Boot flow, execution paths and folder conventions are settled.
CApi and datastore integration are usable, with auth still evolving.
Docs, demos, control panel and documentor are being refined.
Stability Matrix
Current maturity by area. This page is intentionally honest: stable parts, beta parts and unfinished parts are separated.
| Area | Status | Current State | Notes / Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core Framework | Beta | Boot process, folder conventions and basic execution flow are settled and usable. | Some major structural changes expected. |
| Portability / Setup | Stable | No fixed base URL, no fragile path configuration, relocatable projects. | Demoing in planning. |
| Request Flow | Experimental | Web, API and CLI are unified through cobraPHP wrappers. Some missing | some request parameters needs to be added. |
| Routing / cb_run() | Stable | Central dispatcher with explicit routing behavior and improved ambiguity handling. | Demoing in planning. |
| HMVC / Flat-App | Stable | Both structures are usable side by side. | Demoing in planning. |
| Views / Components | Stable | Simple, transparent rendering via views and components. | Demoing in planning. |
| Templates | Stable | Application-owned and framework-owned template positions are clarified. | Demoing in planning. |
| Internal DB | Stable | SQLite, mysql, postgres* + RedBean are usable for framework and application data. | No-DB behavior must remain clearly documented. |
| CApi | Beta | REST layer concept is stabilizing and CRUD is routed through datastore drivers. | pre and post hooks in validation. |
| Datastores | Beta | SQLite works. MySQL via PDO works. | PostgreSQL is not yet validated. |
| CLI | Experimental | CLI routing and helpers are functional. | Thinking if stabilizing on windows term emulators powershell useful, or not. No decision yet. |
| AppVars / Registry | Stable | Usable for application variables and framework settings. | Demoing in planning. |
| Translations / Output | Stable | Translation and escaping responsibilities are separated and implemented. | Demoing in planning. |
| Auth System | Experimental | Basic integration exists (Login,Pass). | JWT flow and others still in progress. |
| Documentor | Beta | Source inspection works. | UI needs to be extended with upload docs feature. |
| Control Panel | Experimental | Implemented | Needs senseful optimazation. |
| Documentation | In Progress | Documentation is growing and being restructured around user workflows. | Needs alignment with demos. |
| Demos / Videos | In Progress | Initial short demos exist. | Needs consistency with documentation. |
| Product Maturity | Early usable | Core foundation is usable for practical projects. | Testing and stabilization ongoing. |
What Works Well
- Instant setup without mandatory configuration
- Real Portable projects without fragile base URL assumptions
- Clear routing model for flat-app and HMVC usage
- Fast API development via CApi
- Built-in SQLite datastore for quick starts
- Unified request handling for Web, API and CLI contexts
Known Limitations
- Authentication only to login/pass yet
- No standardized package ecosystem - use composer. (other devs doing great libraries)
- Limited production validation across diverse hosting setups. Only xampp, PHP -S, Virtualhost on apache and ngings tested. No clue about web space providers...
- Documentation is still being aligned with demos and examples
In Progress
- JWT-based authentication
- Control panel foundations
- Extended datastore validation
- Documentation and demo alignment
- Developer experience refinements
Not a Goal
cobraPHP does not aim to provide:
- A full framework ecosystem - it is open for composer - but not build on top of it.
- Heavy abstraction layers
- Enterprise-grade scaffolding
The focus is simplicity, directness and practical usage.
Recommended Use Cases
- Small to medium applications
- Internal tools
- Rapid prototyping
- Lightweight APIs
- Developer-driven projects
Not Recommended Yet
- Large enterprise systems
- Highly regulated environments
- Teams requiring strict conventions and mature tooling
- Long-term stable APIs without versioning strategy. CobraPHP supports versioning.
Maturity
Current stage: Pre-1.0 / early usable
These values are qualitative status indicators, not benchmark results.
See cobraPHP in action
Short demos show the current developer experience.
Quick setup, portable projects and practical usage without unnecessary ceremony.
cobraPHP is developed by Gems Lighted.
Follow development videos on YouTube: @tech-jeweler