How to Build Your Own Simple PHP Framework 🎉🎉

🌟 Introduction: Why Build Your Own Simple PHP Framework?

Have you ever gazed in awe at frameworks like Laravel or Symfony and thought, “How do they even work?” 🤔 You’re not alone! Building your own simple PHP framework is not only an amazing way to understand the inner workings of these giants, but it’s also a chance to flex your coding muscles 💪 and take your PHP skills to the next level.

In this guide, we’ll create a lightweight PHP framework step-by-step. Think of it as the ultimate DIY project, featuring essentials like:

• Routing (because we all hate typing index.php?page=something 💀),
• Controllers (to keep your logic tidy), and
• Views (to make things look pretty 🖼️).

Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned dev looking to refresh your skills, this tutorial will walk you through creating your very own simple PHP framework. Let’s dive in! 🌊

📂 Step 1: Setting Up Your Simple PHP Framework

First, we need a solid foundation. Start by creating a folder structure for your framework.

Folder Structure

Here’s the layout for your simple PHP framework:

my-framework/  
├── public/  
│   ├── index.php  
├── src/  
│   ├── Router.php  
│   ├── Controller.php  
│   ├── View.php  
│   ├── routes.php  
├── composer.json  

• public/: Contains the entry point for the framework (like index.php).
• src/: Houses core framework files such as the router, controller logic, and views.
• composer.json: Manages autoloading and dependencies.

This is the skeleton of your simple PHP framework—lightweight but powerful! 💼

⚙️ Step 2: Initializing Composer (The Unsung Hero)

Modern PHP projects rely on Composer for autoloading. It’s like having a personal butler for your classes. 🕴️

Run the following in your terminal:

composer init  

Add an autoload section to composer.json:

{  
    "autoload": {  
        "psr-4": {  
            "MyFramework\\": "src/"  
        }  
    }  
}  

Then, generate the autoloader:

composer dump-autoload  

With this, your classes from the src/ directory are magically loaded whenever you need them. ✨

🚪 Step 3: Create the Entry Point

The heart of your simple PHP framework is the entry point: public/index.php. All incoming requests will funnel through this file.

<?php  
require_once __DIR__ . '/../vendor/autoload.php';  

use MyFramework\Router;  

$router = new Router();  

// Include routes  
require_once __DIR__ . '/../src/routes.php';  

// Dispatch the current request  
$router->dispatch($_SERVER['REQUEST_URI']);  

Boom! 💥 Your simple PHP framework is ready to process requests.

🛣️ Step 4: Building the Router Class

Routing is where the magic happens! ✨ The router directs requests to the correct controller or function.

File: src/Router.php

<?php  

namespace MyFramework;  

class Router  
{  
    private $routes = [];  

    public function get($path, $callback)  
    {  
        $this->routes['GET'][$path] = $callback;  
    }  

    public function post($path, $callback)  
    {  
        $this->routes['POST'][$path] = $callback;  
    }  

    public function dispatch($uri)  
    {  
        $method = $_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'];  
        $uri = parse_url($uri, PHP_URL_PATH);  

        if (isset($this->routes[$method][$uri])) {  
            $callback = $this->routes[$method][$uri];  

            if (is_callable($callback)) {  
                call_user_func($callback);  
            } elseif (is_string($callback)) {  
                $this->invokeController($callback);  
            }  
        } else {  
            http_response_code(404);  
            echo "404 Not Found 😢";  
        }  
    }  

    private function invokeController($controller)  
    {  
        list($class, $method) = explode('@', $controller);  
        $class = "App\\Controllers\\$class";  

        if (class_exists($class) && method_exists($class, $method)) {  
            $controller = new $class();  
            $controller->$method();  
        } else {  
            echo "Controller or method not found. 🛑";  
        }  
    }  
}  

Now, your simple PHP framework can handle routes like a pro. 🛣️

🧠 Step 5: Creating a Base Controller Class

Controllers keep your logic neat and separate from views.

File: src/Controller.php

<?php  

namespace MyFramework;  

class Controller  
{  
    public function view($name, $data = [])  
    {  
        extract($data);  
        require_once __DIR__ . "/../views/$name.php";  
    }  
}  

📜 Step 6: Setting Up Routes

Define your app’s routes in src/routes.php.

<?php  

use MyFramework\Router;  

$router->get('/', function () {  
    echo "Welcome to My Simple PHP Framework! 🚀";  
});  

$router->get('/about', 'PageController@about');  

👩‍💻 Step 7: Creating Controllers

Controllers bring functionality to your routes.

File: src/Controllers/PageController.php

<?php  

namespace App\Controllers;  

use MyFramework\Controller;  

class PageController extends Controller  
{  
    public function about()  
    {  
        $this->view('about', ['title' => 'About Us']);  
    }  
}  

🖼️ Step 8: Crafting Views

Views are HTML templates that make your app shine.

File: views/about.php

<!DOCTYPE html>  
<html lang="en">  
<head>  
    <meta charset="UTF-8">  
    <title><?= $title ?></title>  
</head>  
<body>  
    <h1><?= $title ?></h1>  
    <p>Welcome to the About page of this simple PHP framework! 😊</p>  
</body>  
</html>  

🚀 Step 9: Running Your Simple PHP Framework

Fire up your PHP server:

php -S localhost:8000 -t public  

Visit http://localhost:8000 to see your simple PHP framework in action. 🎉

🛠️ Expanding Your Framework

Now that you’ve built the basics, consider adding:

• Middleware for pre-processing requests.
• Database support with PDO or an ORM.
• Error handling and custom 404 pages.
• Advanced routing with parameters like /user/{id}.

Using Your Custom Simple PHP Framework to Build an App

Now that you’ve laid the foundation of your very own simple PHP framework, it’s time to put it to work! 💪 Let’s build a small application that includes a homepage, an about page, a contact form, and even dynamic URL routing. By the end of this, you’ll see how versatile and powerful your simple PHP framework really is. 🎉

🏠 Step 1: Create a Homepage Route

What’s an app without a homepage? Let’s make your framework welcome visitors with open arms. 🏡

In src/routes.php, define a route for the homepage:

<?php  

use MyFramework\Router;  

$router->get('/', function () {  
    echo "<h1>Welcome to My Custom PHP Framework! 🎉</h1>";  
    echo "<p>Start building your application with ease. 🚀</p>";  
});  

🎯 Try it out:

Visit http://localhost:8000 in your browser, and you’ll see your shiny new homepage! It’s the first step in transforming your simple PHP framework into something extraordinary. 🌟

📖 Step 2: Add an About Page

A good application should tell people what it’s all about, right? Let’s build an About page that leverages your controllers and views.

In src/routes.php, add a route for the about page:

$router->get('/about', 'PageController@about');  

Now, create the controller file src/Controllers/PageController.php:

<?php  

namespace App\Controllers;  

use MyFramework\Controller;  

class PageController extends Controller  
{  
    public function about()  
    {  
        $this->view('about', ['title' => 'About Us']);  
    }  
}  

Finally, let’s create the corresponding view in views/about.php:

<!DOCTYPE html>  
<html lang="en">  
<head>  
    <meta charset="UTF-8">  
    <title><?= $title ?></title>  
</head>  
<body>  
    <h1><?= $title ?></h1>  
    <p>Welcome to the About page of our custom simple PHP framework! 😊</p>  
</body>  
</html>  

🎯 Try it out:

Visit http://localhost:8000/about, and enjoy your fully functional About page! With the help of your simple PHP framework, you’ve seamlessly connected routing, controllers, and views. 🎉

✉️ Step 3: Add a Contact Page with a Form

No web app is complete without a way for users to get in touch! Let’s add a Contact page with a form for user input.

In src/routes.php, define the routes:

$router->get('/contact', 'ContactController@showForm');  
$router->post('/contact', 'ContactController@handleForm');  

Create the controller file src/Controllers/ContactController.php:

<?php  

namespace App\Controllers;  

use MyFramework\Controller;  

class ContactController extends Controller  
{  
    public function showForm()  
    {  
        $this->view('contact', ['title' => 'Contact Us']);  
    }  

    public function handleForm()  
    {  
        $name = $_POST['name'] ?? 'Guest';  
        $message = $_POST['message'] ?? 'No message provided';  

        echo "<h1>Thank You, $name! 🎉</h1>";  
        echo "<p>Your message: $message</p>";  
    }  
}  

Now, create the form view in views/contact.php:

<!DOCTYPE html>  
<html lang="en">  
<head>  
    <meta charset="UTF-8">  
    <title><?= $title ?></title>  
</head>  
<body>  
    <h1><?= $title ?></h1>  
    <form action="/contact" method="post">  
        <label for="name">Your Name:</label>  
        <input type="text" name="name" id="name" required>  

        <label for="message">Your Message:</label>  
        <textarea name="message" id="message" required></textarea>  

        <button type="submit">Send</button>  
    </form>  
</body>  
</html>  

🎯 Try it out:

Visit http://localhost:8000/contact to see your form in action. Submit the form and watch as your simple PHP framework processes the input like a champ! 🏆

🔄 Step 4: Add Dynamic URL Parameters

Dynamic routing adds flexibility and functionality to your app. Let’s create a route that greets users by ID.

In src/routes.php, add this dynamic route:

$router->get('/user/{id}', 'UserController@profile');  

Create the controller src/Controllers/UserController.php:

<?php  

namespace App\Controllers;  

use MyFramework\Controller;  

class UserController extends Controller  
{  
    public function profile($id)  
    {  
        echo "<h1>Welcome, User #$id! 🎉</h1>";  
    }  
}  

🎯 Try it out:

Visit http://localhost:8000/user/42, and see your dynamic routing come to life. Your simple PHP framework is now capable of handling complex URL structures. 🌟

🛡️ Step 5: Adding Middleware (Optional but Cool)

Want to add more power to your framework? Middleware is the way to go. Let’s add an authentication check for a restricted page:

In src/routes.php:

$router->get('/admin', function () {  
    if (!isset($_SESSION['user'])) {  
        echo "Unauthorized 🚫";  
        return;  
    }  
    echo "Welcome to the admin panel! 🎉";  
});  

This snippet shows how you can use middleware-like logic in your routes. Your simple PHP framework just keeps getting better! 💪

🏁 Conclusion: Your Simple PHP Framework in Action

🎉 You did it! You’ve not only built a simple PHP framework from scratch, but you’ve also created a functional web application with routing, controllers, views, dynamic parameters, and even middleware.

Your framework is lightweight, versatile, and ready for action. 🚀 Whether you’re building a personal project, experimenting with new ideas, or just sharpening your PHP skills, this simple PHP framework is a fantastic tool in your arsenal.

The journey doesn’t stop here! Expand your framework with:

• Database integration for dynamic data storage.
• Error handling to make debugging a breeze.
• Advanced routing for more complex URLs.

The possibilities are endless. So, what will you build next with your simple PHP framework? The world is your playground! 🌍

If you have any questions or suggestions do comment down below 😄😄, check out PHP CRUD API Generator: Generate Your Own Dynamic API if your are new to PHP or check out generic-crud-api-in-php if you want to learn how to create API’s in PHP

Thanks for Reading ❤️❤️😍😍