What do all the framworks mean?

tbobker

Im getting a little confused about what a framework actually is. I keep hearing about cakephp, pear and zend. But what are they and how can they increase my productivity and code quality?

dougal85

A framework is a bit of a missused term and can be a bit missleading.

Generally I think of it as a base to a website, a foundation of usefull features that are regularly used. However, sometimes its just a collection of useful classes (or even functions).

They can increase the speed because they have allot of functionality there, you just need to use it. They can improve quality because most good frameworks, like zend, are developed constantly - being extended and testing and so on.

tbobker

So it is basically just a load of code that is considered to be the sort of regular processes that any application would need and you can just download it and use it. Good idea, i might try it then. How do you start and is this smarty template system that same idea?

The different "frameworks" are just different associations that build their own versions of the same thing?

Also just thought, web services? Now this is basically a web system that offers its functionality to another system? Does this mean in the future you could set up a website with no need to produce any server scripting or processing to make a dynamic website?

dougal85

different frameworks offer different things, it all depends on what they hope to achieve. Some might be all about programming style, some might use specific design patterns.

However allot of them, there are just no need for. PHP has a ridiculous number of frameworks. Google for them and you will find so many and most are rubbish.

You are right about web services, however I don't see there being no need for any scripting for a long time. People need to specific things that it just wont work. However, for general functionality, yeah, i guess your right. One day... but hopefully not soon. my programming career is just starting!

Weedpacket

tbobker wrote:
Also just thought, web services? Now this is basically a web system that offers its functionality to another system?

Yes; a web service is basically a web site that has programs as its target audience instead of humans.

Does this mean in the future you could set up a website with no need to produce any server scripting or processing to make a dynamic website?

Um, that's equivalent to saying that in the future you could write a program without having to write a program.

But you can already set up a dynamic website without having to do any server scripting or processing: go to wordpress.com and push the big button that says "Start Your Wordpress Blog".

Vaskerville

Weedpacket wrote:
"Start Your Wordpress Blog".

What are you talking about?!

You mean I have to push a button to get a website these days? 😉