NOTE: This documentation is based on Version 1.3 of the framework

This section describes a lightweight event-based framework for developing ColdFusion applications using the MVC approach and the Front Controller pattern. Rather than describing the framework within the context of a full application implementation, these pages describes the essence or “Core” of how it works. Please note that this framework is concerned only with the presentation layer of the application and is independent of how other layers of the application are designed or implemented.

The framework has the following goals:

• To provide a bare-bones foundation for developing modular and extensible ColdfFusion applications while at the same time having a minimal footprint
• The framework should not have any dependency on the Client or Session shared scopes in order to maintain any type of user state.
• Inner working of the framework mechanisms should have minimal impact on application performance

This framework is based on the idea of breaking down an application into the following components:

• A Controller
• Multiple Views
• Multiple Event Handlers
• One or more Layouts

Additionally, the framework includes certain general features that are intended to support the very basic functionality of any application and to provide the necessary extension points to add more functionality to it. These features include:

• Application Settings
• Application Services
• System Messages
• Restart Key
• External Modules

In order to improve performance and decrease complexity, the framework requires the application to follow certain conventions regarding directory structure and naming, as well as the use of a few files that can be reused with little or no modification.

The Core framework allows developers to create any type of web-based applications ranging from dynamic websites to full multi-user intranet applications. To create applications using the framework described on this document, a developer needs to create the required directory structure and copy the required framework files. The easiest way to start a new application using the framework is to expand the framework files (provided on zip file) into the server and rename the expanded directory to the desired name of the application. After this is done, a developer can start building on top of the expanded file structure to complete the application.

Next Step:  Read More about the Application Structure