Website developers are always wondering which platform to choose for development. Picking the right one is crucial to the success of the whole project. Most development companies often choose between the PHP framework that comes with Laravel or a broader content management system offered by WordPress.
Today, WordPress has over 500 new sites created every day which makes it one of the most popular website development platforms globally. WordPress owes this success to its custom CMS that helps the user achieve far superior results at affordable prices. It is an extremely fast, SEO-friendly, and flexible platform. Laravel, on the other hand, comes with a lot of custom features and functionalities which makes it a perfect choice for developers who want to create more unique websites.
In this article, we’re going to discuss both development platforms in detail so that you can make an informed choice about which platform best suits your needs.
Similarities Between WordPress and Laravel.
Both the platforms, WordPress and Laravel, allow the developer to build a website that offers exceptional user experience (UX), highly functional features, and more easy-to-manage & straightforward administration panels. There are also more similarities between the two, such as-
- Both are PHP-based.
- Both are pragmatic, fast, and flexible.
- Both have integrated online support systems.
- Both feature open-source, accessible web technologies.
- Both have object-oriented structures.
It is interesting to note that WordPress and Laravel both offer customized features. However, when it comes to Laravel, its features have customized packages that come with reusable PHP libraries. WordPress, on the other hand, has plugins that are more theme-based in structure.
Differences Between WordPress and Laravel
With more than 38% of websites on the internet, WordPress is one of the most popular platforms in the world. Laravel is also a fast-growing development choice that’s rivalling WordPress.
However, one of the prominent differences between WordPress and Laravel is their architecture and structure. For example, Laravel is a PHP framework, while WordPress is a PHP-based CMS. There are more differences between the two, such as-
- It is more straightforward to build a website on WordPress than Laravel.
- With Laravel, there is a learning curve involved. WordPress, on the other hand, does not require any experience to develop a site.
- Laravel comes with built-in features for functionality. WordPress, on the other hand, needs plugins to function well.
- Since the framework is more automated, Laravel pages are faster in comparison. On the other hand, depending on the number of plugins you have, WordPress pages can take longer to load.
- When it comes to solving database issues and writing database queries, Laravel is more straightforward than WordPress.
- As Laravel’s security is authentic due to its cross-site request forgery, it makes the entire platform more secure. WordPress, on the other hand, is although secure, but its overall security depends on the plugins you have installed on the platform.
So, when it comes to updating content, WordPress is a far superior website development platform. Laravel, similarly, is better when it comes to data management, overall design, and handling massive systems.
Benefits of WordPress vs Laravel
Here are some benefits of using WordPress:
- WordPress is an SEO-friendly platform.
- It is extremely easy to set up and use.
- With WordPress, you do not require any technical skills to design or build a website.
- WordPress is more affordable.
- It has an integrated link management system.
- It is extremely easy to integrate with third-party plugins.
- It comes with custom templates.
- It has thousands of resources and a massive community.
Here are some benefits of using Laravel:
- Laravel has an extremely user-friendly architecture.
- Laravel is easy to extend and highly flexible.
- Laravel’s database is easy to migrate.
- It hosts a vast community with a lot of packages and features.
- Hosts extensive documentation.
- Comes with customizable features.
- It is highly secure.
Both platforms have their benefits and disadvantages depending on the needs of your business. Here is a breakdown according to the different scenarios where you can choose WordPress or Laravel:
1. eCommerce Outlet
WordPress and Laravel host thousands of online businesses and make it easier to manage online stores with the help of various plugins. With WordPress, it’s easier to build and launch eCommerce websites.
WordPress for eCommerce comes with integrated themes, payment options, reports, features, etc. In simpler terms, WordPress comes with comprehensive solutions to help you build an eCommerce website. Their plug-ins such as WooCommerce have all the options you need to start your online business.
With Laravel, on the other hand, setting up an eCommerce store can be more customizable but it also is more complex. You can utilize packages such as Aimeons and Bagisto to get exceptional store functionalities.
So, when it comes to choosing a development solution to build an eCommerce store, WordPress offers a far superior experience. However, Laravel should be with choice if the eCommerce store is more extensive and hosts many products.
2. Web Application
When it comes to building web applications, both WordPress and Laravel offer excellent functionalities. However, you should consider choosing Laravel over WordPress if your project is more complex.
Laravel comes with a lot of built-in features, functionalities, and packages that allow you to develop a web app faster. It is also more authentic and handles errors & exceptions better. It is also easier to scale up and down apps built with Laravel based on your requirement.
WordPress on the other hand can be quite effective when it’s using various plugins to handle the functionalities. But it’s worth noting that the use of plugins would adversely affect the speed of your web application. Additionally, in the long run, you might also come across a lot of problems. Which makes Laravel a better option for creating web applications.
WordPress, although is a great option for landing pages, when it comes to building web applications, Laravel is a far superior choice.
3. Blogs or News Sites
WordPress is the ultimate solution when it comes to creating a website for blogging or creating a news website. It is so because WordPress was essentially designed to help users share content. Maybe this is why the majority of news websites are powered by WordPress.
It’s easier to share, create, upload, tag, and group content because of the structure and architecture of WordPress. Also, WordPress is more accessible as you do not require any technical skills to develop a site. With WordPress, setting up and managing a news outlet or blog only takes a few minutes. And you can use the many available plugins to create and share content conveniently.
Laravel, on the other hand, offers a lot of packages to customize various features that allow you to create new outlets and blogs. However, WordPress is a far superior option here due to its plugins and search engine optimization options. With Laravel the process is more time-consuming and far more complex.
4. Overall Performance
Laravel is considered to be a better, faster, and improved framework by a lot of web developers. However, it comes with a steep learning curve which can be quite difficult for people who are just getting into development and would take the time to use the platform effectively.
WordPress, on the other hand, is one of the most popular web development platforms in the world. But it can be quite slow due to many plugins, and its entire speed and performance depend on the plugins. So, you have the option to choose better-coded plugins to enhance the overall performance of the WordPress site. Also, it provides better customer support service and is more affordable.
So, now the final choice comes from the personal preference of the developer. You need to make that final choice carefully as your framework or platform essentially determines the future of your website.
How to Choose the Best Website Development Platform?
When it comes to building an eCommerce store, you need a faster, safer, and more customizable option, that is possible with Laravel as it helps you achieve flawless navigation and more functionality. And although it is the more expensive option, it does make up for it with amazing features. It is also a superior choice for extensive and complex projects.
However, you should consider WordPress if you want a website essentially for content sharing and are running on a tight budget. Additionally, the platform offers a very helpful support team and pleasant design structures.
Conclusion
The decision between WordPress and Laravel depends on the needs of your business. Here at eSearch Logix, we have a team of web developers that are skilled in using the WordPress platform and Laravel framework to help you develop the website of your dreams!
