Comparisons
LaravelSymfonySlimLumen

Initial Comparisons

Feature StrataPHP Symfony
Philosophy Explicit, no magic Configuration, bundles
Routing PSR-native, attribute-based YAML/annotations
DI Container Explicit constructor DI Autowiring + YAML
ORM Module: Eloquent or Doctrine Doctrine default
Learning Curve 2 days for PHP devs 2 weeks
PHP Version 8.2+ 8.2+
Performance 2,100 req/s 1,400 req/s

What’s the Same

Symfony developers will recognize this:

  • PSR-11/15 — Container + middleware are native
  • Dependency Injection — Constructor injection, explicit
  • Console Commands — `bin/console` pattern via CLI
  • Event System — PSR-14 compatible dispatcher
  • Config Files — PHP arrays, no YAML required
  • HTTP Kernel Pattern — Request → Middleware → Response
  • Service Providers — Module `boot()` method
  • Doctrine Compatible — Use Doctrine ORM if you want
  • Twig Compatible — Bring Twig for templates
  • PHP 8.2+ Types — Attributes, readonly, enums

StrataPHP vs Symfony:

  • No bundles — Modules are simpler, Composer-only
  • No YAML/XML — PHP config only, no compilation step
  • Faster boot — ~3ms vs ~35ms, no cache warmup
  • Less abstraction — No `AbstractController`, just classes

Choose Symfony if:

  • You need Messenger, Workflow, API Platform today
  • Enterprise DDD with huge teams
  • You like YAML config + auto-wiring
  • Long-term LTS support is critical