What is Codeigniter? Advantages and Disadvantages of Codeigniter Framework

Codeigniter stands out with its flexible features, high performance and ease of use for both beginners and experienced users. So what is Codeigniter? Let's find out with  TipsMake  the concept of this term and the advantages and disadvantages of this PHP framework.

What is Codeigniter?

Codeigniter is an open source PHP framework designed for rapid web application development. Codeigniter was first introduced on February 28, 2006, and is still developed and maintained by ExpressionEngine of EllisLab, Inc.

What is Codeigniter?

Codeigniter is a suitable choice for programmers who need a tool that is both powerful and simple, but still complete enough to create a professional web application thanks to its compact size and ease of use. The latest version of CodeIgniter is CodeIgniter 4.6.0. This is the most modern version of this framework, designed to work with PHP 8.1 and above, including PHP 8.4.

Pros and Cons of Codeigniter Framework

When choosing a framework for application development, it is impossible not to consider its pros and cons. Codeigniter is no exception. Here is a detailed analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of this framework.

What are the advantages of Codeigniter Framework?

CodeIgniter is a powerful PHP framework, popular for its many outstanding advantages:

1. Diverse libraries: Provide libraries that support common web programming tasks such as database access, email sending, image processing, etc.
2. Small capacity: Only about 2MB, including installation file and user manual, to optimize storage space.
3. Detailed instructions: Complete, easy-to-understand instructions help programmers quickly get acquainted and develop applications.
4. High compatibility: Requires PHP 5.3.7 or higher and is compatible with most hosting, supports MySQL, meeting the needs of many web applications. 
5. MVC model: Designed according to the MVC (Model-View-Controller) model, separating the interface and processing, thereby simplifying the design, maintenance and development of code. 
6. Simple Configuration: Most of Codeigniter's configuration is done conventionally with model folders, easily customized through scripts.
7. Fast speed: Fast processing speed, can serve millions of visits per day, faster than some other PHP frameworks. 
8. Free: Codeigniter is released under the Apache/BSD license so users are free to use, modify and distribute it as they wish. 
9. SEO Support: Search engine friendly URL structure helps increase website ranking without investing much in SEO tools.
10. Good security: Strict data checking mechanism, prevents XSS and SQL Injection, enhances website security. 

What are the disadvantages of Codeigniter Framework?

Besides the above outstanding advantages, Codeigniter still has some certain limitations that need to be improved:

1. Lack of ORM support: Codeigniter does not have built-in Object-Relational Mapping - a programming technique that maps database tables to objects - so data manipulation becomes more complicated. 
2. No AJAX support: There is no built-in library for AJAX, however developers can still use external libraries like jQuery, MooTools, Prototype to supplement.
3. Lack of popular modules: Codeigniter does not support many modules in web application development such as user authentication, RSS parser, and PDF processing.
4. No EDP support: Codeigniter does not integrate Event-Driven Programming, an event-based programming principle. Actually, this is not a big drawback because there are now a number of frameworks that support EDP such as Yii or Prado. 

What is the structure of codeigniter?

Codeigniter has the following directory structure:

What is the structure of codeigniter?

1. Application: Contains all the libraries used in building websites.
2. Config: Store basic configurations such as website configuration, language, path, Database,.
3. Controller: Stores data processing files.
4. Core: Where to build and extend Controller, router, loader,. functions
5. Models: Stores the system's Models. 
6. Views: Where the data will be displayed on the browser. 
7. Helpers: Folders containing custom built-in functions.
8. Third_party: Area for storing external libraries. 

Should I use Codeigniter Framework in web design?

In the context of modern users demanding high interface, speed and interactivity of the website, CodeIgniter is still the first choice of many programmers. This framework helps websites meet MVC standards and operate effectively, while simplifying the development process while ensuring high performance, meeting the needs of users and businesses.

IT professionals appreciate CodeIgniter for its efficiency and continuous improvement. With its many advantages and potential, CodeIgniter can become one of the leading web design platforms.

CodeIgniter's flexibility and ease of use make it suitable for a wide range of web design projects, from small to large. If you are looking for a powerful, easy-to-deploy, high-performance framework, CodeIgniter is a worthy choice.

How to install Codeigniter on computer

Installing Codeigniter on your computer is quite simple and quick. To install Codeigniter on your computer to make website design more convenient, readers can do the following:

1. Step 1: Download the latest version of Codeigniter via the link codeigniter.com
2. Step 2: Unzip the downloaded file and save it to the HTDOCS folder.
3. Step 3: Copy all files in Codeigniter and paste them into the Home folder. 
4. Step 4: Paste the link localhost/home into the browser to see the result. 

After installation is complete, if you want to change the display, just go to the Application/Views folder and open the welcome_message.php file and then make changes here.

Conclude

Codeigniter is a perfect PHP framework for those who are looking for a fast and efficient web application development tool. With outstanding advantages such as ease of use, high performance and flexible customization, Codeigniter is definitely a bright choice for small and medium projects.

Micah Soto

Update 01 April 2025