Meta Framework Data v2.4.0 Updated 2026-01-15
Laravel
The PHP framework for web artisans
N/A N/A Unknown N/A
94 /100
Quick Verdict
Best For
- Full-stack web applications
- SaaS products and MVPs
- API backends with complex business logic
- Teams wanting rapid development
Consider Alternatives If
- Simple static sites (use Astro)
- Microservices requiring minimal overhead
- Teams without PHP experience
Top Alternatives
Score Breakdown
6 dimensions evaluated with transparent methodology
Performance
82 −18
Optimized for real-world application performance
- Route caching reduces bootstrap time by 50%
- Config and view caching for production
- Octane provides 10x performance boost with Swoole/RoadRunner
Why not 100%:
- −9 Base overhead higher than micro-frameworks
- −9 Octane requires careful stateless coding
Developer Experience
98 −2
Best-in-class DX with comprehensive tooling
- Artisan CLI automates repetitive tasks
- Eloquent ORM with intuitive Active Record pattern
- Laravel Herd provides zero-config local development
Why not 100%:
- −1 "Magic" can obscure understanding for beginners
- −1 Convention over configuration requires learning curve
Ecosystem
96 −4
82.9K GitHub stars, most complete PHP ecosystem
- First-party packages: Cashier, Scout, Socialite, Sanctum
- Spatie has 300+ production-ready packages
- Laravel Forge, Vapor, Cloud for DevOps
Why not 100%:
- −2 Some packages have inconsistent maintenance
- −2 Ecosystem can feel overwhelming for newcomers
Maintainability
95 −5
Laravel 12 released Feb 2025, v13 expected 2026
- Annual major releases with 2-year bug fix support
- Laravel Shift automates version upgrades
- Strong backwards compatibility philosophy
Why not 100%:
- −2 Major upgrades still require manual review
- −2 Fast release cycle means frequent updates
Cost Efficiency
92 −8
Open source with affordable first-party services
- MIT licensed, fully open source
- Forge starts at $12/month for unlimited servers
- Vapor serverless at $39/month + AWS usage
Why not 100%:
- −4 Forge/Vapor convenience has monthly costs
- −4 Nova ($99/site) and Spark require paid licenses
Compliance
95 −5
Enterprise-ready security features built-in
- CSRF protection enabled by default
- SQL injection prevention via Eloquent
- XSS protection with Blade templating
Why not 100%:
- −2 Developers must still follow security best practices
- −2 Some features require manual configuration
Compare Alternatives
How Laravel stacks up against similar technologies
Sources & Methodology
How we calculate these scores: transparent and reproducible
primary
GitHub
Repository activity, stars, contributors, issue resolution time
contextual
Community Signals
Stack Overflow activity, Discord engagement, developer surveys
secondary
OSV Database
Known vulnerabilities, security advisories, CVE tracking
Data version:
2.4.0 Last updated: 2026-01-15 Confidence: 94%