PHP developers have so many powerful frameworks to choose from it can be tough to keep up with them all. Each of the top tier frameworks has something to offer, though, and compelling reasons why you might choose it rather than all the other options. The Yii Framework is one of those top tier options. One of the big tools it brings to the table is its powerful code generation. Yii comes with both command line and web based code generation utilities which will alleviate the drudge works of creating Model classes for your DB schema, along with all the associated CRUD code.
Code generation exists elsewhere, but Yii not only generates clean, usable Model classes, it provides a whole skeleton for your web application. It pairs all this with a caching system built to reduce load on your server, along with a flexible theming/templating system like you'd expect from any modern PHP framework.
Yii is now celebrating five years since its initial release to the public, and it is still under active development. If you haven't yet found your framework soul mate, or you're going through a messy break up with your current one, Yii is a top contender you should take a look at. The solid documentation will give you a great introduction and guide to getting started.
