Topic: Is CodeIgniter any good?

[woolyg]

I'm looking at getting my head into it, but sort of evaluating whether I'm better off just doing the lug work and writing the code myself.

Does anyone here reckon it's super-duper?
Does it have any major drawbacks?

Opinions please!
WoolyG

[sunwukung]

the value of using a pre-built framework

a) common standard that can be shared between developers
b) code you write can be picked up easier by subsequent developers
c) documentation is better
d) good quality components already available
e) component have been tested in superior number of projects
f) access to community with common knowledge
g) learn a great deal about application architecture by studying someone else's work

disadvantages:
a) learning curve
b) can be rather bloated for task at hand
c) different frameworks excel at different types of application - but you won't know that until you've used them for a while
d) can be tricky to implement AJAX functionality at first pass


The only real value in writing your own is that
a) you learn a lot from doing so
b) the framework you write may be a lot more lightweight since it is custom built for your way of working
c) it does something that no other framework does

However, as your homebrew gets bigger, you will find yourself maintaining that code over time too.

[woolyg]

That's an excellent synopsis, sunwukung - thanks.

I'll be looking to incorporate scriptaculous JS framework too, can anyone tell me if codeigniter has an issue with it?

[RIRedinPA]

I've started using it and though I wouldn't call myself the greatest programmer ever I have enough coding experience to hold my own. The two frustrating parts for me where getting my head wrapped around the MVC model...I'm still not entirely sold on the necessity of a framework/MVC model over rolling your own but it's the trend du joer in development these days and if the people want cake then you give it to them...so as much as I love writing my own code padding the skills and resume with some frameworks doesn't hurt.

The other thing that has annoyed me is having to learn in essence a kind of sub language of the language you already know. It hasn't been that big a hill to climb but my head can only hold so much and since I am whining I'm throwing it in... : D

On the plus side for CI is that it doesn't care if you're running a database or not, so you could build just a VC style site without the models, you could even build just a VC site even if you're using a db. It's also, IMO, a simpler MVC package, easier to install than Cake or Zend was and is, how to word it, much more bare bones PHP, less of a sub language (which are really just functions/methods and understanding how to pass data to them).

It's a good starting point for using a framework and jquery meshes nicely with it. I would recommend starting here first before venturing into Cake or Zend or something else, you might never have to leave. But if you want/need more complexity then you won't be venturing into either of those apps blindly, which can be frustrating.

As for documentation, CI's is ok, better than others but I would love to see more tutorials (links please if they are out there).

HTH

[Hybrid Kill3r]

I have to disagree with sunwukung.  All of the advantages you listed are also advantages that you have with plain old php.  Except for points d and f(f not so much because there are alot of php communities out there, including this one), frameworks and barebone php share all of these advantages.

One huge disadvantage is that if you ever want to go back to plain php, say to help with a project that doesn't involve code igniter, it will take some time to get used to not working with controllers, models, views, libraries, plugins, etc.

However, I do agree with the disadvantages that he listed.  As I stated above, it is a learning curve as he had put it.  Even though it may get simple database and even file oriented applications finished quickly, there are restrictions to it that may keep you from using your full programming potential. 

Summary:  If you know CodeIgniter completely, inside and out, yes, it is a good thing to learn because it will help turn multi-month projects into a project that will only last a few weeks, depending on how much free time you have

[woolyg]

Good input, Hybrid. Thanks for that. I'm tiptoeing around the possibility of getting into it. I like the MVC model, and I have a feeling it will take the bulk out of my usual way of coding. I'm definitely going to read a bit more into it.
WoolyG

[keevitaja]

i have been playing around with it couple days and it looks great. learning curve isn't hard at all! there are lot of tutorials linked in the wiki!

[petroz]

Once you know CI, the biggest tradeoff is the time required to complete projects, and the MVC makes alot of code very reusable unlike most plain PHP work.

[pkphp]

i prefer cakephp cause it is based on the ROR's Design pattern.

[thorpe]

i prefer cakephp cause it is based on the ROR's Design pattern.

Ruby on Rails is NOT a design pattern.

[ignace]

i prefer cakephp cause it is based on the ROR's Design pattern.

CakePHP is sloooowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.

[matildaronald2010]

I agree that cakephp cause it is based on the ROR's Design pattern.

[thorpe]

I agree that cakephp cause it is based on the ROR's Design pattern.

Are you on crack?

[petroz]

I agree that cakephp cause it is based on the ROR's Design pattern.

Are you on crack?

LOL... Seriously! What is a ROR design pattern? Please enlighten us!

[sKunKbad]

I use CodeIgniter, and have for a little over a year. It has really helped clean up my code, which used to be a bunch of procedural garbage. I didn't have a lot of experience with OOP before using CodeIgniter and Kohana, and I suppose OOP alone could have helped me clean up my code, but OOP was hard for me to grasp without having a reason, and the two PHP frameworks I mentioned are both a bunch of OOP, so my reason for using a lot more OOP was to learn the frameworks. MVC also helps organize my code, which may not be the reason for MVC, but it sure does make things more organized. Another thing that helped clean up my code is that I decided to follow CodeIgniter's Style Guide. The Style Guide is here:

http://codeigniter.com/user_guide/general/styleguide.html

One thing that I like about frameworks is that other people are constantly looking at the framework, finding bugs that get fixed, finding security issues that get fixed, etc. If I was to make my own "framework", then who will fix my bugs and security issues? Me. Well, me if I find them.

I will say that because I've been using frameworks for all my projects, some standard PHP knowledge of mine has sort of been tossed in the trash. For instance, all of the mysql db connection stuff, as well as queries, updates, inserts, etc. have now been replaced by Active Record and a config file.

I could babble on for a while about CodeIgniter and my experience with frameworks. I think for super small projects I would not use CodeIgniter, but I use it for almost everything. It is good and supposedly one of the fastest frameworks.