This quick overview of ten of the more popular PHP development frameworks should help you in choosing the right one for your next project, based on your requirements. With the emergence of new methodologies and techniques, PHP frameworks continue to grow in number and complexity. This list can narrow down your choices to a lesser number, allowing you to evaluate your candidates more effectively.
Honestly though, I’m not a fan of frameworks for every type of development. There are PHP applications better done in a hack-and-slash way, especially those of the single–page, throwaway type. For small–scale apps, utilizing templating and database abstraction does the job, more often than not. Coupled with your favorite PHP classes and code libraries, development can be much faster and easier with careful planning, and application of simple “getting real” concepts popularized by 37signals.