Jelix is a framework for PHP5, whose objective is to contribute to the realization of applications or Web sites of any kind.

Here is what is proposed to the developer:

• API dealing with numbers of technical aspects: data access, MVC model, templates, exit format generator (HTML, XUL,…), Web services (xml-RPC, json-RPC), authentication, rights management, localization etc.
• a modular structure and an organization of the files of the project, imposing a framework and some developing standards.
• a “layer” organization of the project: presentation, coordination, service, business, persistence.

These characteristics allow for a better re-use of the code, a capitalization of know-how, a better organization in the development, all this moving to a better productivity.

Jelix uses to the maximum of specificities of PHP5, in order to be the lightest and most powerful possible. This is why a project based on Jelix is 100% object.

• Modular architecture : an application can be cut out in several reusable modules.
• Minimal guarantee on the data exchange : Jelix controls the generation of exit format according to the type of request. For example, if we have a request for a XML-RPC web service, we cannot generate HTML, the answer will be obligatorily in XML-RPC. That thus offers a certain robustness of the application in client/server communication. (Unless the developer does not use objects from Jelix, because nothing indeed prevents from making an echo of anything anywhere).
• Generation of technical errors in specified format : thanks to the Jelix system described before, all the technical errors are returned in the format awaited by the client. For example: no HTML formatted error when client is awaiting XML-RPC or RDF response.
• Light and evolutionary template engine (jTpl), with a syntax halfway between Smarty and PHP. A plugin system like in Smarty is also available.
• jDAO, object-relational mapping, based on the DAO design pattern (Data Access Object). Declared in XML files, automatic generation of its SQL requests , handling of security problems (SQL injection etc…).
• Designation of files and resources by selectors, and not by physical ways, then bringing a certain independence to a module from the installation.
• Event system allowing module-to-module communication.
• Overload file : it is possible to redefine some files of a module without changing the originals (DAO, templates, properties). Useful when a module is used by several applications at the same time, or to make easy the update of a third module.

Functions that we don’t find so often in frameworks:

• Web Services : Jelix deals with analysis of the content of requests, and the generation of the response. XML-RPC and JSON-RPC are handled. Other types of services Web are completely possible (SOAP,…).
• Handling of RESTfull : by simple implementation of an interface: one can easily define what is done after HTTP GET/POST/PUT/DELETE requests.
• Template system: it is possible to define several templates, each one redefining the template of modules.
• Automatic system for URL generation and mapping : no complete URL in Jelix. The framework has the responsibility to generate urls in the templates or elsewhere, according to the configuration of URL mapping defined nn actions (mod_rewrite &co).
• PHP scripts for code generation to execute in command liner, allowing fast creation of various files of a project (module, DAO, template, actiongroup etc)
• Technical cache system : almost all non PHP files of a Jelix project “are compiled” in PHP in order to improve the performances (templates, DAO, events etc.).

Functions which one finds in many frameworks:

• The architecture of the core is MVC type (Model-View-Controller). A coordinator handles the execution of an action according to the parameters in the URL. The possible actions are implemented in classes of jController type (controllers).
• Database access abstraction layer: jDb relies on PDO or its own classes (when PDO is not available) to reach the databases.
• Localization: storage of messages located in properties files.
• System of authentication and rights management.
• Use of XML: declaration of the events, DAOs etc… That makes it possible to facilitate writing, generation and modifying these parts of a project by third-party tools, and thus to increase productivity.

Read the mini tutorial