When you use something for over ten years, it is either really good or you are too attached to it. It is a mix for me. It has been more than 10 years since I first used the Laravel framework, and I am not looking to ditch it anytime soon. No matter how big or small the project is, Laravel is the framework I use to build onto first. 

There was a time when things were different. Allow me to take you back to the start of everything.

Like many other developers, CodeIgniter was my first experience with a PHP framework. In fact, I remember making my first full web app on it, and it was really easy. It was easy, fun, and everything just worked. CodeIgniter was small, simple, and quick to learn. It made me feel like I was cruising through my projects. It was like getting your first car—easy, but fun because you were in charge.

Even though I loved CodeIgniter, PHP was getting better. Quickly. It was time for my app building workflow to be more modern. As new practices came out, developers switched to frameworks that had more features and were easier to use. I knew I had to change too.

Soon after, I met Kohana. Like CodeIgniter, Kohana was an improvement—a newer model with a new backend that was still familiar in many ways. Because they were so similar, switching from CodeIgniter to Kohana was easy. Like driving the same car but with a more modern feel to it.

When Kohana taught me new ways to develop in PHP. I felt like I was getting better as a developer. I could still make apps quickly. I felt like everything was better, faster, and more ready for the future.

After that, I learned about Laravel. That time, it was on version 3. I was not sure if I needed another framework, but I was interested and went for it. Of course, I, as an "eager-to-learn" developer, had to give it a try.

And I have to say, Laravel changed the game.

From the start, it was clear that Laravel was exceptional. It was a breath of fresh air and not just another PHP framework. It was well organized, and all the problems that usually happen when making a web app were taken care of. It felt like someone had created the framework with all the problems I often faced. 

For example, routing was easy, managing databases was a breeze, and other stuff that needs to be done repetitively is well taken care of. Laravel worked seamlessly. It kept me from having to deal with boring tasks over and over again, so I could focus on the fun part: building and solving problems. 

After that, I always used Laravel as my framework of choice. Since then, I have not looked back.

Laravel's flexibility is something I really like. Laravel gives me the tools I need to build anything from a small app to a system that is designed with scalability in mind. This framework can go from "zero to hero" in no time thanks to its modern design and well-thought-out features.

For everything from simple apps and APIs to full-fledged, scalable systems, I have used Laravel. The best part? It is easy for beginners. This framework makes it easy to start building web apps, even if you are new to PHP or web development in general. As a more experienced developer, I found that there was a lot of depth to learn and explore in the framework too.

Today, Laravel is on version 10 (version 11 is coming soon). Also, guess what? Things keep getting better.

Laravel keeps getting better with each new version, adding new features and giving people more reasons to stick with it. Along with PHP, the framework keeps getting better to keep up with new technologies and practices. Not only is it important to keep up, but Laravel is often "leading the charge" in modern PHP development.

In case you are still not sure, let me make this clear: Laravel is for everyone. Laravel is a good framework for developers of all levels, from those who are just starting to code to those who are looking for a rock solid framework.

Using Laravel to make apps is like driving a high-end car. You can get what you need with other frameworks, but Laravel does it in style, comfort, and ease. Plus, you can be sure that anything you build with Laravel will work on a large scale and last for a long time. (I'm biased though towards PHP.)

I am glad I tried CodeIgniter and Kohana, but I am even happier that I chose Laravel. Even though it is been over 10 years, I am still as excited about it as I was the first time I used it. It is time to try Laravel if you have not already. Laravel is better than ever, and version 11 is coming out soon. There is never been a better time to join the community.

After all these years, here I am still writing code with Laravel and so far so good. Rest assured that Laravel has your back whether you are building something small or huge. It's a very capable PHP framework.

Give it a try. You might just get stuck on it for the next 10 years like I did. But hey, that’s not a bad thing!