Developing a Flexible Code Base

By: Ron Hall

I have finally started a personal project I’ve been intending to tackle. The goal is to develop a code base and set of best practices for my web development efforts.

For sometime I have seen the need and benefits of the following:

• Standardization of coding and development practices like naming and formatting conventions, directory structures, etc.
• Development of a code base that can quickly be modified for a variety of situations. This includes the standardizing of approaches for common situations and the abstracting of code where possible for XHTML, CSS, Javascript/DOM Scripting, TypoScript, etc.

As part of this process I am beginning work on a Busy Noggin TYPO3 starter site and a code repository.

The basic starter site will simply be a TYPO3 installation with all the stuff I normally use and coded according to my preferences. It will include:

• Extensions like TemplaVoila, PHP Page Content, Page Title Changer, etc.
• The needed TypoScript
• Standards-friendly and flexible page templates

The code repository will contain samples of additional extensions and my starter code for each plus notes on their installation and use.

The idea is to be able to load the basic starter site to a server and have a front end running within minutes. After that, other needed extensions could be installed from the TYPO3 TER and then configured by grabbing the code and adjusted templates from my code repository.

Putting together the starter site and code repository will help me work toward my main goal of the development of a code base and a set of best practices for my work. By pursuing the project and particularly sharing my thoughts with others, I am forced to think about why I do things the way I do and ask myself, “Is there a better, more sensible way?

Throughout the process I will be sharing my thoughts and code. I am sure that by November I will wish that I could unsay some of the things I will have said in September. When that happens I will just tell you I’m an idiot and have changed my mind on that particular subject. I will then recode and we can all move on.

Hopefully some of the things I share will be of use to some of you in developing your own set of code and best practices.

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