Comparative Study of Source Code Complexity in PHP Web Applications: Utilization of Commercial Code Generators and Manual Framework

This study examined the complexity of source code generated by commercial code generators (PHPMaker and PHPRunner) versus code written manually using the Laravel framework and the open-source code generator CakePHP. Code complexity is a critical metric in software development that influences maintenance, improvement, and responsiveness to changes. This study uses an empirical analysis approach to assess code complexity using cyclomatic and relative system complexity metrics. According to research findings, commercial code generators speed up the program writing process while producing code that is more complex than manual code. The code's high complexity may pose challenges for future maintenance and development, as well as increased cost and development time. This study suggests a hybrid approach that combines the use of code generators for specific aspects with manual encoding of critical components. This study provides valuable guidance for software developers in managing source code complexity and ensuring effective and sustainable software development.