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[Framework](/categories/framework) 4. / 5. miolo/miolo ActiveLibrary[Framework](/categories/framework) miolo/miolo =========== Miolo PHP Framework v2.5.0(3mo ago)20GPL-2.0-or-laterJavaScriptPHP >=5.2 Since Mar 1Pushed 3mo agoCompare [ Source](https://github.com/wprigollopes/miolo)[ Packagist](https://packagist.org/packages/miolo/miolo)[ Docs](https://github.com/wprigollopes/miolo)[ RSS](/packages/miolo-miolo/feed)WikiDiscussions master Synced 3w ago READMEChangelogDependenciesVersions (11)Used By (0) MIOLO Framework =============== [](#miolo-framework) **One of the first PHP frameworks ever built.** Born in 1999 at a small university in southern Brazil, years before the world had heard of Rails, Django, Symfony, or Laravel. --- Why This Repository Exists -------------------------- [](#why-this-repository-exists) This code sat in a Subversion repository at `svn.solis.com.br/miolo` for 20 years — 9,538 revisions, 31 contributors, spanning from 2006 to 2026, with roots going back to 1999. It was never on GitHub. Most of the comments were in Portuguese. Many of the people who built it have moved on. The story was at risk of being lost. I decided to recover the MIOLO source code and make it public because this project deserves to be remembered. Not as a museum piece, but as a living record of what a small group of developers accomplished under conditions that modern programmers would find hard to imagine — and as a codebase that, with care, can still be brought into the present. This is an effort to **rescue the history**, **translate the codebase**from Portuguese to English so the international community can read it, and **modernize the framework** so it can run on current PHP versions. It is a work in progress. --- The Story --------- [](#the-story) MIOLO's name comes from the Portuguese word *miolo* — the soft interior of bread, but also meaning *intelligence* and *what sits at the center of everything*. It was created at **UNIVATES**, a community university in Lajeado, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (population ~60,000), as the foundation for **SAGU**, an academic management system that replaced expensive proprietary software. There is a direct connection to the very origins of PHP itself. [**Rasmus Lerdorf**](https://github.com/rlerdorf), the creator of PHP, had lived and worked in Porto Alegre — just 120 km from Lajeado — as a Unix programmer from 1991 to 1993. In 2001, Rasmus visited Lajeado and spent two weeks working with Vilson Gärtner and Thomas Sprietersbach, helping conceptualize the main functions of what would become MIOLO. As Cesar Brod [wrote](https://linuxgazette.net/issue72/brod.html): *"After a visit by Mr. Rasmus Lerdorf to our University, we decided we would stick to PostgreSQL and created a new transactional/presentation base for SAGU and all of our free software projects, called MIOLO."* ### What the world looked like in 1999 [](#what-the-world-looked-like-in-1999) There were **no PHP frameworks**. PHP 3 had just been released. There was no Google (it launched in September 1998), no Stack Overflow, no AWS, no Git. Internet access was dial-up at 28.8 kbps — 56 kbps if you were lucky. You connected through an ISP, your phone line was busy while you were online, and you paid by the minute. Deploying meant FTP. Source control meant copying files to a shared folder. There were no package managers, no PDO, no caching layers, no frontend frameworks, no CSS layout tools, no security standards. PHP extensions had to be compiled from source. Every database driver was written from scratch. JavaScript was unreliable. Page rendering was pure server-side HTML with `` layouts. MIOLO was built in this world — and built solutions to problems that the PHP ecosystem wouldn't formally address for another decade. > **Deep dive:** The [Historical Curiosities](docs/history/) section explores each of these challenges in detail, with code examples from the MIOLO codebase and comparisons with modern equivalents. The very first piece of code in this repository — **PSLib** (1999) — is a PHP library for generating PostScript files. The university needed to print academic transcripts, and there were no PDF libraries for PHP. Vilson Gärtner had to write raw printer instructions: move cursor to coordinates, set font, draw text, draw lines — every element on the page was a hand-calculated coordinate and a PostScript operator. This is where it all started: writing documents in printer instructions because there was no other way. From that foundation, MIOLO grew into a full object-oriented framework with database abstraction, form handling, session management, theming, AJAX support, report generation, and a complete UI controls layer. **Gnuteca** — a library automation system compliant with international standards, promoted through UNESCO workshops — was the first major project built on MIOLO. Then came the rewrite of **SAGU** (academic management, used by dozens of Brazilian universities), **Fred** (a web content manager whose name was suggested by Jon "maddog" Hall), and many other institutional applications. **Peter Salus**, the Unix historian and author of *A Quarter Century of Unix*, reviewed the university's free software texts — a small sign that word was getting out. In 2003, the developers founded **SOLIS** — the first cooperative in the world dedicated exclusively to free and open-source software. The name was suggested by Marcelo Malheiros; the first logo was designed by Thomas Sprietersbach. By 2013, SOLIS had grown to 50 cooperatives from 20 cities, serving over 100 clients across ten Brazilian states, and was named one of the best IT companies to work for by Computerworld in 2010. SOLIS became Canonical's first certified Ubuntu support partner in Brazil in 2009. **Read the full story:** [CONTRIBUTORS.md](CONTRIBUTORS.md) contains a comprehensive project history compiled from SVN logs, code comments, and public sources — including a detailed timeline from 1997 to 2026, profiles of all 31 contributors, and references to external publications. --- Historical Curiosities ---------------------- [](#historical-curiosities) MIOLO is a time capsule of early PHP development. These documents explore how specific challenges were solved in 1999-2005, with code examples from the actual codebase and comparisons with modern tools and frameworks. \#TopicWhat It Covers[01](docs/history/01-debugging.md)**Debugging**`var_dump` as the only tool, MDump vs Laravel's `dd()`, IP-gated debug output, the `/tmp/var_dump` pattern, Firebug bridge[02](docs/history/02-logging.md)**Logging**Custom MLog with 4 handlers (file, socket, DB, screen) before Monolog existed, MTrace execution tracing, MProfile performance profiling[03](docs/history/03-package-management.md)**Package Management**No Composer, no Packagist — finding libraries on mailing lists, downloading tarballs, vendoring code, getting copies from authors at conferences[04](docs/history/04-database.md)**Database**Writing 5 separate database drivers from scratch (PostgreSQL, MySQL, Oracle, SQLite, MsSQL) before PDO existed, comparison with modern PDO and Eloquent[05](docs/history/05-frontend-rendering.md)**Frontend Rendering**Server-side component model before React, MDataGrid vs DataTables/React Table, theme system, PostBack pattern, JavaScript evolution from zero to Dojo to jQuery[06](docs/history/06-autoloading.md)**Autoloading**XML class manifests, manual `include()` chains, the `uses()` method with file-size tracking — before `spl_autoload_register()` and PSR-4[07](docs/history/07-installation-infrastructure.md)**Installation & Infrastructure**Compiling PHP from source, the Linux distro landscape (Slackware to Ubuntu), PostgreSQL versions, Apache config, CI/CD as shell scripts[08](docs/history/08-design-patterns.md)**Design Patterns**Singleton, Factory, Template Method, Decorator, MVC, Service Locator — implemented in PHP 3/4 before most PHP developers had heard of them[09](docs/history/09-internet-connectivity.md)**Internet & Connectivity**56 kbps dial-up, 4-hour browser downloads, per-minute charges, how bandwidth constraints shaped architecture[10](docs/history/10-ahead-of-their-time.md)**Ahead of Their Time**ORM before Doctrine, components before React, middleware before Laravel, fluent queries before Fowler named them, CSRF protection before OWASP[11](docs/history/11-auxiliary-languages.md)**Auxiliary Languages**PostScript for printing, Java (JasperReports) for reports, C++ (Qt3) for GUI tools — when PHP wasn't enough--- Modernization Status -------------------- [](#modernization-status) This is an active modernization effort. The work so far: - **SVN to Git migration** — Full history preserved from 9,538 SVN revisions - **Portuguese to English translation** — Comments, variable names, method names, class names, and documentation translated across 250+ files ([branch: `feature/translate-pt-to-en`](../../tree/feature/translate-pt-to-en)) - **Security hardening** — Hardcoded credentials removed from config files and SQL seeds, git history scrubbed - **Composer integration** — PSR-4 autoloading, dependency management - **PHP 8.1+ compatibility** — Ongoing migration from PHP 5.x/7.x patterns ### What's ahead [](#whats-ahead) - Complete PHP 8.x strict type compatibility - Replace deprecated patterns (magic quotes, `each()`, implicit nullable) - Add automated tests - Modernize the UI layer (currently Dojo 1.x based) - Documentation for developers who want to understand the architecture --- Documentation ------------- [](#documentation) ### Framework Reference [](#framework-reference) Comprehensive technical documentation converted from the original legacy guides (DOC, ODT, PDF) into markdown. Covers architecture, configuration, development patterns, UI controls, database access, persistence, AJAX, reports, and API signatures. **[docs/reference/](docs/reference/index.md)** — Full table of contents: \#Topic[01](docs/reference/01-introduction.md)Introduction & Architecture[02](docs/reference/02-configuration.md)Installation & Configuration[03](docs/reference/03-development.md)Development Guide[04](docs/reference/04-ui-controls.md)UI Controls (Widgets)[05](docs/reference/05-database.md)Database Access (DAO)[06](docs/reference/06-persistence.md)Object Persistence[07](docs/reference/07-ajax-dialogs-windows.md)AJAX, Dialogs & Windows[08](docs/reference/08-reports.md)Reports & PDF Generation[09](docs/reference/09-api-reference.md)API Reference[10](docs/reference/10-tutorials.md)Tutorials[11](docs/reference/11-i18n.md)Internationalization (i18n)### Internationalization [](#internationalization) MIOLO uses GNU gettext for i18n. The `_M()` function wraps all translatable strings, with `.po`/`.mo` catalogs organized per module and language under `locale/`. See the [i18n reference](docs/reference/11-i18n.md) for full details, or the [locale README](locale/README.md) for a quick-start tutorial. ### Legacy Source Documents [](#legacy-source-documents) The reference documentation above was compiled from the original guides shipped with MIOLO, authored by Vilson Gärtner, Ely Edison Matos, and the SOLIS team: - **MIOLO 2.5 UserGuide** (ODT/PDF) — Comprehensive narrative guide (v0.1, 2008) - **MIOLO 2.5 Fundamentals** (ODT/PDF) — Architecture and concepts - **MIOLO 2.5 Quick Reference** (ODT) — API method signatures - **MIOLO 2.0 Reference Guide** (DOC) — Class-by-class reference (v0.1, 2005) - **MIOLO 2.0 Components** (ODT) — DAO, Persistence, AJAX, DOMPDF - **Hello World / Hangman / Example Module Tutorials** (DOC/PDF) - **Installation Manual** (ODT/PDF, pt-BR) — CLI tool and setup (Solis, 2012) - **Course Material** (PDF, Mar 2009) — Module creation with PostgreSQL --- Project Structure ----------------- [](#project-structure) ``` classes/ Core framework (MVC, database, UI controls, security, utils) database/ Database abstraction (PostgreSQL, MySQL, Oracle, SQLite, MsSQL) pslib/ PSLib — PostScript generation library (1999, the oldest code) security/ Authentication (DB, LDAP, AD) ui/controls/ 70+ UI components (forms, grids, validators, dialogs, menus) utils/ Utility classes (date, string, browser detection, currency) modules/ admin/ User/group/permission management base/ Business layer (types, forms, toolbars, database sync) example/ Example applications and tutorials html/ Static assets, themes, JavaScript libraries locale/ Internationalization (gettext .po/.pot files) etc/ Configuration templates ``` --- People ------ [](#people) MIOLO was built by dozens of people over 27 years. Some of them are on GitHub: - [**Vilson Cristiano Gärtner**](https://github.com/vgartner) — Creator and original coordinator. Wrote PSLib, the core framework, and led the project from 1999 through 2009. - [**Cesar Brod**](https://github.com/cesarbrod) — IT Manager at UNIVATES who initiated the free software strategy. Co-founded SOLIS. Presented SAGU at USENIX ALS'01. Told the SOLIS story in [Linux Journal](https://www.linuxjournal.com/article/7081) and [Linux Gazette](https://linuxgazette.net/issue72/brod.html). The organizational force that made it all possible. - [**Alexandre Heitor Schmidt**](https://github.com/alexsmithbr) — Core developer at SOLIS. Time field, Jasper reports, i18n scripts, PHP 5.3 compatibility, toolbar improvements. - [**Henrique Gravina**](https://github.com/Henriquegravina) — Contributed Mac OS X compatibility documentation and authored the MIOLO architecture presentation. - [**Jamiel Spezia**](https://github.com/jamielspezia/) — Long-term maintainer (9+ years) and current CEO of SOLIS (2025). JSON fixes, PHP 8 migration, jQuery plugins, deprecated dependency removal. This is a 27-year-old software project that is still in development — I certainly forgot a lot of names. If you contributed to MIOLO and don't see yourself here, just get in touch and I will add you. See [CONTRIBUTORS.md](CONTRIBUTORS.md) for the complete list of 31 contributors with their roles, commit histories, and key contributions. --- About This Recovery ------------------- [](#about-this-recovery) This repository was created by [**William Prigol Lopes**](https://github.com/wprigollopes), a former SOLIS contributor (2013), as a personal effort to preserve and modernize the MIOLO framework. The original SVN repository remains at `svn.solis.com.br/miolo`. The translation, modernization, and historical research were done with the assistance of Claude (Anthropic), as documented in the commit history. --- References ---------- [](#references) - [EOF — SOLIS, a Brazilian Free Software Cooperative (Linux Journal, 2003)](https://www.linuxjournal.com/article/7081) - [SAGU: Open-Source Unified Management System (USENIX ALS'01)](https://www.usenix.org/conference/als-01/sagu-open-source-unified-management-system-educational-institutions) - [SAGU, Free Software for Academic Administration (Linux Gazette #72)](https://linuxgazette.net/issue72/brod.html) - [Canonical certifica SOLIS para suporte ao Ubuntu no Brasil (BR-Linux, 2009)](https://br-linux.org/wparchive/2009/canonical-certifica-solis-para-suporte-ao-ubuntu-no-brasil.php) - [SOLIS: 10 anos! (Dicas-L, 2013)](http://www.dicas-l.com.br/brod/brod_201303112119.php) - [Iconic Linux debate sparks an open source career (Opensource.com, 2015)](https://opensource.com/life/15/10/my-linux-story-cesar-brod) - [Software Publico Brasileiro — SAGU and Gnuteca (SERPRO)](https://www.serpro.gov.br/menu/noticias/noticias-antigas/software-publico-brasileiro-lanca-dois-programas-para-area-educacional) --- License ------- [](#license) MIOLO was originally released under the **GNU General Public License v2**(see [COPYING](COPYING)). Some components (PSLib) are licensed under **LGPL v2**. Modules developed after 2005 under SOLIS carry a proprietary license (see individual file headers). Third-party libraries retain their original licenses. ### Health Score 33 — LowBetter than 72% of packages Maintenance81 Actively maintained with recent releases Popularity3 Limited adoption so far Community8 Small or concentrated contributor base Maturity35 Early-stage or recently created project Bus Factor1 Top contributor holds 97.1% of commits — single point of failure How is this calculated?**Maintenance (25%)** — Last commit recency, latest release date, and issue-to-star ratio. Uses a 2-year decay window. **Popularity (30%)** — Total and monthly downloads, GitHub stars, and forks. Logarithmic scaling prevents top-heavy scores. **Community (15%)** — Contributors, dependents, forks, watchers, and maintainers. Measures real ecosystem engagement. **Maturity (30%)** — Project age, version count, PHP version support, and release stability. ### Release Activity Cadence Every ~0 days Total 3 Last Release 107d ago Major Versions v1.0.0 → v2.0.02026-03-07 PHP version history (3 changes)v1.0.0PHP >=4.0 v2.0.0PHP >=5.0 v2.5.0PHP >=5.2 ### Community Maintainers ![](https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/8663950?v=4)[WILLIAM PRIGOL LOPES](/maintainers/wprigollopes)[@wprigollopes](https://github.com/wprigollopes) --- Top Contributors [![wprigollopes](https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/8663950?v=4)](https://github.com/wprigollopes "wprigollopes (34 commits)")[![jamielspezia](https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/10898646?v=4)](https://github.com/jamielspezia "jamielspezia (1 commits)") ### Embed Badge ![Health badge](/badges/miolo-miolo/health.svg) ``` [![Health](https://phpackages.com/badges/miolo-miolo/health.svg)](https://phpackages.com/packages/miolo-miolo) ``` ### Alternatives [laravel/socialite Laravel wrapper around OAuth 1 & OAuth 2 libraries. 5.7k104.3M829](/packages/laravel-socialite)[laravel/dusk Laravel Dusk provides simple end-to-end testing and browser automation. 1.9k38.6M289](/packages/laravel-dusk)[pinguo/php-msf Pinguo Micro Service Framework For PHP 1.7k4.2k](/packages/pinguo-php-msf)[nineinchnick/edatatables Grid widget for the Yii Framework, wrapper for the DataTables jQuery plugin 173.2k](/packages/nineinchnick-edatatables)[link-cloud/fast-hyperf LinkCloud Fast Hyperf 241.2k1](/packages/link-cloud-fast-hyperf) PHPackages © 2026 [Directory](/)[Categories](/categories)[Trending](/trending)[Changelog](/changelog)[Analyze](/analyze)