CakePHP allows you to use one set of core files while maintaining multiple applications. It only takes a few steps, but may not be completely straightforward the first time you try. In my example, I have my workspace in ~/dev. I would setup my project in ~/dev/client_name/project_name. I place my cake core files in separate folders for each version in ~/dev/lib/cakephp.
The basics
- Download and install the latest version of CakePHP in a good location.
Examples:- Linux: /usr/lib/cakephp/cake_1.2.2.8120
- Windows: C:\lib\cakephp\cake_1.2.2.8120
- Copy the contents of the app folder to your project root. This is typically your webserver root or a folder within.
- Edit the following constants in webroot/index.php:
- ROOT
You’ll want to change it so the root is one level back (your project root)
[code=php]
if (!defined(‘ROOT’)) {
define(‘ROOT’, dirname(dirname(__FILE__)));
}
[/code] - APP_DIR
This one just gets set to blank since your root is also your app folder
[code=php]
if (!defined(‘APP_DIR’)) {
define(‘APP_DIR’, ”);
}
[/code] - CAKE_CORE_INCLUDE_PATH
Set the path to your cake core files. This can either be relative (../../core) or absolute (/path/to/core)
[code=php]
if (!defined(‘CAKE_CORE_INCLUDE_PATH’)) {
define(‘CAKE_CORE_INCLUDE_PATH’, ‘..’.DS.’..’.DS.’..’.DS.’lib’.DS.’cakephp’.DS.’cake_1.2.2.8120′);
}
[/code]
or
[code=php]
if (!defined(‘CAKE_CORE_INCLUDE_PATH’)) {
define(‘CAKE_CORE_INCLUDE_PATH’, DS.’usr’.DS.’lib’.DS.’cakephp’.DS.’cake_1.2.2.8120′);
}
[/code]
- ROOT
It may take a little work to get the paths right, but it is well worth it. If you try to access your project and you get PHP errors, it probably means something is wrong with the core path above. The next project you start, just copy the app folder again as above, and copy the same index.php into any new projects you start.
Different paths for dev and live
The above example only covers one server configuration. Some developers may be developing in Windows while their production server runs Linux. In that case you will need to account for each server. A simple if/else statement will take care of this. In my case, I have “localdev” as the hostname for my local development server. Here is what my CAKE_CORE_INCLUDE_PATH configuration looks like:
[code=php]
if (!defined(‘CAKE_CORE_INCLUDE_PATH’)) {
if ($_SERVER[‘SERVER_NAME’] == ‘localdev’) {
define(‘CAKE_CORE_INCLUDE_PATH’, ‘..’.DS.’..’.DS.’..’.DS.’lib’.DS.’cakephp’.DS.’cake_1.2.2.8120′);
} else {
define(‘CAKE_CORE_INCLUDE_PATH’, DS.’usr’.DS.’lib’.DS.’cakephp’.DS.’cake_1.2.2.8120′);
}
}
[/code]
Upgrading CakePHP
Upgrading CakePHP is pretty easy. Just install the latest version of CakePHP as described above. Then when you are ready to upgrade your app, change the core path again and start testing. If you run into issues with the latest version, it is really easy to switch back.
Wouldn’t it be easier to just create a symbolic link to /usr/lib/cakephp? If your on linux that is.
@Subhas Thank you for pointing that out. If the code only runs on Linux servers, symbolic links may be a better option. I haven’t tried it myself, but it may save a few steps.
Under unix, a symbolic link is enough, and it saves you the hassle of modifying index.php
If you are using a later version of PHP > 5.3 you can use symlink now on Windows platforms as well. This may be the beginning of helper app to quickly roll out sites.
Two thumbs up! GREAT TUTORIAL!
I will link this tutorial to my blog. :d
Very good tutorial. Helped me setup a common core in one shot. I converted multiple existing apps to this format and all of them worked at the first go – no hiccups 🙂 Thanks dude!
One question though… in installations where cake and app reside together, the way to make cake ignore real folders (subdomain folders) is to include the following in your .htaccess that existing above the cake and app folders.
RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase /
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} ^/shop/(.*)$
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} ^/blog/(.*)$
RewriteRule ^.*$ - [L]
Now that the contents of the app folder are out on webroot, does this code go into the .htaccess that’s present there?
I believe the conditions should only need to exist in the .htaccess at the base web folder level. I would need to test to verify though.
@kaklon
can you give an apache2-linux-newbie-friendly example of your symbolic link solution?
@anyone willing to help
i am to develop a second cakephp application but would like to just use the same cake core for both apps. i tried, but have accepted that i cannot do this on my own anymore. suggestions/corrections are most welcome. thanks.
i only have one development machine which i can use to develop secondapp while retaining firstapp (for occassional new requirements, bug fixes and testing):
/cake_1.2
/cake_1.2/cake
/cake_1.2/docs
/cake_1.2/vendors
/cake_1.2/firstapp
/cake_1.2/firstapp/config
/cake_1.2/firstapp/controllers
/cake_1.2/firstapp/models
/cake_1.2/firstapp/views
/cake_1.2/firstapp/webroot
/cake_1.2/index.php
/cake_1.2/.htaccess
RewriteEngine on
RewriteRule ^$ firstapp/webroot/ [L]
RewriteRule (.*) firstapp/webroot/$1 [L]
planned: to add
/cake_1.2/secondapp
/cake_1.2/secondapp/config
/cake_1.2/secondapp/controllers
/cake_1.2/secondapp/models
/cake_1.2/secondapp/views
/cake_1.2/secondapp/webroot
what should .htaccess now be so that both apps are available?
RewriteEngine on
RewriteRule ^$ ???/webroot/ [L]
RewriteRule (.*) ???/webroot/$1 [L]
/etc/apache2/httpd.conf
DocumentRoot /cake_1.2/firstapp/webroot
/etc/apache2/sites-enabled/000-default symlinks to
/etc/apache2/sites-available/default
NameVirtualHost *
ServerAdmin webmaster@localhost
### DocumentRoot /var/www/
### based on http://xmodx.com/guides/install-apache-and-enable-mod_rewrite-ubuntu-linux/
### i changed to below :
DocumentRoot /cake_1.2/firstapp/
### end of edit
Options FollowSymLinks
AllowOverride None
Options Indexes FollowSymLinks MultiViews
AllowOverride None
Order allow,deny
allow from all
### based on http://xmodx.com/guides/install-apache-and-enable-mod_rewrite-ubuntu-linux/
### added :
Options Indexes FollowSymLinks MultiViews
AllowOverride All
Order allow,deny
allow from all
### end of add
ScriptAlias /cgi-bin/ /usr/lib/cgi-bin/
AllowOverride None
Options +ExecCGI -MultiViews +SymLinksIfOwnerMatch
Order allow,deny
Allow from all
ErrorLog /var/log/apache2/error.log
# Possible values include: debug, info, notice, warn, error, crit,
# alert, emerg.
LogLevel warn
CustomLog /var/log/apache2/access.log combined
ServerSignature On
Alias /doc/ “/usr/share/doc/”
Options Indexes MultiViews FollowSymLinks
AllowOverride None
Order deny,allow
Deny from all
Allow from 127.0.0.0/255.0.0.0 ::1/128
again, thanks for corrections and suggestions.