phpPeanuts 1.3.beta1 review

phpPeanuts is a framework for developing business applications in php4 and 5. PphPeanuts supports a development style that is both

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phpPeanuts is a framework for developing business applications in php4 and 5.

PphPeanuts supports a development style that is both Model Driven and based on extreme programming (XP). In the early stages of development phpPeanuts is at its most effective: create some business components and their database tables.

Type an url in your browser. PhpPeanuts instantly creates working prototype. Let users try it out and comment. Then extend and refine. Whenever you extend or refine your application phpPeanuts will instantly adapt the user interface. This keeps the development cycle eXtremely short.

PhpPeanuts is easy to install and runs on both php4 and 5. It supports the separation of lay out, user interface code and business model throught the MVC pattern and facilitates the reuse of user interface components.

Its framework based persistency stores and retrieves objects in MySQL and generates complex queries from Query By Example forms. phpPeanuts's code management scheme keeps your code seprarated from framework code and can be extended to seperate your generic code from specific code and configurations in as many layers as you like.

But the best feature of phpPeanuts is it's flexibilty. You can override and specialize allmost every component and aspect. Because this is all done by adding subclasses and overriding methods you can do it with the freedom of expression of php itself.

To help you find your way the website offers you practical documentation. The examples help you to learn about OOP by doing, only reading theory as far as needed to get something done. The hypercode browsers allow you to quickly search for code to reuse and to drill down into it to see how it works.

Here are some key features of "phpPeanuts":
fully written in php, html and cross browser javascript;
easy to install;
runs on most low cost web hosting accounts (php4) as well as on php5;
very object oriented,
the framework's design has a history of over 10 years,
based on a component model;
encapsulation without writing property getter and setter methods;
persistency on MySql relational database, polymorphic persistency since version 1.1;
navigation over relationships without coding;
default user interface generated from meta data (example);
user interface follows MVC pattern for separation of layout and code and logical separation between domain model and user interface;
default user interface layout can be customized (example);
many details of user interface can be overridden and customized;
localization support in user interfacing framework (example);
powerfull user interface components for automatic form generation and validation, Query By Example, dialogs andtabs.
simple event model for specializing user interface components (example),
extendable code management scheme for overriding framework behavior without changing framework code,
supports multiple applications on a single web server;
helps to learn object oriented programming and design from the bottom up

Requirements:
webserver with php, version 4.1 or higher (version 1.1 and before only run on php4);
MySql 3.23.2 or higher; (3.0 may work with an overrides, see release notes. Please ask questions onthe forum if you have any trouble with null values with MySql below 3.23.2)
modern web browser (IE 6, Mozilla 1.5, try out the examples to see if your browser is OK for phpPeanuts).

Limitations:
automatic generation of a complete and adaptable user interface is inherently complex. The documentation supports getting started and using the framework without really understanding it, learning by doing. Some people do not like to work in an environment that they do not really understand;
1 to 1 mapping of classes and fields to database tables and columns (can be overridden) (Since version 1.1 with polymorphic persistency mapping to multiple tables may occur)
limited date format support (can be overridden);
relies on web server user authorization, no internal user authorization and security (can be overridden at the central entry point per application);
no database transaction support;
reference anomalies (seems to be solved since version 1.0a, but no guarantees can be given);
testing on php 5 has been limited to development situations.

What's New in This Release:
An M to N relation dialog widget, the ability to search for values navigating over 1 to m and m to n relationships, primitive type option lists, and archaeological dates were added.
SearchPage sorting (multi-criteria) can now be modified by application users.