Presentation at the Dutch Magento conference 'Dutchento' on January 27th, 2009.

1. Magento European Tour 2009
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2. Me?
Yoav Kutner
Vice President and CTO @ Varien
yoav@varien.com
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3. Varien?
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4. Magento?
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5. Magento
A detailed list including tours and screencasts can be seen on
MagentoCommerce.com
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6. Magento Connect
• 375+ Extensions
• 375,000+ Downloads
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7. Magento Development Time Frame
December 2006 Decision to create a new open source ecommerce platform.
January 2007 Begin by selecting the Zend Framework, and creating the core
team (3 developers).
February 2007 Core team starts designing the application architecture (core
team 3 developers).
May 2007 First “proof of concept” a semi-working ecommerce application
(core team 3 developers).
June 2007 Start working on first Beta (core team 5 developers)
August 2007 Magento Beta release (core team 5-7 developers)
September 2007- 12 Beta releases (core team 5-8 developers)
February 2008
March 2008 Magento 1.0 released (core team 6-8 developers).
April 2007-June 2008 7 1.0.x releases (core team 6-8 developers)
July 2008 Magento 1.1 released (core team 6-8 developers).
June - Nov 2008 8 1.1.x releases (core team 5-7 developers)
December 2008 Magento 1.2.0 released (core team 5-7 developers).
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8. Magento is a PHP5 Application
• OO support. We wanted Magento to be an OO application so it would be
considered as a platform and allow to extend and develop it. We also wanted
Enterprise organizations to consider this platform.
• The added support for Encapsulation (privet, protected public), Interfaces, and
Static Methods etc allowed us to create a true OO architected application.
• We were worried about the support for PHP5 when it comes to hosting (even
considering creating 2 versions of Magento) but the PHP4 End of Life
announcement made our decision much easier.
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9. Selecting the Zend Framework
The early days 
Prior to Magento we were using an in-house developed frame-work (PHP4).
Problems:
• Specifying hiring criteria when it comes to developers.
• Long training process due to lack of documentation and training materials.
• Collaborating with other companies on big projects was a nightmare.
• Maintaining and Supporting our framework without a large community was hard
both in allocating resources and without a large “collective wisdom”.
• Many different coding styles.
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10. Selecting the Zend Framework
So let’s select a framework:
• Akelos
• Ash.MVC
• CakePHP
• Codelgniter
• DIY
• eZ Components
• Fusebox
• PHP on TRAX
• PHPDevShell
• PHPOpenbiz
• Prado
• Pronto
• QPHP
• Seagull
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11. Selecting the Zend Framework
So why Zend Framework?
• A commercial company (Zend) behind it. (We selected the ZF when it was in
Beta)
• Widespread community support.
• A wealth of documentation and training.
• A use-at-will architecture that enables Magento developers to use Zend
Framework for the functionality they need.
• A clear roadmap and transparency
• Licensing that protects the entire ecosystem of products that get built upon the
Magento code base.
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12. Selecting the Zend Framework
Zend Framework Components used in Magento
• Zend_Acl - Admin user permission and Web Service API
• Zend_Cache (Customized Apc and Memcached backends for support of tags) -
configuration caching, html blocks caching
• Zend_Currency - Magento Multi-Currency implementation
• Zend_Date - Stores time zone
• Zend_Db - used with Pdo_Mysql adapter
• Zend_Feed - creating RSS feeds
• Zend_Http - work with Response model
• Zend_Locale - number formatting, date formatting, country names translation
• Zend_Log - system debug logs (Exceptions, debug data)
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13. Selecting the Zend Framework
Zend Framework Components used in Magento (Cont)
• Zend_Mail - all auto-generated system emails (order confirmation, welcome
email etc...)
• Zend_Pdf - PDF invoices etc
• Zend_Translate - parsing translate source files
• Zend_Validate - model data validation
• Zend_XmlRpc - Web Services API
• Zend_Service - Strikeiron
• Zend_Controller - started work with Zend_Controller, but Magento implement a
lot of custom routing functionality so we ended up creating our own.
• Zend_Console_Getopt - used for our translation gathering tool
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14. Selecting the Zend Framework
We plan to use in future version of Magento (ZF 1.7.2)
• Zend_Form
• Zend_Measure - extending the global compatibility of Magento for weights,
dimensions etc…
• Zend_OpenId
• Zend_Search - Lucene Search Engine for Search and Layered Navigation
• Zend_Gdata - for integration with Google maps, Google Docs
• Zend_Captcha
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15. Multi-Store Retailing
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16. Multi-Store Retailing
Global - Website - Store- Store View
• Global - Global configurations used by the system.
• Website - is a collection of stores that share the same customer
and order information as well as shopping cart.
• Store – is a collection of store views
• Store View - is a composition of:
• Localization setting (language)
• Product visibility settings
•
One or more themes
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17. Multi-Store Retailing
Global - Website - Store- Store View
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18. Multi-Store Retailing
Global - Website - Store- Store View
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19. Multi-Store Retailing
Global - Website - Store- Store View
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20. Magento Design Terminology
Interface An Interface (Design Package) is
Theme a collection of one or more
Layout themes.
Template
Skin
Locale
Theme
Theme
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21. Magento Design Terminology (continued)
Interface A Theme is the design and front-
Theme end functionalities of your store.
Layout
Template
Skin
Locale
Theme
Theme
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22. Magento Design Terminology (continued)
Interface The Layout defines the structure of the
Theme page. It is a collection of XML-based
instructions that:
Layout
• Introduce different functionalities to
Template
a store.
Skin • Assign the templates by which the
Locale store HTML markup is introduced.
Theme • Assign JavaScript to be loaded globally
Theme or per-page.
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23. Magento Design Terminology (continued)
Interface Template is a file that contain
Theme (X)HTML markup as well as some
PHP tags to apply application logic
Layout
in markup presentation.
Template
Skin
Locale
Theme
Theme
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24. Magento Design Terminology (continued)
Interface Skin is any collection of images
Theme (such as background images to
create design facade), CSS and
Layout
theme-specific JavaScript to create
Template client-side functionality.
Skin
Locale
Theme
Theme
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25. Magento Design Terminology (continued)
Interface Locale is the language file that
Theme allows to add or override
translations (including replacing
Layout
English copy) that are specific to
Template the theme.
Skin
Locale
Theme
Theme
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26. Magento Architecture - MVC
Model View Controller
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27. Magento Architecture
OOP Patterns
• Singleton (models/singleton)
• Factory Method (Getting objects of model, helper, block) example:
Mage::getModel('customer/address'); returns customer address object using the
configuration settings described above.
• Strategy (Product types) used for implementation of the different product types
(simple, configurable, grouped, bundle and virtual)
• Decorator (View level) used on the view level
• etc...
Support for Events –
example customer_save, customer_login new modules can specify custom
observers that can add additional logic and affect the flow of the application.
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28. Magento Architecture - Configuration
Magento uses XML files for configuration.
This provides flexibility for dynamically introducing new components from new
modules or overwriting existing modules.
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29. Magento Architecture - Configuration
High-level structure:
<config>
<modules>
<!-- Information about modules (dependency, version) -->
</modules>
<global>
<models>
<!-- models groups declaration -->
</models>
<blocks>
<!-- blocks groups declaration -->
</blocks>
<resources>
<!-- resources declaration -->
</resources>
</global>
<default>
<!-- Information about default values for GWS configuration settings -->
</default>
<admin>
<!-- admin specific data -->
</admin>
<adminhtml>
<!-- adminhtml configuration area -->
</adminhtml>
<frontend>
<!-- frontend configuration area -->
</frontend>
</config>
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30. Magento Architecture - Configuration
Models and Blocks section
Ex: app/code/core/Mage/Catalog/etc/config.xml
Used for defining models groups for Mage::getModel factory
<config>
<global>
<models>
<catalog>
<class>Mage_Catalog_Model</class>
</catalog>
</models>
<blocks>
<catalog>
<class>Mage_Catalog_Block</class>
</catalog>
</blocks>
</global>
</config>
Mage::getModel('catalog/product') returns new Mage_Catalog_Model_Product object
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31. Magento Architecture - Configuration
Default Section
Default section defines default values for GWS configuration
when creating the configuration for the Websites and Store Views.
Ex: app/code/core/Mage/Catalog/etc/comfig.xml
<config>
<default>
<catalog>
<navigation>
<max_depth>0</max_depth>
</navigation>
<frontend>
<list_mode>grid-list</list_mode>
<grid_per_page_values>9,15,30</grid_per_page_values>
<list_per_page_values>5,10,15,20,25</list_per_page_values>
<grid_per_page>9</grid_per_page>
<list_per_page>10</list_per_page>
</frontend>
<price>
<scope>0</scope>
</price>
</catalog>
</default>
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32. Magento Architecture - Configuration
adminhtml and frontend
In these sections we have configuration specific for frontend or adminhtml areas.
This can be specific events declaration, routers declaration, layout upgrades,
translates etc.
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33. Magento Architecture - Configuration
adminhtml and frontend
Ex: app/code/core/Mage/Catalog/etc/comfig.xml
<config>
<frontend>
<routers>
<catalog>
<use>standard</use>
<args>
<module>Mage_Catalog</module>
<frontName>catalog</frontName>
</args>
</catalog>
</routers>
<events>
<customer_login>
<observers>
<catalog>
<type>model</type>
<class>catalog/product_compare_item</class>
<method>bindCustomerLogin</method>
</catalog>
</observers>
</customer_login>
</events>
<translate>
<modules>
<Mage_Catalog>
<files>
<default>Mage_Catalog.csv</default>
</files>
</Mage_Catalog>
</modules>
</translate>
</frontend>
</config>
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34. Magento Architecture - Configuration
Building Process
Magento full system configuration contains:
• app/etc/local.xml file –
§ Specific installation: DB connect settings, installation date, cryptkey etc.
• app/etc/config.xml file
§ allowed locales, default read/write connection declarations, resources types etc.
• app/etc/modules/*.xml files
§ modules declarations (modules code pools, modules dependency, etc)
• app/code/*/*/Module/etc/config.xml files
§ configuration data related with specific modules (path example
app/code/core/Mage/Catalog/etc/comfig.xml)
• Configuration data from DB
§ specific configuration settings which are used for specific website/store views
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35. Magento Architecture - Configuration
Building Process
Example: Product type definition – Catalog module:
<catalog>
<product>
<type>
<simple translate="label" module="catalog">
<label>Simple Product</label>
<model>catalog/product_type_simple</model>
<index_priority>10</index_priority>
</simple>
<grouped translate="label" module="catalog">
<label>Grouped Product</label>
<model>catalog/product_type_grouped</model>
<allow_product_types>
<simple/>
<virtual/>
<downloadable/>
</allow_product_types>
<index_priority>50</index_priority>
</grouped>
<configurable translate="label" module="catalog">
…
</configurable>
<virtual translate="label" module="catalog">
<label>Virtual Product</label>
<model>catalog/product_type_virtual</model>
<index_priority>20</index_priority>
</virtual>
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36. Magento Architecture - Configuration
Building Process
Example: Product type definition – Bundle module:
<catalog>
<product>
<type>
<bundle translate="label" module="bundle">
<label>Bundle Product</label>
<model>bundle/product_type</model>
<allowed_selection_types>
<simple />
<virtual />
</allowed_selection_types>
<price_model>bundle/product_price</price_model>
<index_data_retreiver>bundle/catalogIndex_data_bundle</index_data_retreiver>
<index_priority>40</index_priority>
</bundle>
</type>
</product>
</catalog>
When the configuration is built all of this is combined into one XML file.
*** If configuration cache option is enabled all data will be cached in one file and we
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37. Magento Architecture - Configuration
GWS
• Magento has some configuration nodes which depend on the working scope and
can be defined on Global, Website or Store View level.
• By default these nodes have values defined in config/default section of the
configuration.
• When admin customizes one of the values - data will be stored in DB and will be
loaded in the next request
• Customized GWS configuration data is saved into core_config_data table
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38. Magento Architecture - Configuration
GWS - core_config_data table:
• config_id - PK auto increment field
• scope - enum('default','websites','stores','config')
• scope_id - scope identifier (id of website or store view)
• path - XPATH in configuration
• value - node value
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39. Magento Architecture - Configuration
GWS - core_config_data table example:
Before processing configuration:
<config>
<stores>
<store_code>
<catalog>
<frontend>
<grid_per_page>9</grid_per_page>
…
And table row:
1 store 1 catalog/frontend/grid_per_page 15
After processing configuration:
<config>
<stores>
<store_code>
<catalog>
<frontend>
<grid_per_page>15</grid_per_page>
…
Mage::getStoreConfig('catalog/frontend/grid_per_page', 1) returns 15 not 9
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40. Magento Architecture – Install and Upgrade
Code Separation:
• Core
• Local
• Community
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41. Magento Architecture – Install and Upgrade
Modules Dependency
• Dependency is specified in module declaration (app/etc/modules/*.xml)
• Dependency determines the order in which the database is built/updated
Ex:
<config>
<modules>
<Mage_Bundle>
<active>true</active>
<codePool>core</codePool>
<depends>
<Mage_Catalog />
</depends>
</Mage_Bundle>
</modules>
</config>
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42. Magento Architecture – Install and Upgrade
Installation process
• Each module can present its installation file (core setup file for example:
app/code/core/Mage/Core/sql/core_setup/mysql4-install-0.8.0.php)
• The file path and file name depends on module-setup-resource-name and
resource-name (in example above "core_setup" is setup resource name and
"mysql4" is setup resource model).
• When installing a module the file used will be the one with the largest version
number less than or equal to current module version.
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43. Magento Architecture – Install and Upgrade
Upgrade process
• Each installed module has setup resource stored in DB “core_resource" table
with latest version used in the specific Magento installation.
• For new DB upgrade an upgrade file will be created for the module
(ex: app/code/core/Mage/Core/sql/core_setup/mysql4-upgrade-0.8.8-0.8.9.php)
• Module version will get updated to new version in the module config.xml
(ex: app/code/core/Mage/Core/etc/config.xml)
• Magento will then compare the version of the module resource in the DB and the
module version in the config.xml and will apply all upgrades files needed.
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44. Magento Architecture – Install and Upgrade
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45. Magento Architecture – DB Cluster Organization
• Read/Write connection
• Availability specify connection per module
• Frontend separation (one admin many frontend
websites, stores and ability to specify image domain)
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46. Magento Architecture – Cluster Organization
Setting up read write connections
app/etc/config.xml
<config>
<global>
<resources>
<default_setup>
<connection>
<host>localhost</host>
<username/>
<password/>
<dbname>magento</dbname>
<model>mysql4</model>
<initStatements>SET NAMES utf8</initStatements>
<type>pdo_mysql</type>
</connection>
</default_setup>
<default_write>
<connection>
<use>default_setup</use>
</connection>
</default_write>
<default_read>
<connection>
<use>default_setup</use>
</connection>
</default_read>
</resources>
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47. Magento Architecture – Cluster Organization
Setting up read write connections
app/etc/local.xml
<config>
<global>
<resources>
<default_setup>
<connection>
<host><![CDATA[localhost]]></host>
<username><![CDATA[root]]></username>
<password><![CDATA[]]></password>
<dbname><![CDATA[magento_sample_data]]></dbname>
<active>1</active>
</connection>
</default_setup>
<default_read>
<connection>
<use/>
<host><![CDATA[localhost]]></host>
<username><![CDATA[root]]></username>
<password><![CDATA[]]></password>
<dbname><![CDATA[magento_sample_data_read]]></dbname>
<active>1</active>
</connection>
</default_read>
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48. Magento Architecture – Extending Magento
Class overwriting
• Magento supports overwriting specific classes (model, block or helper)
• This is possible because all objects * are built using Mage::getModel() method
which is a factory.
We do not want to do:
new Mage_Catalog_Model_Product
We want to do:
Mage::getModel('catalog/product')
*(exclude Mage_Core_Model_App, Mage_Core_Model_Config,
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49. Magento Architecture – Extending Magento
Class overwriting (Model Example)
• Create new module
(Ex: local/MyProject/MyModule)
• Specify etc/config.xml file for this module
• Create class for your model customization
(Ex: MyProject_MyModule_Model_Customer extends
Mage_Customer_Model_Customer)
• Add overwriting instructions to config.xml
<config>
<global>
<models>
<customer>
<rewrite>
<customer>MyProject_MyModule_Model_Customer</customer>
</rewrite>
• overwrite needed methods in your class
• Now Mage::getModel('customer/customer') =>
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50. Magento Architecture – Extending Magento
Controller/Actions overwriting
To overwrite Magento controllers we can use the next
instruction in configuration:
<config>
<global>
<rewrite>
<rewrite_name>
<from>^catalog/product/*</from>
<to>my_module/my_controler</to>
</rewrite_name>
</rewrite>
</global>
</config>
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51. Magento Core API
• Magento 1.1 introduces Core API to help with
integrations.
• Magento Core API supports both SOAP and XML RPC
protocols.
• The API is permission based and allows access to the
Customer, Catalog and Order modules of Magento.
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