Discussion on packaging PHP custom extensions

[Hyperbytes]

I am going to start with discussing node as it is where we need to be.
With node extensions, we can, via the project manager create a new extension folder with package.json easily from the click of a button.

We add the .js and .hjson file and Wappler can publish directly to npm with a single command in the terminal window.
npm publish ./ --access=public

it is slick, self contained and effective
To install extensions, it is equally slick, just click on the add extension button, select the npm and install - simple, integrated, effective.

Now to PHP
The recommended route for PHP is via composer.
When we select extensions in the project manager and clikc new extension we get a folder with a node package.json, not a composer composer.json file

If we select "Add extension" we actually get a list of npm's which are almost exclusively node.js, not PHP and even when PHP code is included do not install in a good way (more on that later).

So PHP extensions have to be installed manually via terminal

The process of creating a composer package is also far from slick.
Having never actually completed the process, i believe i have to.

1. Manually create the composer.json file via terminal (composer. init)
2. Manually commit just the extension code to a git repository (from terminal as it is not possible in the standard git manager)
3. commit the git repository to packagist

Then installing an extension can be done via Composer require

Happy for anyone to tell me I am over complicating this?

I think all will agree this is not the slick method employed for node packages.

So i guess the main thrust of this message is how can this be improved?

I have one suggestion.
While npm was developed as a node/ .js repository, it actually supports any language
as the install structure for .js and .php is identical to the installation path for .js and .php i.e. extensions/server_connect_modules etc

So i can bundle both .hjson, .js and .php files in the same folder and installing from the project manager will install all those files correctly, for example

But there is a negative side effect in that:

1. both .js and .php code will be installed for both platforms as the files are just blindly copied
2. in the case of a php project, a random node_modules folder is created in the site root.

This is easily cleaned up manually but is not convenient

So, while i hope to stimulate discussion regarding improving the development of php projects, one solution, if feasible could be to improve the "intelligence" of the project manager installer to refer to the site platform and.

1. only copy the matching files i.e. php/.js
2. not create the node_modules folder is a php project

This would allow both types of project to be installed via npm and hence the project manager.

I look forward to any comments.

[George]

No, Wappler extensions go always through npm - also the php ones.

Wappler extensions are universal so they can include multiple server side languages.

Composer is merely used to get additional php dependencies, but the main Wappler extension is published to npm and installed from there.

So just publish as you are doing with other extensions but include the php files as well.

I think this is mentioned in the extensibility docs and how to add multiple per server model definitions in a single extension

[Hyperbytes]

OK, what about the issue of the node_modules folder being created when installing php extensions from npm?
Can the copy files be filtered to exclude non relevant files i.e. .js being installed in PHP environment and vice versa?

[George]

That is why we require that php projects Wappler extensions - should have their files in a separate webroot folder within the project folder.

So the node_modules in the project files is just for Wappler own usage. The files under the web root (usually www) are published to the final remote server.

[Hyperbytes]

So you are saying they are created but just ignore them as they are not uploaded?

[George]

Yes