A different CMF

I was checking around the net and was pointed to http://www.codeigniter.com. It seems to provide a MODx type framework without a manager. It looks to provide the tools to build the manager, etc.

1. I was wondering if anyone here has seen this, experienced this, or has any thoughts on it.

2. The Calendar class and some of the other classes seem like a good idea to me for MODx additions. (Seems similar Jason’s MakeTable and the new Doc classes recently provided).

Just wanted to know what your thoughts on this were.

Chuck

@Chuck

CodeIgniter is indeed the best of the PHP frameworks I’ve yet seen, at least of the ones that work in PHP 4, and it’s definitely high on what many would consider a competitor’s list for the next generation MODx. It’s possible that CodeIgniter add-on’s could be made for MODx, but I have not yet attempted to do so.

That said, IMO, the major strength of MODx is the simple templating model that has been employed. I would go so far as to say that, as a pure PHP application framework CodeIgniter is a bit more robust and mature than MODx is at this time. However, I truly believe the new core for MODx 1.0 will change this dramatically by combining the proven MODx templating model with a new, ultra-light object-oriented framework that will make porting and optimizing MODx for other db platforms a breeze, and will provide a more powerful and consistent API that, combined with a variety of other new features, will mean even more improvements in extensibility (with no need for hacks at all).

Does this mean that CodeIgniter and MODx can not co-exist? Absolutely not.. Ultimately, the rewritten MODx framework focuses on what it does best, managing content, be it static or dynamic, and better organizes the core into logical, independent modules. This will make it much easier to integrate MODx with a multitude of other PHP applications, frameworks, libraries, etc. by delegation. Think of using CodeIgniter, or Zend Framework, or or a set of custom PHP pages, and managing it all in MODx. And by applying a few key object-oriented patterns to the MODx code, it will make accessing and using the MODx API (including the template parser) inside other systems not only practical, but even efficient. For example, you could write a simple WordPress plugin that could render a menu generated by a MODx snippet.

Quote from: ProWebscape at Jul 26, 2006, 07:17 PM

I was checking around the net and was pointed to http://www.codeigniter.com. It seems to provide a MODx type framework without a manager. It looks to provide the tools to build the manager, etc.

It does look like a decent PHP Application framework, but without the manager and without what I’d term a "website management framework", it just doesn’t do it for me.

I cannot imagine ever building a web-based application that wasn’t part of a website (even if it was just help pages for the application), and so I’m always going to be better off with something that has CMS functionality rather than reinventing that wheel.

Sure, there are parts of the MODx manager that I’d write differently - but MODx doesn’t particularly stop me. I’d much rather create a custom management interface from the position of Having A Standard Manager rather than Not Having Any Manager.

But yeah, as Jason says - using both is highly doable.

Their CI vs Drupal thread is interesting. From this I can see the difference clearly:

MODx is a PHP application framework packaged as a fully functioning CMS.
Code Igniter is a PHP application framework.

Which would be fine, but it seems that a few people are using CI to create their own CMS, which just seems daft to me.

I’ve not watched it, but I see they have a video demo called "Create a Blog in 20 Minutes". Perhaps we should have a video called "Create a Blog in 2 Minutes".

CakePHP has gotten a lot of good press recently, too, as a PHP framework. I personally would imagine that integrating CI or Cake with MODx would be a nightmare of API spaghetti. But what the hell do I know. Seems like you could build something like MODx with CI or Cake, but once you’ve got MODx, using CI or Cake would be a moot point. But what the hell do I know.

Quote from: smartalec at Jul 27, 2006, 10:22 AM

CakePHP has gotten a lot of good press recently, too, as a PHP framework. I personally would imagine that integrating CI or Cake with MODx would be a nightmare of API spaghetti. But what the hell do I know. Seems like you could build something like MODx with CI or Cake, but once you’ve got MODx, using CI or Cake would be a moot point. But what the hell do I know.

I don’t believe it’s moot at all. In fact I’d say our ability to adapt to this is essential to the project’s long-term viability.

You familiar with http://www.martinfowler.com/ ? Or ever studied any of these patterns -- http://eaipatterns.com/ -- ? EAI was my life for several years, so I have studied these and the rewrite that is in progress is based on solid, proven design patterns that make the implementation of more advanced patterns for application integration, well, a piece of cake (not to steal anyone’s marketing hype). MODx, as a content manager, stands on perfect ground to become a central point of web application integration by following these concepts, and as such, can further extend its reach into medium and larger-sized businesses, where application integration efforts are much more costly and complicated.

Here are some more high-level links to the concepts I am talking about when I indicate that MODx can, as a content management framework, co-exist with and delegate to external frameworks, libraries, or existing applications:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enterprise_application_integration (general discussion)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_services (the focus of most current EAI efforts and a big part of the new architecture)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enterprise_Content_Integration (emerging EAI focus where MODx can truly excel)

Cool. I’m so happy there are smarter people than me out there!

so long story short cake php and code igniter are modx, though maybe a little more mature and robust, minus the pre-fab/ standard manager ?

edit:

so long story short cake php and code igniter are modx, though maybe ? a little more mature and robust, minus the pre-fab/ standard manager ?

Why do you say that, particularly about the robust part?

Quote from: rthrash at Feb 15, 2007, 03:50 PM

Why do you say that, particularly about the robust part?

because opengeek did

Quote from: OpenGeek at Jul 26, 2006, 08:13 PM

@Chuck...

That said, IMO, the major strength of MODx is the simple templating model that has been employed. I would go so far as to say that, as a pure PHP application framework CodeIgniter is a bit more robust and mature than MODx is at this time. However, I truly believe the new core for MODx 1.0 will change this dramatically ...

I honestly don’t know who is where. I have never explored either deep enough to know (cake or codeigniter). I just found modx and it was everything I could have ever asked. Its like a really good girlfriend. When you have a good one you just don’t feel the need to look around at other girls.

I was just posing a question for claification.

I’m about to go to a meeting tonight with the Georgia Entreprenuer’s Society because they are a good resource to help me get my business off of the ground

http://www.gesnow.com/

and a company by the name of shift 90 http://www.shift90.com/ is in the group makes their website and they are looking to redesign and they are looking at codeIgniter for the platform

I was thinking of evangelizing modx to them whether or not they decide to use it but I just wanted to make sure I knew what I was talking about.

so i did a search and found this topic and decided to ask the question for clarification.

in my opinion modx has more going for it than codeigniter it just seems like codeigniter, in terms of application framework, is a bit further along than modx.

I could be wrong though so I’m asking.

i’ve edited my question to be more clear

Quote from: PaulGregory at Jul 27, 2006, 05:58 AM

I’ve not watched it, but I see they have a video demo called "Create a Blog in 20 Minutes". Perhaps we should have a video called "Create a Blog in 2 Minutes".

lol!

It’s all about how fast someone can read this article