Why Xaraya: It's Like Rails on PHP

I get asked why I use the Xaraya platform, from time to time.

Other CMS systems are Open Source, use PHP and mySQL, and support a modular architecture; why not use one of them?

Xaraya isn't a CMS system. Users of Xaraya employ it in a variety of different ways, but if you have to describe it to someone, it is usually just easier to call it a "CMS" instead of trying to explain that it sorta makes whatever web stuff that you happen to be in need of.

It is a bit like asking what a LEGO is, or why you would use LEGOs to build something instead of carving it out of wood or simply buying a finished model of whatever you need.

Everyone remembers the hype surrounding Ruby-on-Rails over the past few years, I'm sure. Working with Xaraya is a bit like working on Ruby-on-Rails... except you don't have to stop using PHP, which is easier to host and has a longer track record, not to mention the fact that it's what everyone is (finally) using for the web.

Now, I am sure that RoR has plenty of fans whom this will outrage, but I'm sorry: your platform isn't quite the unique wunderkind that you'd like for it to be. RoR requires plenty of it's own processor time for doing the grunt work behind all of the quick-n-easy solutions you can make in it, and that is going to impact high-traffic sites.

And, frankly, I just don't have the time to bother learning a completely new language when an existing platform provides virtually identical features without forcing me to leave PHP.

For a more concrete analysis of the differences and similarities between Ruby-on-Rails and Xaraya, check out the review posted by linoj on vaporbase.