MoonPHP news
It’s been a little over a year since I designed a simple PHP framework, MoonPHP. I based it around an apache mod_rewrite scheme, so I could write an app that used “pretty urls” without the overhead associated with frameworks that offer that kind of thing. I took ideas from Ruby on Rails (the first framework I dabbled in) and CakePHP, and borrowed from WordPress’s “procedural” method. The framework featured a deceptively simple coding methodology, switchable themes, customizable URLs, and a simple database interface. It worked well enough that it sustained many implementations, and ended up powering the Ron Paul presidential campaign site, delivering millions of page hits. Throughout 2007 I learned a lot, and although I applied what I learned to the work I did on top of the framework, MoonPHP itself has stayed virtually unchanged. I call this version Moon PHP 0.6.
So I’ve got some new ideas now, and have lately spent after-hours time re-writing Moon from scratch! Although developing in the new version, which I’m calling MoonPHP 1.0, will be similar to 0.6, everything under the hood is changing drastically: it now sports a completely event-driven architecture.
What’s exciting about events? By attaching to event “hooks,” every bit of functionality in both the framework and the developed code can override, add to, or be overridden by code elsewhere. Also, the new plugin system works off of the same event architecture that runs the base framework, allowing plugins to modify any aspect of the application, including the framework itself!
I originally intended MoonPHP to be open-source, but never got around to releasing it in what I considered a releasable state. Now I would like to release the new version when it is ready, along with a read-only SVN repository. I’m still deciding on the license. MoonPHP is my ideal framework as a web developer, and I hope that other PHP developers will share my sentiments and adopt it for everyday use.
I will be updating this blog and moonphp.org with my progress, and here’s to a happy New Year an a happy new framework!
March 2nd, 2008 at 4:53 am
Hey,
Im eager to view your framework. Been looking at nearly all frameworks out there…but havent found one thats lightweight but still powerful enough for me (besides ruby on rails…)..but I wanted an php alternative. You seem to be on the right track from what Im reading…you mind giving me a glimpse?
keep it up
regards,
Florian,
March 2nd, 2008 at 3:34 pm
Unfortunately I can’t release it until it’s ready :( Some legal and technical things still linger, but i’m working on it.