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When should we use multi-module structure (instead simple structure) in php Phalcon?

I have found some multi-module skeleton, such as:

https://github.com/ovr/phalcon-module-skeleton,

https://github.com/phalcon/mvc/tree/master/multiple.

But I don't know should i use this multi-module structure in a project instead use multi projects. Something i can think about it is: more complex configuration, complex folder structure, my web url be longer (/[module]/[controller]/[action]) and , importantly, performance will be low (for more loading things than).

However, I think that there are something interesting with it (so many ITer had used it). Is there Someone can give me advantages, disadvantages and criterias for selection.

P/s: the same problem with Zend2 Module!

Deka
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2 Answers2

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If you are building a single purpose application as an API that does not use Views, you should rather use single module structure. If it will be a realy simple API of for example storing/logging, micro app will do aswell.

Multi module application structure is useful if you are willing to build more complex solutions. For example an public application with public content, but with admin panel. This one would be handy to write in multi-module to separate administrative controllers/views from those public ones.

My habit is to use multi-module structure, because mostly I have to build applications that are CRM's with their API and an public accessible content part (eg. docs). For such purpose it's just handy to create such modules as:

  • frontend - for controllers accessible by everyone
  • backend - for controllers accessible after authentication and authorisation like administrative things
  • API - for API purposes ;)
  • common - a part I rather am willing not to implement, but in one project I'm forced to put here some abstract controllers that will be extended in other modules.

This way you can keep separate services configuration for each module, what saves you from cutting off things that you are using at purpose of module A, but not on module B. Like authentication part - important for backend, but useless for frontend part. Or Database configuration - slaves for frontend, master for backend, etc. So this may be also a performance-wise solution for big projects.

Update

Sometimes "multi-project" is an option including "multi-module" project ;) It strongly depends on what you are trying to achieve. Eg. if you take API apart, it may be easier to scale it over multiple instances, but at first it costs you an efford to configure separate project.

If system is supposed to be single-server instance or every istance should be absolutely independed on other instances, single multi-module project will be enough - lets say a standar CMS, blog platform, even simple browser game or homepage of mobile app including API for it. But if you are building a whole universum of apps like an internal API to privide content, CRM to manage it and a couple of web pages to serve it, keeping these as separate projects will be easier to manage later.

yergo
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  • Thank for this answer very much! I'm going to build a complex project with multi-part (the same as you said): admin-side (backend), client-side (frondend), api (for some common service use REStFul),... I'm wondering about choosing between "multi-module project" and "multi projects". What will i lost if i use "multi projects"? Is that stuff can be shared between modules?Is there something else? – Deka Feb 23 '16 at 10:35
  • Thanks, your opinions are so helpful, i will think about it carefully before start my project.... – Deka Feb 24 '16 at 02:44
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Well for example I in my application im splitting every functionnality - for example i have model Link - it's splitted to seperate module to have nice application structure where each funtionality is seperated module. It's like less classes to load in loader. Beacause you only need models and routes from each module to load for whole app, and you load other things like librarys/controllers/helpers/services in module.

Juri
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