Hygen vs Symfony MakerBundle
Hygen
hygen.ecmascript.pizzaSymfony MakerBundle
symfony.comSide by side
| Figure | Hygen | Symfony MakerBundle |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Code Generators | 8.7 (#5) | 8.3 (#10) |
| Founded | 2018 | 2017 |
| Installation | The maker documents installation through Homebrew on macOS, global npm or Yarn installation, and `npx` use. | It is installed as a development dependency with `composer require --dev symfony/maker-bundle`. |
| License | The GitHub repository identifies the project as MIT licensed. | The MakerBundle software is released under the MIT license. |
| Support | The maker site links users to Stack Overflow as its community resource. | The Symfony documentation directs users to open an issue to discuss requested MakerBundle extension points. |
| What it does | Hygen is a scalable code generator that lives in a project and generates code from templates. | Symfony MakerBundle generates starter code for common Symfony application tasks so developers avoid repetitive boilerplate. |
Plans
In their own words
Hygen
Hygen is a free, open-source code generator that runs in a project and creates code from templates. Its generators are self-contained, with folder structure defining the commands, and it looks for a local `_templates` directory so templates can stay beside project code. Built-in scaffolds help create generators, including through prompts. Templates use EJS and frontmatter, where a `to` value can set the generated file destination. Generators accept command-line arguments, interactive or multi-step prompts, file creation, and content injection into existing files. Templates can also run shell commands, while actions can select matching files with strings or regular expressions. A documented `--dry` option supports test-running generators. Hygen was built for React, Redux, and Node.js boilerplate but can be used with any technology. It runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows, is MIT licensed, and is distributed through Homebrew, npm, Yarn, npx, and standalone binaries.
Symfony MakerBundle
Symfony MakerBundle generates PHP code for Symfony projects through commands in the `make:` namespace. It can create commands, controllers, form classes, tests, and other code to reduce boilerplate. The bundle requires no configuration by default, though its settings can be overridden, and generated PHP files are formatted with php-cs-fixer. The `make:entity` command requires `doctrine/orm` to be installed and configured; it supports ORM but not ODM. Developers can add commands by extending `AbstractMaker` and registering the class as a `maker.command` service. Generated code generally cannot be modified, so the documentation recommends creating a custom maker when changes are needed. Symfony source code is released under the MIT license. The bundle is installed with Composer as a development dependency and costs nothing. Symfony directs users to report security issues privately; for confirmed vulnerabilities, its core team prepares a patch, obtains a CVE identifier, and publishes an announcement. The documentation directs extension-point requests to an issue.