Skip to content

MVC Pattern in XOOPS

XMF Required 2026 Native

Not sure if this is the right pattern?

See Choosing a Data Access Pattern for guidance on when to use MVC vs simpler patterns.

Clarification: XOOPS Architecture

Standard XOOPS 2.5.x uses a Page Controller pattern (also called Transaction Script), not MVC. Legacy modules use index.php with direct includes, global objects ($xoopsUser, $xoopsDB), and handler-based data access.

To use MVC in XOOPS 2.5.x, you need the XMF Framework which provides routing and controller support.

XOOPS 2026 will natively support MVC with PSR-15 middleware and proper routing.

See also: Current XOOPS Architecture

The Model-View-Controller (MVC) pattern is a fundamental architectural pattern for separating concerns in XOOPS modules. This pattern divides an application into three interconnected components.

MVC Explanation

Model

The Model represents the data and business logic of your application. It: - Manages data persistence - Implements business rules - Validates data - Communicates with the database - Is independent of the UI

View

The View is responsible for presenting data to the user. It: - Renders HTML templates - Displays model data - Handles user interface presentation - Sends user actions to the controller - Should contain minimal logic

Controller

The Controller handles user interactions and coordinates between Model and View. It: - Receives user requests - Processes input data - Calls model methods - Selects appropriate views - Manages application flow

XOOPS Implementation

In XOOPS, the MVC pattern is implemented using handlers and templates with the Smarty engine providing template support.

Basic Model Structure

<?php
class UserModel
{
    private $db;

    public function getUserById($id)
    {
        // Database query implementation
    }

    public function createUser($data)
    {
        // Create user implementation
    }
}
?>

Controller Implementation

<?php
class UserController
{
    private $model;

    public function listAction()
    {
        $users = $this->model->getAllUsers();
        return ['users' => $users];
    }
}
?>

View Template

{foreach from=$users item=user}
    <div>{$user.username|escape}</div>
{/foreach}

Best Practices

  • Keep business logic in Models
  • Keep presentation in Views
  • Keep routing/coordination in Controllers
  • Don't mix concerns between layers
  • Validate all input at the Controller level

See also: - Repository-Pattern for advanced data access - Service-Layer for business logic abstraction - Code-Organization for project structure - Testing for MVC testing strategies

Tags: #mvc #patterns #architecture #module-development #design-patterns