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What is CodeIgniter? What are the top 11 reasons to use it?

by Rajni
What is CodeIgniter
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Introduction

Take a list of the top 10 PHP frameworks and you will find CodeIgniter in it. Also, if you check the CodeIgniter usage statistics, around 572,728 live websites use CodeIgniter, of which 269,141 sites are in the United States alone. Another interesting statistic suggests that 42% of the web framework marketis dominated by CodeIgniter. So, what exactly is CodeIgniter and why is it a rage in the digital world?

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What is CodeIgniter?

Codeigniter Features

CodeIgniter is a PHP framework. It is an open-source framework that helps you build dynamic and interactive websites and web applications. Furthermore, CodeIgniter is known for its ability to simplify and quicken the web development process. 

A Quick History of Code Igniter

YearMilestone
2006CodeIgniter was created by EllisLab as a response to the complexity of existing PHP frameworks.
2006Version 1.0 was released, providing a lightweight and easy-to-use alternative for PHP developers.
2011Version 2.0 was released, bringing significant improvements, including better support for PHP 5.
2014EllisLab handed over CodeIgniter’s development to the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT).
2015Version 3.0 was released, improving performance, adding PHP 7 support, and including features like namespaces.
2020CodeIgniter 4.0 was officially released, introducing modern features like PSR-4 autoloading and better compatibility with contemporary PHP practices.
2022CodeIgniter 4.2 was released with highlighted features like improved auto-routing.
2023CodeIgniter 4.2 was released with over 50 enhancements.
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Top 11 reasons companies choose CodeIgniter for website development

Builds Websites Faster with Ready-Made Pieces: 

CodeIgniter is like a toolbox for creating websites using PHP. It provides pre-built components for common tasks and a user-friendly way to use them. Moreover, instead of starting from scratch, you can leverage these components to develop your website more efficiently. 

No Cost and Open to Everyone 

CodeIgniter is a free tool. Thus, this is great for businesses looking for affordable ways to create websites. Since it’s open to everyone, you don’t need to pay for special permissions. 

Clean and Search-Engine Friendly URLs  

CodeIgniter generates  clean website links. Instead of complex and messy URLs, it uses simple and descriptive ones. This, thus, makes it more favorable for search engines. Additionally, you can remove the “index.php” part from your website’s URL if you prefer cleaner addresses. 

Safety First 

Staying safe on the internet is really important. CodeIgniter helps with that. It has built-in tools to keep your website safe from online threats. These tools help protect the information on your website. The tool also helps manage data securely, thus, keeping your website safe from hackers. 

Less Code, Better Outcome 

CodeIgniter lets you create web apps with less code. This means you’re likely to make fewer mistakes, thus, resulting in fewer problems to fix later. Less code also means your website will work faster because there’s less stuff for the computer to process. So, your website will be quick and efficient. 

SEO-friendly Approach 

For businesses, having a high-ranking website is important. It helps bring in more visitors and revenue. CodeIgniter has features that can boost your website’s ranking in search engines. This means more people will find your website when they search online. You can hire a CodeIgniter developer to make a website that’s friendly for search engines. 

Small but Powerful  

CodeIgniter is a small tool. It’s only 2MB when you download it. Even though it’s small, it’s powerful on its own. Moreover, you don’t need to add other tools to make it work. Also, as it’s small, it takes up less space on your computer and runs faster. 

Great Templates   

Templates make web development faster. They’re like blueprints for websites. CodeIgniter has its own templates that help developers understand how to organize their projects. This makes planning your website’s layout easier from the beginning. 

Customization and Extension   

CodeIgniter can be extended and customized to meet specific project requirements. That is you can add your own components or modify how the framework functions. This adaptability, thus, makes CodeIgniter suitable for various types of projects. 

Also, using CodeIgniter can make web development simpler and more efficient. It’s free, secure, requires less code, and offers helpful features for better web apps. 

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Top Companies that have used CodeIgniter

Top Websites Using CodeIgniter
  • Accenture 
  • Esummarizer.com 
  • BirdView 
  • Ola 
  • WISESIGHT 
  • Buffer 
  • Khmer24.com 
  • SocialDog 
  • Casio 
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Final Thoughts – What’s the future of CodeIgniter in the PHP World?

The future of CodeIgniter in the PHP world will depend on its ability to evolve and adapt to the changing landscape of web development. While CodeIgniter has been a popular framework in the past, newer PHP frameworks like Laravel and Symfony have gained traction due to their modern features and robust ecosystems.

So, to remain relevant, CodeIgniter might need to focus on improving its compatibility with the latest PHP versions. It should also incorporate modern development practices, and more importantly, enhance its community support and documentation.

Having said that, Its simplicity and ease of use can still be appealing for certain projects. 

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Frequently Asked Questions

Using CodeIgniter offers the advantage of faster development. It also streamlines coding for web applications, thanks to its built-in tools and adherence to the Model-View-Controller (MVC) pattern. 

When it comes to popularity, CodeIgniter follows closely after Laravel. Moreover, developers appreciate CodeIgniter for its simplicity and efficiency in building strong web applications.

CodeIgniter offers fast development, follows MVC architecture, and has a lightweight footprint.

Yes, but for larger projects, you might consider other frameworks with more advanced features.

Absolutely, CodeIgniter’s simplicity makes it great for small to medium-sized projects.

Yes, there is a community that provides resources, tutorials, and assistance for CodeIgniter developers.

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