# ADR-001: Custom MVC Architecture over Laravel ## Context As a Senior Software Engineer building a high-performance personal portfolio, the decision of which framework to use is critical. While Laravel is the industry standard for PHP applications, it comes with a significant overhead (bootstrapping, heavy dependency injection container, and numerous built-in features) that are unnecessary for a read-heavy, bespoke portfolio site. ## Decision We decided to build a **Custom MVC Architecture** from scratch using PHP 8.4 instead of using Laravel or Symfony. ### Key Elements of the Custom Architecture: 1. **Zero-Dependency Core:** Only relies on native PHP functions and a few essential Composer packages (if any). 2. **Bespoke Router:** A lightweight regex-based router that executes in under 2ms. 3. **Pjax Integration:** Seamless page transitions handled by a custom frontend JavaScript controller, avoiding full page reloads. 4. **Service Container:** A custom dependency injection container for essential services (Database, Authentication) without reflection overhead. ## Consequences ### Positive - **Extreme Performance:** Page load times and TTFB (Time to First Byte) are consistently under 15ms. - **Demonstration of Skill:** Showcases deep understanding of architectural patterns, design principles, and native language capabilities to Engineering Managers and CTOs. - **Total Control:** Every byte sent to the browser is strictly controlled, allowing for micro-optimizations. ### Negative - **Maintenance Overhead:** Standard features like CSRF protection, ORM, and Migrations must be built and maintained manually. - **Slower Feature Velocity:** Building complex features (e.g., a fully-fledged admin panel) takes more time compared to using Laravel Nova or Filament.