Framework or not?
Long time ago, I was learning CakePHP, then followed by CodeIgniter. Due to the restrictions using the framework such as naming convention, strict function calling based on MVC model, I decided to write my own personally framework from the scratch. The experience was very nice. Because I learnt about the caching, MVC architecture, function arguments in PHP, etc. But the development became gradually inactive.
After several years, recently I am trying back CodeIgniter, and now I conclude that, framework, though it is not required, it is strongly recommended. Why?
Faster
Writing PHP web application from the scratch, meaning that you have to write my own libraries, classes, functions, or search for the suitable libraries. If using a framework, what you need to do is just learning, and writing some libraries, classes, or functions that suit to the problem. Assuming you are doing a big project, doing it alone is impractical. That is why you need a group of people to do the project. And, those open source web application frameworks are already build by a group of people. That is why, this reduces a loner’s workload. Hence, this allows the development faster.
Larger
When the development is faster, meaning that the development can target on the higher level development, that is, developing applications instead of modules. Moreover, the project can be even more larger.
(I personally prefer low level studies, yet in the real world market, end user products are more attractive.)
More secure and stable
Like what I have mentioned, doing a project as a loner is totally impractical. Because one cannot do a thorough test to a project. One cannot ensure that most bugs are fixed. One cannot write the libraries for validation, encryption, caching, template engine, etc. Using an existing framework, they are tested. Furthermore, with the community support, the bugs are reported.
Production
If you are targeting on the production instead of research and studies, then framework is a need. From the raw materials to the products, it a long way. Unless it is low level product such as a small library.
Just like one would like to learn more about Linux, then he/she may learn to install Linux from the scratch. However, for a company or an organization, installing Linux from the scratch for each computer is unfeasible. Creating our own distro is interesting as we can learn a lot. Yet this will only benefits to ourselves directly, and may benefits to others in the long term. Using an existing distro will benefit to a company or organisation directly, because the distro can be used for work immediately.
So, how to choose a web application framework? Before choosing a framework, the best way is to get the reviews from other users. Then we can try some of them, and “feel” which framework is suitable. Experiencing multiple frameworks allows us to know the similarities and differences between the frameworks. Similarities are usually the common features, differences are the uniqueness. So, let us enjoy the web application frameworks: Ruby on Rails, Django, Express.js, etc.