There is a sparse FAQ up at zend for PHP Collaboration Project. Looks like there is definitely a framework involved. (The eclipse stuff is nice, too, but my interest is in frameworks.)
Q: Describe the Zend PHP Framework. What is it and why is it needed?
A: Anyone building industrial-grade PHP applications knows there’s more to a well-designed, robust, scalable, secure PHP application than the language itself. The open source Zend PHP Framework is a body of PHP code that provides developers with the essential structure and services for an industrial-grade PHP Web application.
We also think that it’s very important this framework embody the “extreme simplicity” mindset that PHP itself exemplifies. We want to deliver a framework that helps solve developer problems and speeds development; not one that’s overly complex and heavyweight.
With this framework, PHP developers will have a big “jump start” when developing Web applications, with the ability to focus more on unique functionality and less on the plumbing and infrastructure that all applications share.
Q: Aren’t there other existing PHP frameworks? Why is this one different?
A: While there are other existing PHP frameworks, they are all either very specialized or don’t embody the “extreme simplicity” mindset I described above.
There’s a large need in the PHP community for a good, simple, but comprehensive, general-purpose framework for building robust, scalable, maintainable Web applications. By making this the initial deliverable of the PHP Collaboration Project, we can produce a framework that incorporates the best ideas from a large number of companies and individuals, while at the same time meeting the needs of most PHP developers.
So this is the announcement of the start of a project to build a framework? Not the announcement of the delivery of a framework?
I agree with their assessment of need. I’ve been saying that for a long time at SitePoint and here on this blog.
I can’t help but be reminded of a parable from The Zen of Programming:
“Curse these personal computers!” cried the novice in anger, “To make them do anything I must use three or even four editing programs. This is truly intolerable!”
The master programmer stared at the novice. “And what would you do to remedy this state of affairs?” he asked.The novice thought for a moment. “I will design a new editing program,” he said, “a program that will replace all these others.”
Suddenly the master struck the novice on the side of his head.
“What did you do that for?” exclaimed the surprised novice.
“I have no wish to learn another editing program,” said the master.
And suddenly the novice was enlightened.
Has there ever been a framework project that didn’t promise being more “lightweight” than all the other pre-existing projects at the onset?
Being both general and extremely simple while providing a non-trivial value is very very very difficult. If it were easy, it wouldn’t be so hard to find an existing PHP framework that isn’t “overly complex and heavyweight.”
Its a worthy project with a difficult goal.
I’m looking forward to seeing more information and I’d like to help out however I can.
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Hi Jeff,
As you pointed out, the need is definitely there.
I also agree that it is difficult to keep a framework simple. The guidelines of this project is “Extreme simplicity”, or in other words, we will try and do the 20% that addresses 80% of the need. I believe that if we try and address 100%, we will very quickly end up with Java-like frameworks that are overly complex and hard to use (and I suffered from J2EE myself).
It’s a lot a matter of mindset and self-control, and by making sure all our developers have “Extreme Simplicity” on their whiteboards, I also think we can achieve that.
For features outside these guidelines, we will try provide extensibility, and very much make it a use-at-will architecture, so you can plug in something more powerful if you need it. For example, our database interface will be relatively simple (but quite powerful and nice), and will allow people to control their own queries if they need to.
In any case, I hope we will be able to put up some short code examples of some completed work in the next couple of weeks; but it will take a while longer to be fully baked.
Andi
I think the problem is less that the existing PHP frameworks are overly and heavyweight and more that they terribly documented. While I am a full-time PHP developer, I have started playing with Ruby on Rails in my spare time to sate my desire for a solid, well-designed framework. After I got into it, I started looking at the many php solutions (cake, mojavi, and others). In the end I downloaded around half a dozen PHP web application frameworks and not a single one of them had anything that could be regarded as even mildly adequate documentation.
In fact, the majority of them lacked so much as an install document to get the platform up and running. The best I could find, in many cases, was a tutorial on USING the framework which assumes you spend the time learning how to configure it to a working state.
I work in a PHP development house and I am pretty excited to see the Zend framework.
I wonder whether Zend will release the framework and/or a basic version of the IDE as open source projects.
Really enjoyed this, thanks for posting. What is the affiliation with web design san diego meetup group next month?