Laravel vs Lumen: Which is the Best PHP Framework?

Table of Contents

Introduction

A correct framework will lead you to a successful web application.

But with so many options out there, it becomes challenging and overwhelming to determine an ideal for your projects. That’s why we have curated this blog to make your work easier by comparing the two best PHP frameworks: Laravel vs Lumen.

Both are popular PHP programming languages designed to develop web development. It optimizes web development with its powerful tool, creating robust and scalable websites and applications.

In this blog, we will signify the in-depth difference between Laravel vs Lumen, the pros and cons of Laravel vs Lumen, and the use cases of these two frameworks.

What Makes Laravel and Lumen Unique?

From Lumen to Laravel, both have been the developer’s go-to-go choice for the development process. Lumen and Laravel are developed by Taylor Otwell and licensed under MIT.

Laravel offers a powerful tool, such as a built-in authentication system, modular packaging system, and ORM system, making building complex applications effortless.

Lumen provides a routing system, elegant syntax, and built-in support for caching that develop robust microservices and APIs

Useful Difference Between Laravel vs Lumen

Here is the comparison of Laravel vs Lumen in tabular form.

Laravel vs Lumen: An In-depth Comparison

Let’s look at an in-depth comparison of Laravel versus Lumen to build scalable web applications.

Laravel vs Lumen Performance

In performance, Lumen is considered better than Laravel because of its lightweight and fast framework. Lumen is benchmarked at 100/reps (request per second) and considered the fastest-performing micro-framework of PHP.

However, Laravel and Lumen have distinct use cases. For instance, Laravel is excellent for building large-scale applications, including complex features, but Lumen is ideal for creating small applications, including APIs.

Lumen and Laravel Architecture

Regarding the architecture factors, Lumen to Laravel share the same core architecture based on Model-View-Controller (MVC) design patterns. Both frameworks utilize the Eloquent ORM, Artisan CLI, and Blade tempting engine.

However, Lumen is designed to be more lightweight and faster than Laravel. But Lumen excludes features like cookies and CSRF protection to increase its performance.

Lumen to Laravel Highest Usage

Developers have been using Laravel for quite a long time, whereas Lumen is primarily new compared to Laravel. Regarding usage, Laravel has a larger and more active community of developers to build web applications.

However, developers who want to develop modern and scalable applications using frameworks choose Lumen because of its new extensive features. Also, Lumen is often preferred where speed and performance are crucial.

Lumen or Laravel SQL Queries

Lumen and Laravel are pretty similar for SQL queries as they both use Eloquent to interact with the database system. However, as Lumen is lightweight, it only includes some of the advanced features and components that are a part of Laravel.

Also, the Laravel framework can handle complex work in SQL queries. Lumen might be easier and faster to execute to customize SQL queries and add custom functionality. Thus, it simplifies the development process.

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Lumen Laravel: Which Supports the Most?

When it comes to components and features, Laravel supports more than Lumen. Laravel is a full-stack framework with several features to help create out-of-box web applications. It is designed to build complex apps quickly and efficiently.

On the other hand, Lumen is explicitly designed for building microservices and APIs. It does include many of the Laravel features but supports them to some extent. Overall, if you are developing a high-traffic API, then Lumen is a better choice due to its speed.

Mastering Caching Techniques: Laravel vs Lumen Cache Comparison

Both Laravel and Lumen offer built-in caching mechanisms that allow developers to implement caching in their applications quickly. Laravel’s caching system is robust, flexible and supports multiple caching drivers, such as file-based caching and Redis.

Conversely, Laravel provides caching mechanisms for various data types, such as database query results and responses. Laravel allows control over cache expiration and invalidation. Lumen allows setting smaller cache because of the micro-framework.

Laravel or Lumen: Which Framework Handle Request?

Laravel and Lumen can handle a request, but it functions differently regarding their architectural differences. Laravel can handle many requests, from complex RESTful APIs to simple HTTP requests.

Lumen is designed to handle lightweight requests, so it requires minimal overhead. Also, it focused on routing and middleware, which allows for handling requests efficiently and streamlining.

Platform Comparison Between Laravel and Lumen

In terms of platform, both Lumen and Laravel can be deployed to several platforms, including cloud-based and traditional hosting environments. However, the scale of deployment using Laravel is more because of extensibility.

As Lumen is a subset of Laravel, both support operating systems such as Windows, Mac OS, and Linux that help run the most popular web servers. Also, it makes it flexible for developers to work with a database of their choice.

Laravel versus Lumen for Routing

The primary difference between Lumen and Laravel for routing is their focus. Laravel’s routing system is designed to be robust and flexible, with a comprehensive range of options for building complex networks.

Lumen’s routing system is optimized for simplicity and speed, making it an excellent choice for higher speed. Laravel’s routing system is more abstract, and Lumen’s design is more direct.

Lumen vs Laravel Speed and Response Time Challenge

When it comes to speed and response time, Lumen is faster than Laravel. Lumen is a fast micro-framework that optimizes the process, leading to work at a higher speed. Laravel provides versatility, and its speed can be improved by implementing caching techniques.

Laravel is slow compared to Lumen speed because it is a full-stack framework. For instance, Laravel provides a wide range of features for web applications to build, but it takes time to implement them.

Pros and Cons of Lumen and Laravel: A Side-by-Side Comparison

Like every side of coins, there are pros and cons of Lumen and Laravel. Let’s look at the advantages and disadvantages of Laravel and Lumen in the table below.

Pros and Cons of Laravel

Pros and Cons of Lumen

Use Cases of Lumen vs Laravel

Both Lumen and Laravel are famous PHP frameworks and there are several companies that have used Laravel or Lumen in their projects. Following is the list of them:

Laravel Real-life Examples

BBC

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), broadcaster uses Laravel to operate its internal content management system. Laravel helps BBC by allowing it to create and manage content across numerous digital platforms like mobile apps, websites, and social media platforms.

MasterCard

MasterCard is a global financial service that uses Laravel for building payment gateway. Laravel’s modular architecture and built-in security features help to prevent common web applications breach.

Toyota

Toyota is an automobile manufacturing company that utilizes Laravel for developing a customer-facing website. The framework’s built-in templating engine simplifies HTML rendering, which enhances website performance.

RazorPay

RazorPay is a payment gateway company that uses Laravel to provide online payment solutions. Using Laravel’s authentication system and role-based access control feature ensures that particular people can access APIs.

9GAG

9GAG is a social media platform that shares funny content. They use Laravel for their web application. The framework’s flexible API helps to manage multiple features and optimize background processes.

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Lumen Real-life Examples

Trivago

Trivago is a hotel search engine that uses Lumen to power its backend system and handle the large volume of data and traffic. Using Lumen APIs, Trivago provides a seamless search experience, efficient search algorithms, and user profiling.

Uber

Uber is a ride-sharing company that uses Lumen to build its backend APIs for its mobile apps. Lumen allows Uber to manage real-time location data, ride requests, and payment information.

ZipRecruiter

ZipRecruiter is a job searching and hiring platform that uses Lumen to operate its backend system. Using Lumen, ZipRecruiter offers job matching algorithms, access to candidate messaging, and company information.

Next

Next is a clothing brand that utilizes Lumen to offer a seamless experience with its efficient backend system. It helps to handle product catalogs, order management systems, and streamline inventory.

Autotrader

Autotrader is a digital automotive marketplace that uses Lumen to efficiently manage large volumes of data. With this framework, Autotrader implements powerful search algorithms, pricing strategies, and modifications that help to provide relevant experiences.

Final Verdict

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is Lumen In Laravel?

Lumen is a fast micro framework developed by the Laravel team. It is designed for smaller and quicker applications that do not require APIs for a full range of features provided by the Laravel framework.

Why Should I Use Laravel and Lumen?

Laravel is a full-stack framework that helps to build large-scale web applications whereas Lumen is a microservices that allows optimizing for the performance of applications. Both are PHP frameworks that offer numerous features and tools to build web apps efficiently.

Is Lumen Good for API?

Yes, Lumen is suitable for building APIs. It has built-in support for middleware, routing, and authentication, providing reliable and secure application APIs.

Is Laravel The Fastest PHP Framework?

Laravel is one of the fastest PHP frameworks because of its built-in catching system, flexible coding structure, and efficient routing. Also, it leverages the latest language and features that optimize operation speed and performance.