One might ponder this question frequently, however, the crux of the matter isn't necessarily about when you choose Laravel specifically. Rather, the more pertinent question is when do you decide to fully invest your resources and time to create your website from scratch, tailoring it to your specific needs, as opposed to utilizing existing Content Management Systems (CMSs) such as WordPress.

In our team, each project is treated as a unique entity, requiring its own set of considerations and decisions. In certain situations, for a straightforward website consisting of a homepage, a news summary page, a section to display portfolio items, and a dedicated contact page, you could potentially lean towards a 'standard package' like WordPress. This type of project is something we could delegate to our expert team based in India.

However, when the scope of your project extends to include personal user environments, integrations with other sophisticated systems such as Salesforce, Realworks, Kolibri, or if you require extensive, unique functionalities, we consistently recommend going down the custom route. For projects involving 'middleware' (a term denoting software that acts as a bridge between two systems), our preference almost invariably gravitates towards Laravel development. Using Laravel, we can craft a bespoke API tailored to your specific needs, providing us with the capability to transition smoothly between different systems.

The motivation behind opting for custom work in these circumstances is the desire to create something truly scalable. 'Scalable' in this context implies that your website should still be fully functional and efficient five years down the line, should easily accommodate the addition of new features, and should be robust enough to handle a substantial amount of traffic. A standard package, whilst beneficial in some situations, can't always guarantee these promises. In addition, when using WordPress, you're always somewhat at the mercy of the flexibility (or lack thereof) of anonymous developers. If an unknown developer unexpectedly ceases to maintain their plugin, your website could potentially fall apart.

Embracing custom work allows you the freedom and control to shape every aspect of your website, meaning the scalability of your site rests entirely in your hands.

Speed is another area where custom work usually has the upper hand. Existing systems offer limited opportunities for optimization, given that every single line of code is integral to the operation of the whole system. With custom work, you have the power to determine how every element is set up and programmed, giving you the advantage of considering speed from the very outset.

This is our daily mission, and we say with confidence that we are well-versed in it.