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[Framework](/categories/framework) 4. / 5. pails/pails ActiveLibrary[Framework](/categories/framework) pails/pails =========== The lightest, most powerful PHP MVC framework for rapid application development v1.3.3(9mo ago)35952[4 issues](https://github.com/bparks/pails/issues)4GPL-3.0-or-laterPHPPHP >=7.4 Since May 9Pushed 9mo ago2 watchersCompare [ Source](https://github.com/bparks/pails)[ Packagist](https://packagist.org/packages/pails/pails)[ Docs](http://github.com/bparks/pails)[ RSS](/packages/pails-pails/feed)WikiDiscussions master Synced 1mo ago READMEChangelog (1)Dependencies (1)Versions (26)Used By (4) Pails ===== [](#pails) Pails is a seriously lightweight MVC framework written in PHP. The overarching vision is that less code is more powerful (and certainly gives rise to fewer bugs). [Read more on my blog](http://brianparks.me/blog/) Pails is licensed under the [GPLv3](http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.html). If the GPL doesn't work for you, let's talk about your use case. If you need verification that this is free software (for your boss, CTO, etc.), that can also be arranged. Come talk about pails in #pails on Freenode. Upgrading a pails app from 0.3.x -------------------------------- [](#upgrading-a-pails-app-from-03x) The organization of directories has changed a little bit, so that application logic goes in `app` and public files go in `public`. The quick solution is to run the following three commands in the root of your pails app: ``` mkdir app public mv config controllers helpers initializers models views app/ mv css js images uploads robots.txt .htaccess public ``` Then you can update the pails composer package and your app will run *mostly*fine. Due to the change in paths, logic that expects to write to a web-accessible location should be verified/tested. Quick start ----------- [](#quick-start) 1. Install pails from composer 2. Set up your directories 3. Configure your database 4. Install plugins/packages 5. Add your own layout 6. (Optional) Add your own functionality, using the MVC pattern Note that there are a set of tools at that will do step 2 (and set up some sample infrastructure) for you, so all you have to do is jump into the directory, run `composer install` and be up and running. Install pails ------------- [](#install-pails) Create a new directory for your project and run ``` composer require pails ``` Set up your directories ----------------------- [](#set-up-your-directories) `pails-tools` will do this for you, but the typical pails app has the following structure: ``` my_app |- app | |- config | | |- application.php (database config) | |- initializers | | |- _startup.php (initialize any packages) | |- controllers | |- models | |- views |- public (this is your document root) |- vendor |- db (this contains migrations) |- scripts (any scripts that need the app's environment for e.g. cron) |- composer.json ``` Configure your database ----------------------- [](#configure-your-database) MOST sites will need a database to work properly. This is configured in the `$CONNECTION_STRINGS` array in `config/application.php`. The format is the same as for php-activerecord: ``` dbtype://user:password@hostname/dbname ``` For instance: ``` mysql://myuser:password@localhost/myappdb ``` For most sites, this is the only file change that you absolutely have to make. Install plugins --------------- [](#install-plugins) Pails uses composer. All packages will be autoloaded according to the autoload rules they specify in their `composer.json` files AUTOMATICALLY. Add your own layout ------------------- [](#add-your-own-layout) Pails ships with a decent look and feel, but it's probably not what you want to stick with on your own web site. The default look and feel is defined in two files, `app/views/_layout.php` and `public/css/custom.css`, but only the first is required (the CSS file is simply included to provide some sane defaults). You can replace the `_layout.php` with your own markup, as long as you include the following line *somewhere* in the file (this causes pails to render the current page's content): ``` ``` Two technical notes: - You can override views provided by plugins. Simply create a file in your site's `views` directory with the same name as the view you'd like to override. For instance to override the form displayed by the `user/register.php` page provided by the pails-auth plugin, I would create a file at `app/views/user/register.php` with the desired content. - You can define "partial views" (commonly called "partials") that get included into other views. The markup is the same as for a view, but including them is accompilshed by placing the following code in the view into which you want to include the partial: ``` ``` The path is relative to the views directory. Omit the `.php`. The second argument is an optional model for the partial to use. If this argument is omitted, the current view's model is used. Add your own functionality -------------------------- [](#add-your-own-functionality) pails is potentially infinitely extensible. The framework itself and all of the plugins follow the MVC pattern, which means that the following rules always hold true (they are the ONLY rules of pails, for the most part): Models go in /models and tend to extend \\ActiveRecord\\Model. It's not required, but pails works really well with PHP-ActiveRecord, which you can get through composer: ``` composer require php-activerecord ``` Controllers go in /controllers with names like `StuffController` (case matters) and extend `\Pails\Controller` or `\Pails\ResourceController`. Views go in /views, in subfolders named by controller (all lowercase). Thus, a view for the 'index' action of StuffController would be views/stuff/index.php. Each *public* method in a Controller class is a valid action. Plugins ------- [](#plugins) Initially, pails had it its own plugin system, but composer has largely supplanted that. The trend of how to use a composer package with pails is: 1. Install the package from composer 2. If required, initialize the package in `initializers/_startup.php` or your own initializer (initializers are evaluated alphabetically; `_startup` MUST be first). 3. Use the `use` keyword in application logic to include functionality, just like in any other PHP app. Technical details ================= [](#technical-details) Before and after actions ------------------------ [](#before-and-after-actions) Just like Rails, pails has before and after actions. Right now, they need to be public methods, which are configured as before or after actions with a class-level variable called `$before_actions` or `$after_actions`, like so: ``` $before_actions = array('require_login', 'require_admin'); ``` The referenced functions can't take any arguments. You can also exclude them from beign applicable to certain actions by making this array associative, like so: ``` $before_actions = array( 'require_login', 'require_admin' => array('except' => array('index')), 'require_full_moon' => array('only' => array('werewolf', 'howl')) ); ``` BE WARNED that in a future release, the way to do this properly will be to fiddle with these variables (or preferably to call a method by the same name, which doesn't exist yet) inside the class's `__construct()` function. This eleminates the problem caused by inheritance of subclasses clobbering before and after actions that are set by superclasses. Questions? ========== [](#questions) Send email to . Other notes =========== [](#other-notes) To generate documentation for the library, run the following command: ``` phpdoc -d lib -t doc ``` ### Health Score 40 — FairBetter than 88% of packages Maintenance38 Infrequent updates — may be unmaintained Popularity20 Limited adoption so far Community15 Small or concentrated contributor base Maturity73 Established project with proven stability Bus Factor1 Top contributor holds 100% 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 ~171 days Recently: every ~352 days Total 23 Last Release 271d ago Major Versions v0.3.0 → v1.02015-11-25 PHP version history (2 changes)v0.2.5PHP >=5.4.0 v1.3.1PHP >=7.4 ### Community Maintainers ![](https://www.gravatar.com/avatar/5fa7c6719167ebb9c156d400c616cc6df1e7742a31f0ce915b8934a1f4742fe3?d=identicon)[bparks](/maintainers/bparks) --- Top Contributors [![bparks](https://avatars.githubusercontent.com/u/538419?v=4)](https://github.com/bparks "bparks (107 commits)") --- Tags frameworkmvcapplication ### Code Quality TestsPHPUnit ### Embed Badge ![Health badge](/badges/pails-pails/health.svg) ``` [![Health](https://phpackages.com/badges/pails-pails/health.svg)](https://phpackages.com/packages/pails-pails) ``` PHPackages © 2026 [Directory](/)[Categories](/categories)[Trending](/trending)[Changelog](/changelog)[Analyze](/analyze)