Defined bootstrap, dispatch and WEB / API / CLI execution paths.
CRUD, versioned hooks and datastore integration are implemented; testing continues.
Architecture notes and decisions make behavior easier to inspect and maintain.
Stability Matrix
Qualitative engineering assessment. “Stable” describes a settled design area, not a formal compatibility guarantee.
| Area | Status | Current State | Notes / Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core Framework | Beta | The bootstrap, execution lifecycle, class loading and controller dispatch form a usable framework foundation. | Pre-1.0: interfaces and behavior may still change. |
| Portability / Setup | Stable | Relocatable projects and base-URL handling are established. Composer is optional. | Deployment across hosting providers has not been broadly validated. |
| Request Flow | Beta | WEB, API and CLI are handled as distinct execution contexts with shared request wrappers. | Further edge-case testing and wrapper consistency checks remain. |
| Routing / Dispatch | Beta | Explicit routing, flat-app and HMVC dispatch, and class-loading search modes are implemented. | CLI routing regression checks and internal dispatch cleanup remain open. |
| HMVC / Flat-App | Stable | HMVC modules and flat-app controllers are supported side by side. | Naming collisions and scope boundaries are documented constraints. |
| Views / Components | Stable | Views, partials and components use straightforward PHP rendering. | Additional demos and examples are planned. |
| Templates | Stable | Application and framework template locations are defined. | Developer-facing examples can be expanded. |
| Internal Database | Beta | Optional internal SQLite storage is available; RedBeanPHP is integrated. | Database-free usage and configuration boundaries need continued testing. |
| CApi / REST | Beta | Default CRUD, versioned before/after hooks, request wrappers and datastore delegation are implemented. | GET pagination and parameter behavior are being refined; wider compatibility tests remain. |
| Datastores | Beta | Datastore abstraction is in place; SQLite and MySQL have been exercised. | PostgreSQL implemented. |
| CLI | Beta | CLI execution and controller dispatch are usable. | Routing regression issues fixed. Testing. |
| AppVars / Registry | Stable | Application variables and framework settings are supported. | More usage examples are planned. |
| Translations / Output | Stable | Translation and output-escaping responsibilities are separated. | Additional examples are planned. |
| Authentication / Authorization | Experimental | Login, roles and permission checks provide a basic foundation. | Broader authentication flows, including JWT, are not complete. |
| Validation / CSRF | Beta | Input validation helpers and CSRF utilities are available. | Behavior and documentation continue to be checked against real use cases. |
| File Management | Beta | CFilemanager supports storage paths, uploads, temporary files and import-related file handling. | Further integration tests and upload workflows remain. |
| Documentor | Beta | Source inspection is available. | Document upload and user-interface improvements remain open. |
| Control Panel | Experimental | Administrative tooling exists; an import manager is under active development. | Import workflows and interface consistency still need testing. |
| Documentation / Decisions | Beta | Architecture documents, design decisions and API documentation now cover major framework boundaries. | Review against implementation and align with examples as features evolve. |
| Demos / Videos | In Progress | Practical demo pages and short videos illustrate selected features. | Coverage is incomplete and must track documentation changes. |
| Product Maturity | Early usable | Suitable for developer-led experiments, internal tools and practical integration work. | Not presented as a production-hardened 1.0 release. |
What Works Well
- Quick setup without mandatory Composer dependencies
- Portable projects without hard-coded base URL assumptions
- Both HMVC and flat-app organization, with explicit routing behavior
- Three execution contexts: WEB, API and CLI
- REST controllers with datastore delegation and versioned hooks
- Optional internal SQLite datastore and practical MySQL integration
- Architecture decisions and request contracts documented for future maintenance
Known Limitations
- Pre-1.0 interfaces and behavior may change
- Limited production validation across hosting environments and database drivers
- Authentication and authorization require application-specific review
- Some CLI, API and request-processing edge cases still need regression tests
- Documentation and demonstrations are not yet complete
In Progress
- Control Panel import manager: CSV, JSON and XML workflows
- Further REST GET behavior and API regression testing
- CLI routing and dispatch verification
- Datastore validation and portability checks
- Documentation, architecture decisions and demos kept in sync
Not a Goal
cobraPHP does not aim to provide:
- A mandatory package ecosystem or Composer dependency
- Heavy abstraction layers for routine tasks
- Enterprise-scale scaffolding by default
Plain PHP remains visible. Complexity is optional, not a prerequisite.
Recommended Use Cases
- Small to medium developer-led applications
- Internal web tools and administrative interfaces
- Integration bridges and automation
- CLI jobs and lightweight APIs
- Rapid prototyping and practical experiments
Not Recommended Yet
- Highly regulated environments without independent validation
- Projects requiring a guaranteed stable public API
- Large teams depending on mature tooling and release guarantees
- Unattended production deployments without project-specific testing
Maturity
Current stage: Pre-1.0 / early usable
The core framework has moved beyond an architectural prototype. Its main execution paths and extension mechanisms are in practical use. Remaining work is primarily validation, documentation alignment and refinement of tooling.
No numerical maturity percentage is published: the project does not use a measured scoring model. Area-specific status and limitations are listed above.
See cobraPHP in action
Short demos show the current developer experience.
Portable projects, explicit routing and practical PHP applications without unnecessary ceremony.
cobraPHP is developed by Gems Lighted.
Follow development videos on YouTube: @tech-jeweler