Anatomy of an extension
This page is for application creators who want to know what goes where in an extension. An extension is a directory
under extension/ (or an additional extension directory); the kernel finds its parts by directory names and by the
settings the extension carries (Extensions).
Contents
The directory layout
| Directory | Holds | Registered by |
|---|---|---|
modules/<module>/ | module.php, view scripts, function_definition.php | module.ini [ModuleSettings] ExtensionRepositories[], ModuleList[] |
classes/ | PHP classes | ezpgenerateautoloads.php -e writes autoload/ezp_extension.php |
autoloads/ | template operator registration (eztemplateautoload.php) | site.ini [TemplateSettings] ExtensionAutoloadPath[] |
design/<design>/ | templates, override templates, stylesheets, images, scripts | design.ini [ExtensionSettings] DesignExtensions[] |
settings/ | *.ini.append.php for every siteaccess; siteaccess/<name>/ per siteaccess; override/ | being active |
datatypes/<name>/ | datatype classes | content.ini [DataTypeSettings] ExtensionDirectories[], AvailableDataTypes[] |
eventtypes/event/<name>/ | workflow event types | workflow.ini [EventSettings] ExtensionDirectories[], AvailableEventTypes[] |
cronjobs/ | cronjob scripts | cronjob.ini [CronjobSettings] ExtensionDirectories[] and a [CronjobPart-<name>] |
bin/php/ | command line scripts | found by the console as ext:<ext>:<name> |
share/, sql/<engine>/ | database schema and data | installed by your setup script or the package |
translations/<locale>/translation.ts | translations | site.ini [RegionalSettings] TranslationExtensions[] |
doc/ | the extension's own documentation, as Markdown (.md) in English; README.md and INSTALL.md stay on top | the help center shows it while the extension is active (Documenting an extension) |
tests/ | PHPUnit tests | your CI (Testing applications) |
The real catalogue of every extension point, with the INI line that registers it, is Setup > RAD (Extension points).
Metadata files
| File | Content |
|---|---|
extension.xml | <metadata> with name, version, copyright, license, info_url; <dependencies> with <requires><extension name="..."/></requires> |
ezinfo.php | class <extension>Info with a static info() returning Name, Version, Copyright, License, Info_url |
composer.json | the Composer package, type ezpublish-legacy-extension, license, requirements |
The about page (/ezinfo/about) reads extension.xml first, so both files must state the same version
(About and package pages,
Versions and releases).
Activation
| Setting | Effect |
|---|---|
site.ini [ExtensionSettings] ActiveExtensions[] | active everywhere, loaded before the siteaccess is known |
ActiveAccessExtensions[] (in a siteaccess) | active only in that siteaccess |
Use ActiveExtensions[] for anything a command line script or cronjob must see; per-siteaccess activation means every
script needs -s <siteaccess>.
Loading order
Extensions are read in their activation order (with ExtensionOrdering=enabled, dependencies from extension.xml are
respected). Order decides which extension's template or setting wins. Change it in Setup > Extensions
(Extension loading order).
Checklist for a new extension
- To do: Name in lower case, new names start with
exp(classesexp<Name>...). - To do:
extension.xml,ezinfo.phpandcomposer.jsonagree on name, version and license. - To do: Settings in
settings/*.ini.append.php, never in the kernel'ssettings/. - To do: Autoloads regenerated after every new class.
- To do: No secrets in the repository; keys go in
settings/override/of the installation.
Related pages
- Your first extension
- Packaging your application as an extension
- Layering and naming
- Free documentation: this page is free to copy, translate and improve under the GNU FDL 1.3.
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