Building modern web apps shouldn't require learning 50 new concepts. Sometimes you just want to write PHP.

The Problem with Modern PHP Frameworks

Don't get me wrong—Laravel, Symfony, and other frameworks are incredible. But sometimes you're building a simple web app and you find yourself:

What if there was a better way?

Meet Lighthouse 🚨

Lighthouse is a minimal, predictable PHP micro-framework that embraces the simplicity PHP was meant for. It's designed around one core principle: get productive immediately.

<?php
// That's it. Your first route.
route('/', function() {
    return view('home.php', ['message' => 'Hello World!']);
});

Why Lighthouse is Different

1. Logic Where It Makes Sense

Instead of forcing everything through controllers, Lighthouse lets you handle form logic directly in views—the way PHP was designed:

<?php
// views/contact.php
$errors = [];

if ($_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] === 'POST') {
    $email = sanitize_email($_POST['email']);
    $message = sanitize_string($_POST['message']);
    
    if (!validate_email($email)) {
        $errors[] = 'Invalid email';
    }
    
    if (empty($errors)) {
        db_insert('contacts', ['email' => $email, 'message' => $message]);
        $success = 'Message sent!';
    }
}
?>

<form method="POST">
    <?php if ($success ?? false): ?>
        <div class="success"><?= $success ?></div>
    <?php endif; ?>
    
    <input type="email" name="email" required>
    <textarea name="message" required></textarea>
    <button type="submit">Send</button>
</form>

Self-contained. Predictable. No magic.

2. Modern Stack, Zero Configuration

# Get started in 30 seconds
lighthouse new my-app
cd my-app
php -S localhost:8000 -t public/

3. Security by Default

// CSRF protection built-in
<?= csrf_field() ?>

// Input sanitization included
$clean_input = sanitize_string($_POST['data']);

// Rate limiting ready
if (!check_rate_limit($_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR'])) {
    // Handle rate limit
}

4. Database Operations That Make Sense

// Simple, predictable database operations
$users = db_select('users', ['active' => 1]);
$user_id = db_insert('users', ['name' => $name, 'email' => $email]);
db_update('users', ['last_login' => date('Y-m-d H:i:s')], ['id' => $user_id]);

Real-World Example: Authentication in 5 Minutes

Here's how you build a complete login system:

<?php
// routes.php
route('/login', function() {
    return view('login.php');
});

route('/dashboard', function() {
    if (!auth_user()) {
        header('Location: /login');
        exit;
    }
    return view('dashboard.php');
});

<?php
// views/login.php
if ($_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] === 'POST') {
    $email = sanitize_email($_POST['email']);
    $password = $_POST['password'];
    
    $user = db_select_one('users', ['email' => $email]);
    
    if ($user && auth_verify_password($password, $user['password'])) {
        auth_login($user['id']);
        header('Location: /dashboard');
        exit;
    }
    
    $error = 'Invalid credentials';
}
?>

<form method="POST">
    <?php if ($error ?? false): ?>
        <div class="error"><?= $error ?></div>
    <?php endif; ?>
    
    <input type="email" name="email" required>
    <input type="password" name="password" required>
    <?= csrf_field() ?>
    <button type="submit">Login</button>
</form>

That's it. No controllers, no middleware configuration, no service providers. Just PHP doing what PHP does best.

When to Use Lighthouse

Lighthouse shines when you're building:

The Philosophy

Lighthouse embraces pragmatic PHP development:

Getting Started

# Install the CLI
bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/max-yterb/Lighthouse/main/scripts/install.sh)"

# Create your first app
lighthouse new my-awesome-app
cd my-awesome-app

# Start building
php -S localhost:8000 -t public/

What's Next?

Lighthouse is actively developed with a focus on:

Try It Today

If you're tired of complex frameworks for simple projects, give Lighthouse a try. It might just remind you why you fell in love with PHP in the first place.

What do you think? Are you ready to try a framework that gets out of your way? Drop a comment below with your thoughts on modern PHP development!