web Development in 2024
    Phalcon is open-source with 10.7k stars and 2k+ forks on GitHub. It is a full-stack framework for PHP that is characterized by high performance and low resource consumption. It is written or implemented as a C-extension or in C, which is integrated into PHP to improve performance. It has a user-friendly interface that simplifies PHP development and enhances the developer experience. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • Laravel, symfony or wordpress. What to choose
    There's also one more player in the scope, but, I don't know how much jobs can You find with. It is called Phalcon framework. It is delivered as C extension and really, in terms of performance, no other thing can compare with, as it is loaded together with PHP it self. Once installed, You just use it. There are few similar like Phalcon, but Phalcon is already well known and has its community and support. -... Source: almost 2 years ago
  • In your opinion, which existing PHP framework can become as popular as Symphony or Laravel?
    People should give Phalcon a try. - https://phalcon.io/en-us. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Any suggestions for lighter frameworks than Laravel?
    Not the lightest, but one of (if not) the fastest. - https://phalcon.io/en-us. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Recommend me a fast and reliable web framework
    How about reconsider additional option 5 ? Something like this -> https://phalcon.io/en-us. Source: over 2 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

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

Laravel - A PHP Framework For Web Artisans

Symfony - A PHP full-stack web framework

CodeIgniter - A Fully Baked PHP Framework

Django - The Web framework for perfectionists with deadlines

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

CakePHP - The Rapid Development Framework for PHP