The 1117 is the opposite, a small PNP driving a big NPN follower. That saves a junction drop. I call that an MDO, medium dropout regulator. Its load ESR requirements are similar to a 317 type, I usually hang a
33 uF tantalum on an 1117, after which it's happy driving a bunch of ceramic bypasses.There are pfet-output LDOs.
Everything is going low-voltage, low loss, and switchers. And the 317 types work fine, except that there could be a version compensated for ceramic caps.