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VOOZH | about |
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VOOZH | about |
This page provides a high-level guide to developing extensions (modules) for the Maho e-commerce platform. It covers the module system architecture, configuration mechanisms, and integration points that allow developers to extend and customize Maho functionality without modifying core code.
For specific extension development tasks:
For core architecture concepts referenced here, see Module System and Event System and Observers.
Maho's extension system is built on a modular architecture where functionality is organized into discrete modules. Each module is a self-contained package that can add or modify functionality through well-defined integration points.
A typical Maho module follows this directory structure:
app/code/{codePool}/{Namespace}/{Module}/
├── etc/
│ ├── config.xml # Core module configuration
│ ├── system.xml # Admin system configuration
│ └── adminhtml.xml # Admin menu and ACL
├── Model/ # Business logic classes
├── Block/ # View layer classes
├── Helper/ # Utility classes
├── controllers/ # HTTP request handlers
├── sql/ # Database setup/upgrade scripts
└── data/ # Data setup/upgrade scripts
Modules are declared in app/etc/modules/{Namespace}_{Module}.xml files, which control module activation and dependencies. The core configuration model Mage_Core_Model_Config manages the loading and merging of these definitions app/code/core/Mage/Core/Model/Config.php13-14
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Maho identifies active modules through the configuration system. The application initializes the configuration model during bootstrap, which parses module XML files and builds the internal configuration tree.
Module Discovery Process
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Configuration is loaded in stages, with later stages able to override earlier ones. The Mage_Core_Model_Config class handles this merging process, ensuring that environment-specific settings in local.xml or the database take precedence over default module settings.
Configuration Merge Sequence
| Stage | Source | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Base | app/etc/*.xml | Core system defaults app/code/core/Mage/Core/Model/Config.php279 |
| Modules | etc/config.xml | Module-specific declarations (Models, Blocks, Helpers) |
| Local | app/etc/local.xml | Installation-specific credentials app/code/core/Mage/Core/Model/Config.php192-194 |
| Database | core_config_data | Store-scope configuration managed via Admin UI app/code/core/Mage/Core/Model/Config.php236-242 |
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Maho uses a factory pattern to instantiate objects, allowing modules to override core classes through configuration. This is primarily handled via the Mage class.
Maho leverages Composer for class loading and package management. The Maho utility class provides methods to interact with the environment, such as getInstalledPackages() lib/Maho.php32-35 and findClassFile() lib/Maho.php208-211 Developers are encouraged to use the Maho\ namespace for new PSR-4 compliant code composer.json113
The main factory methods in the Mage class are used to instantiate models and helpers based on class aliases defined in config.xml.
Factory Pattern Flow
| Factory Method | Purpose | Implementation Pointer |
|---|---|---|
Mage::getModel() | Create new model instance | app/Mage.php465-474 |
Mage::getSingleton() | Get singleton model | app/Mage.php491-500 |
Mage::getResourceModel() | Create resource model | app/Mage.php514-523 |
Mage::helper() | Get helper singleton | app/Mage.php561-570 |
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The event system provides non-invasive extension points. Modules can observe events without modifying core code. Maho supports both traditional XML-based observers and a modernized PHP Attribute-based observer system.
Modern observers use the #[Maho\Config\Observer] attribute. These attributes are compiled into a performance-optimized file vendor/composer/maho_attributes.php lib/Maho.php51-58 Developers can trigger a recompile using Maho::recompilePhpAttributes() lib/Maho.php69-70
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Maho includes a modernized CLI based on Symfony Console. Custom modules can add CLI commands that are automatically discovered.
Commands are typically integrated via Symfony's symfony/console package composer.json58 The maho script serves as the entry point for all administrative tasks, including cache management and indexer control.
CLI Command Discovery
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For detailed technical implementation, please refer to the following guides:
config.xml schema, and how to activate your module.maho script.Refresh this wiki