laravel is a very serious framework

there is a laravel this for every that

I have to deal with npm too? impressive

was looking for a simple to learn framework just to take my mind of js and someone recommended laravel.

Laravel's basics are very easy. But yes, it's a serious framework and ecosystem, you can build gigantic things with it.

There's a small version called Lumen (which I hate, but it exists.)

I love Laravel. It goes so deep, but it's easy to ignore all the additional complexities and just focus on the bits you need.
My last project with Laravel didn't even require me to access a DB directly, it was all received via a one-way API system - bliss!!

Dude, if you want to make a simple app you can use laravel. If you want to have a gigantic monolithic application built with some front-end framework then yes, you have to use npm.

Laravel is not that difficult at entry level.

I've basically stopped using php for anything new, but I still have a few old clients that are on Laravel. And, I have to say, everytime I work on it, I sort of miss it.

It's simple when you want it to be. Or, can be ludicrously complex when you need it to be.

@ostream you know you love it.
Seriously I can't fault Laravel, it's such an easy framework to use. Couple it with PHP 8 and....mwwwwaaaahh!

@Lyniven I only ever use Laravel, not Lumen but I was considering it. Out of interest, why don't you like Lumen?