What’s New with Symfony 4? Why Should you Upgrade Right Away?

Symfony is a popular PHP framework which is widely used to build highly functional websites and web applications. It helps developers speed up the development and maintenance of web applications while replacing repetitive coding tasks. The latest version of Symfony was released in November 2017, making web application development easier and faster for the users. If you are still using the older versions of Symfony, then it is time for you to make a move towards the best features available with the latest version.

Well, you must be wondering why should you upgrade to the latest version – Symfony 4, when your website or web application is running perfectly on the older version. Every two years, Symfony comes with an improved version and attempts to make the upgrade process as smooth as possible. In this blog, you will find some of the main reasons what makes Symfony 4 the best PHP framework that you must consider in 2018:

Easier Installation Of Extensions

Installing new bundle has always been a tedious task with Symfony. Each time you need to install a new bundle, you’ll have to go through several manuals steps that included installing the dependency, registering and configuring the bundle. Most web app developers used to complain about the slow process of extension installation. Though the method of enabling bundles may not be complicated if you’re used to working with the Symfony but it can be daunting for the beginners.

With Symfony 4, you get access to installing and managing framework extensions with a mechanism known as Recipes. A recipe is basically a JSON file which determines what steps should be followed when a new bundle is installed. This means the frequently repeated steps are executed automatically, and a standard config is set in place.

Simplified Project Structure

Though, Symfony has adopted by many big brands to build complex websites and Business Application Platforms. But, Symfony is known for providing a complex project structure which is the main reason why most developers and business owners look for micro frameworks. Despite the complexity of Symfony, web applications with complex business logic still requires a solid framework. And if you upgrade to Symfony 4, you won’t need to worry about the complexity. With an upgraded version, you can easily approach new directory structure. Besides, you still get the power of full DI Container and convenience of YAML based configurations.

Dependency Injection Improvements

Whether you are using Symfony or any other PHP framework, the Dependency Injection Component is an important part of any web application. In Symfony 4, the Dependency Injection has undergone a lot of improvements. The DI mechanism enables organizing code within your app which can be re-used where suitable and even interchanged if needed. In Symfony 4, the DI-Component automatically registers every class as a service. It is also easy to inject them directly into the method signature using PHP type hinting.

Symfony Encore for Asset Management

Launched back in 2011, Symfony2 has come with integration to the Ascetic library – a PHP based tool to handle static assets such as CSS and JavaScript. In 2015, Symfony came up with an upgraded version while adding the Asset Component which allows referencing static files with versioning, setting up a CDN, and many more. But still, there were several confusions and no support from the framework on how to prepare and manage assets. However, the latest version – Symfony 4 has come up with a Webpack which is used to manage front-end assets. It is a highly configurable de-facto tool which is used to process and bundle modular JavaScript code. Symfony Webpack Encore allows an open way of setting up a contemporary JavaScript-based front-end asset pipeline which is decoupled from Symfony PHP framework via the asset component.

With the introduction of Symfony 4.0, the project has resolved many issues which have always been pain points to many programmers. Reducing boilerplate and cutting overhead are major improvements, making framework easier and faster.

With Flex, the platform now has a powerful mechanism which can configure framework extensions, making Symfony more competitive with higher level platforms such as content management systems which are available with their own module/extension libraries.

Upgrade to Symfony 4

If you haven’t upgraded to Symfony 4.0, then it’s an ideal time to consider upgrading right away. Instead of waiting until the last moment to upgrade your web application, it’s better to do it as soon as possible to avail the impressive features and benefits.

If you are facing difficulties in upgrading to Symfony 4, simply fill out the contact form, and we will help you make it happen. With a highly-experienced team of developers and great infrastructure strength, Baymediasoft is known as the most innovative PHP development company who has built several advanced web applications for the global clients.