README

Concord is a Laravel Extension that helps to build Modules for Laravel Applications on top of Laravel's built-in Service Providers.

Concord at first is a Laravel package. It also offers some conventions that help you to better structure complex systems.

Version Compatibility

Basics

Modular Architecture is exactly what you think it is - a way to manage the complexity of a problem by breaking them down to smaller manageable modules. -- Param Rengaiah

Concord itself (this library) manages the modules.

Concord modules are isolated fractions of the business logic, built around a single topic.

There are two kinds of modules from the usage perspective:

• in-app modules,
• external modules.

Concord is not aware of this difference at all, but they represent two different approaches of modularization.

In-app Modules

• They are part of the application's codebase;
• are located in app/Modules/<ModuleName>;
• being decoupled is a less strict requirement;
• code reuse and customization is not an aspect.

External Modules

• They are libraries,
• are typically managed with composer, thus they live in the vendor/ folder;
• should be as decoupled as possible;
• contain basic or boilerplate functionality for applications;
• they are designed to be used by multiple, different applications;
• their behavior is subject to customization in the application.

Either module types are always coupled to Laravel and Concord;

Installation

Refer to the Installation Section of the Documentation.

Create Your First Module

php artisan make:module ShinyModule

This will create a very basic in-app module in the app/Modules/ShinyModule folder.

In order to activate the module add it to the config/concord.php file:

return [
    'modules' => [
        App\Modules\ShinyModule\Providers\ModuleServiceProvider::class
    ]
];

Documenatation

See the Concord Documentation for all the nasty details ;)

Plans For Version 2.0

• Artisan Console command names will be de-branded (eg. concord:modules -> module:list)
• The central config/concord.php file will be eliminated, or split:
  • modules can specify their own config file name (like normal Laravel packages);
  • therefore several modules can share config files (see vanilo.php);
  • if we keep concord.php, then it'll contain concord specific settings.
• Modules will be loaded as normal packages, using auto-discovery instead of listing modules with concord.
• Custom names for service providers eg. CartServiceProvider instead of ModuleServiceProvider.
• Question to the prior item is how to do the same with in-app modules.
• Re-think the concept of boxes vs. modules.
• Remove surplus items from Documentation.
• Remove helpers (?).
• Remove custom view namespace support.
• Will we ever use Controller overriding?
• Add make:request, make:model, make:enum commands that scaffold with interface, proxy etc.
• Fix AddressType -> address_type kind of style problem in route parameters