framework
Vanilo is a Laravel-based e-commerce framework designed to help PHP developers build online stores quickly. It provides pre-built e-commerce functionality as a Laravel package, currently at version 5.2.1 with support for Laravel 10–13 and PHP 8.3–8.5.
Key facts
Objective fields from the source. Values we can't verify are shown as “Unknown” rather than guessed.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Repository | vanilophp/framework |
| Owner | vanilophp |
| Primary language | PHP |
| License | MIT — OSI-approved |
| Stars | 868 |
| Forks | 97 |
| Open issues | 8 |
| Latest release | 5.2.1 (2026-05-28) |
| Last updated | 2026-07-07 |
| Source | https://github.com/vanilophp/framework |
What framework is
A modular Laravel e-commerce package built on top of Laravel's ecosystem, offering out-of-the-box features for product management, orders, and payments. Composed of pluggable components that integrate with Laravel's ORM and middleware architecture.
Get the framework source
Clone the repository and explore it locally.
git clone https://github.com/vanilophp/framework.gitcd framework# follow the project's README for install & configurationNeed it deployed, integrated, or customized instead? DEV.co ships production installs.
Best use cases
Implementation considerations
- Requires Laravel 10.48+ and PHP 8.3+; verify your infrastructure supports these versions before committing.
- Team must be competent in Laravel patterns (service providers, middleware, migrations); onboarding non-Laravel developers carries risk.
- Database schema and data model are opinionated; customization may require forking or maintaining patches across framework upgrades.
- Payment gateway integrations, shipping providers, and analytics connectors are not included; plan custom or third-party plugin development.
- Performance tuning (caching, indexing, query optimization) will be necessary for catalogs with 10k+ SKUs or high-traffic sites.
When to avoid it — and what to weigh
- No Laravel/PHP expertise in-house — If your team is primarily JavaScript, Python, or Go focused, adopting Vanilo adds language/framework learning overhead. Consider language-native alternatives.
- Enterprise multi-tenant SaaS at scale — Vanilo targets rapid development; complex multi-tenant isolation, compliance (PCI DSS), and large-scale payment processor integrations require careful review and custom engineering.
- Headless-first or API-driven design mandatory — If your architecture requires decoupled frontend and backend from day one with strong API contracts, you may find Vanilo's tight Laravel coupling limiting.
- Mature legacy system integration — Integrating with decades-old ERP, WMS, or accounting systems may require custom adapters; Vanilo's ecosystem focus may not provide off-the-shelf bridges.
License & commercial use
Licensed under MIT (MIT License), a permissive OSI-approved license. Requires attribution; permits commercial use, modification, and redistribution.
MIT license explicitly permits commercial use. You may use Vanilo in commercial products, modify it, and redistribute without asking permission. However, you must include a copy of the license and retain copyright notices. No warranty is provided; liability for production issues rests with the user. For SaaS/managed hosting scenarios, confirm your contract covers dependency licenses.
DEV.co evaluation signals
Editorial assessment — not user reviews. Directional, with an explicit confidence level.
| Signal | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Maintenance | Active |
| Documentation | Adequate |
| License clarity | Clear |
| Deployment complexity | Moderate |
| DEV.co fit | Good |
| Assessment confidence | High |
Standard Laravel security applies (CSRF, SQL injection prevention, auth). No security audit, penetration test results, or CVE history provided in the data. Payment handling (PCI compliance) is a major concern; ensure custom payment integrations follow PCI DSS or use tokenized processors. Regularly patch Laravel and PHP dependencies. Conduct threat modeling for customer data (PII, payment tokens). No evidence of built-in rate limiting, WAF rules, or DDoS protection in the data provided.
Alternatives to consider
Shopify Plus / Shopify App
Fully managed, multi-tenant SaaS e-commerce platform. No infrastructure or code maintenance required. Better if speed-to-revenue and zero DevOps are priorities, but higher cost and less customization.
WooCommerce (WordPress + PHP)
WordPress-native e-commerce plugin; lower barrier to entry for small stores and agencies. Vanilo offers more control and Laravel integration if you are already Laravel-first.
Medusa (Node.js / TypeScript headless e-commerce)
Open-source, API-first, language-agnostic storefront. Better for headless/composable commerce. Choose if your frontend team is JavaScript/TS focused and you want decoupled backend.
Build on framework with DEV.co software developers
If you have Laravel expertise and need rapid e-commerce deployment, Vanilo is a strong fit. Contact our team to assess integration with your existing infrastructure and plan your implementation roadmap.
Talk to DEV.coRelated on DEV.co
Explore the category and the services that help you build with it.
framework FAQ
Does Vanilo include a payment gateway?
Can I use Vanilo as a headless backend (REST/GraphQL API)?
What is the cost of using Vanilo?
How often are new versions released?
Work with a software development agency
Need help beyond evaluating framework? DEV.co is a software development agency offering software development services and web development for teams of every size. Our software developers and web developers build custom software, web applications, APIs, and open-source ecommerce integrations — and maintain them long-term.
Ready to build with Vanilo?
If you have Laravel expertise and need rapid e-commerce deployment, Vanilo is a strong fit. Contact our team to assess integration with your existing infrastructure and plan your implementation roadmap.