Laravel is a popular open-source PHP web framework that aims to make web development more straightforward and enjoyable. It follows the MVC (Model-View-Controller) architectural pattern. It provides expressive and elegant syntax that helps create a wide range of web applications, from small sites to large enterprise applications. Here are some key points to remember about Laravel:

Pros:
1. Elegant Syntax: Laravel provides a clean and expressive syntax, making it a developer-friendly framework. This allows for faster and more efficient coding.
2. Modular: The framework is built with over 20 different libraries, further divided into individual modules. This makes it easy to build modular and responsive web applications.
3. Blade Templating Engine: Laravel has a powerful Blade templating engine that creates complex layouts with dynamic content. It simplifies tasks such as authentication, routing, sessions, and caching.
4. Eloquent ORM: Laravel includes Eloquent, an advanced implementation of the Active Record pattern, which provides a simple and beautiful ActiveRecord implementation for working with your database. It allows for easy querying and manipulation of the database.
5. Artisan Console: Laravel provides a built-in tool called Artisan, which offers various commands for various tasks, such as migrating databases, seeding, and generating boilerplate code. This helps automate repetitive tasks and boosts productivity.
6. Testing: Laravel is built with testing in mind. It supports PHPUnit for unit testing and provides convenient application testing methods.

Cons:
1. Learning Curve: Due to the framework’s rich features and conventions, there may be a learning curve for developers new to Laravel. However, once mastered, it can significantly boost productivity.
2. Performance Overhead: While Laravel provides a rich set of features, some developers argue it may introduce a performance overhead compared to micro-frameworks. However, with proper optimization, this impact can be mitigated.
3. Continuous Updates: The framework evolves continuously, so maintaining and updating applications to newer versions of Laravel may require additional effort to ensure compatibility and stability.

In conclusion, Laravel is a powerful and flexible PHP framework that simplifies web development and offers rich features. While it may have a learning curve for beginners and a potential performance overhead, its expressive syntax, modular structure, and built-in tools make it a popular choice for building web applications of varying complexities.