Today it’s more and more common for developers to using frameworks for their projects. So what is a framework? Here’s an accurate definition, offered by Wikipedia:
In computer programming, a software framework is an abstraction in which software providing generic functionality can be selectively changed by additional user-written code, thus providing application-specific software.
Basically, a developer doesn’t have to write every bit of code from scratch, as he’s able to use elements from the framework. The question is: is this necessary or recommended?
No, it’s not necessary, but yes, it is recommended!
We believe in efficiency when it comes to development, and not reinventing the wheel for the sake of it. Most of the elements used by a developer are pretty standard, CSS classes, forms, sliders etc. Why build them over and over again when you can use pre-made elements and then amend them for a specific project requirement?
A framework consistently reduces the development time and frees the developer from wasting a huge amount of time which would otherwise be used for something else.
Upgrade and maintenance
Besides the reasons mentioned above, there is something to consider with a framework approach. If a team of developers works on a project without using a framework (or at least a common standardised approach), chances are they are going to be the only ones able to upgrade and tweak the website. If, however, they use a framework, it’s going to be a lot easier for another developer to work with the code.