Getting Started

Minimal Steps to Begin

Install REDAXO
- Download the latest release from GitHub or use the installer via the admin panel.
- Run the built-in installer (select demo_base for an English demo).
- Access the backend at /redaxo/.
First Use Case: Create a Basic Page
- Navigate to Structure → Pages in the backend.
- Create a new page (e.g., Home).
- Assign a template (e.g., default).
- Add content via the Slice Editor (drag-and-drop elements like text, images, or modules).
Key Directories to Explore
- /redaxo/src/ – Core classes (e.g., rex_*, rex_sql_table).
- /redaxo/var/ – Runtime data (caches, uploads).
- /redaxo/var/packages/ – Addons (extend functionality).
- /redaxo/var/structure/ – Page structure and content.
First Code Interaction
- Override a template: Copy /redaxo/var/templates/default/ to your project and modify.
- Extend a module: Create a new addon in /redaxo/var/packages/ with a package.yml and PHP classes.

Implementation Patterns

Core Workflows

Content Management

Pages & Slices: Use rex_article and rex_article_slice to fetch/edit content.

$article = rex_article::getCurrent();
$slices = $article->getSlices();

Multilingual Support: Leverage rex_language for language-specific content.

rex_language::set('en');
$content = rex_article::getCurrent()->getSlice('intro')->getValue();

Module Development

Basic Module Structure:

/my_module/
├── package.yml       # Metadata (name, version, dependencies)
├── lib/               # PHP classes (e.g., `my_module.php`)
├── templates/         # Frontend templates
└── backend/           # Admin UI (if needed)

Register a Module:

class my_module extends rex_module {
    public function getConfig() {
        return [
            'name' => 'My Module',
            'author' => 'You',
        ];
    }
}

Hook into Events: Use extension points (EPs) like REGISTER_MODULES or ARTICLE_SAVE.

rex_extension::register('REGISTER_MODULES', function() {
    rex_module::register('my_module');
});

Database Operations

Query Builder: Use rex_sql for queries.

$articles = rex_sql::factory()->getArray(
    'SELECT * FROM rex_article WHERE id > 0'
);

Table Definitions: Extend with rex_sql_table.

class my_table extends rex_sql_table {
    public function getTableStructure() {
        return [
            'id' => ['type' => 'int', 'autoinc' => true],
            'name' => ['type' => 'varchar', 'length' => 255],
        ];
    }
}

Frontend Integration

Templates: Use Smarty-like syntax in .tpl files.

{if $article->getSlice('hero_image')->getValue()}
    <img src="{$article->getSlice('hero_image')->getValue()}" />
{/if}

Dynamic Content: Fetch data in PHP and pass to templates.

$this->setVar('custom_data', ['key' => 'value'], false);

Backend Extensions
- Admin UI: Extend with rex_be_controller or override be_style addon templates.
- Permissions: Use rex_user and rex_right for role-based access.
```
if (!rex_user::getCurrent()->hasPermission('my_module_edit')) {
    rex_response::redirect('index.php');
}
```

CLI & Automation

Console Commands: Create custom commands in /lib/ of your addon.

class my_command extends rex_cli_command {
    public function execute() {
        echo "Running custom task...\n";
    }
}

Cronjobs: Schedule tasks via the cronjob addon.

class my_cronjob extends rex_cronjob {
    public function execute() {
        // Your logic here
    }
}

Integration Tips

Addon Dependencies
- Declare dependencies in package.yml:
```
dependencies:
    - structure
    - mediapool
```
- Use rex_addon::get('mediapool') to access addon services.
Asset Management
- Place CSS/JS in /templates/ or /backend/ of your addon.
- Register assets in getConfig():
```
'assets' => [
    'css' => ['my_module.css'],
    'js' => ['my_module.js'],
],
```
Localization
- Use rex_i18n for translations:
```
rex_i18n::set('en', 'my_module');
echo rex_i18n::msg('hello_world');
```
- Store translations in /lang/ (e.g., en.yml).

Debugging & Logging

Enable debug mode in config.yml:
```
debug: true
```

Log messages:

rex_logger::log('My log message', rex_logger::LEVEL_INFO);

Security Best Practices
- Sanitize inputs:
```
$clean_input = rex_request::sanitizePostValue('user_input');
```
- Use rex_escape for output:
```
echo rex_escape($unsafe_data);
```
- Validate file uploads with rex_mediapool::setAllowedMimeTypes().

Gotchas and Tips

Pitfalls

Namespace Conflicts
- REDAXO uses rex_* for core classes. Avoid naming your classes/modules with rex_ prefix.
- Fix: Use unique prefixes (e.g., my_module_*).
Caching Quirks
- Templates and compiled classes are cached aggressively. Clear cache after changes:
```
php redaxo/var/cli.php cache:clear
```
- Tip: Use rex_cache::set() for custom caching:
```
rex_cache::set('my_cache_key', $data, ['lifetime' => 3600]);
```
Database Compatibility
- REDAXO supports both MySQL and MariaDB, but some TEXT column defaults may behave differently.
- Fix: Normalize defaults with rex_sql_table:
```
'description' => ['type' => 'text', 'default' => ''],
```
File Permissions
- Uploads and caches require writable directories (/var/, /var/uploads/).
- Fix: Set permissions via:
```
chmod -R 755 redaxo/var/
chmod -R 777 redaxo/var/uploads/
```
Event Point (EP) Timing
- Some EPs (e.g., ARTICLE_SAVE) fire before data is fully processed.
- Tip: Use rex_extension::register('ARTICLE_SAVE', 'my_priority') to control order.
Multilingual Content Gaps
- Missing translations can break frontend output.
- Fix: Ensure all languages are defined in rex_language and use fallbacks:
```
echo rex_i18n::msg('key', 'en', 'default_value');
```
PHP 8.3+ Deprecations
- REDAXO 5.x requires PHP 8.3+. Watch for deprecated functions (e.g., rex_editor in PHP 8.5).
- Tip: Check rex_sql::factory() for MySQL/MariaDB driver updates.
Addon Updates
- Updating addons may break plugins or configurations.
- Fix: Backup var/packages/ before updates and test in staging.

Debugging Tips

Enable Debug Output
- Set debug: true in config.yml and check /var/log/ for errors.
Whoops Error Pages
- Configure in config.yml:
```
error_handler:
    whoops: true
```
SQL Debugging
- Log queries with:
```
rex_sql::setDebug(true);
```
Template Debugging
- Enable Smarty

Source Laravel Package