"PHP is just for WordPress"
Your Quick Response
"WordPress is built on PHP, but PHP isn't just WordPress. Symfony and Laravel are enterprise-grade frameworks used for complex applications -not CMS sites. Magento handles $155B+ in e-commerce. Drupal runs government sites. Custom PHP applications power Slack, Mailchimp, and Etsy. Saying 'PHP is just WordPress' is like saying 'JavaScript is just jQuery.' The ecosystem has evolved far beyond any single tool."
The PHP Ecosystem
Enterprise Frameworks
Symfony
Enterprise PHP framework with LTS support, used by government and finance
Laravel
Popular PHP framework, known for elegant syntax and rapid development
Laminas (Zend)
Enterprise component library, powers mission-critical applications
API Platform
Full-featured API framework for REST and GraphQL
E-commerce Platforms
Magento/Adobe Commerce
$155B+ annual GMV, enterprise e-commerce standard
Shopware
Modern open-source e-commerce, popular in Europe
Sylius
Symfony-based, highly customizable e-commerce
PrestaShop
300,000+ active stores worldwide
CMS Options Beyond WordPress
Drupal
Government-grade CMS, White House, NASA, universities
TYPO3
Enterprise CMS, popular in Germany/Europe
Craft CMS
Developer-focused, flexible content modeling
Statamic
Laravel-based, flat-file or database CMS
Custom PHP Applications
These companies built custom PHP applications, not WordPress sites:
Slack
Custom PHP backend
Mailchimp
Custom PHP platform
Etsy
Custom PHP marketplace
Wikipedia
MediaWiki (custom PHP)
The Right Analogy
Saying "PHP is just WordPress" is like saying:
- → "JavaScript is just jQuery" - ignoring React, Vue, Node.js
- → "Python is just Django" - ignoring Flask, FastAPI, ML libraries
- → "Ruby is just Rails" - ignoring Sinatra, Hanami
WordPress is one application built on PHP. The language powers everything from Slack to Wikipedia.
Key Talking Points
- Symfony and Laravel are enterprise frameworks, not CMS tools
- Magento processes $155B+ in e-commerce annually
- Slack, Mailchimp, Etsy are custom PHP -not WordPress
- Drupal runs government sites (White House, NASA)