Viper — Open-source PHP MVC framework

Lightweight PHP MVC framework with YAML configuration and routing, self-migrating models and a Blade-like template engine.

Role: Author

Client: Open source (GitHub / Packagist)

Team: Solo

Period: 2017–2018

In 2017 I was regularly starting small PHP websites and messenger bots, and full-size frameworks felt heavy for them, while plain PHP led to copy-pasted boilerplate. I wanted a framework that starts with one Composer command and a database password, keeps configuration readable, creates the database structure from model definitions and still offers familiar Blade-style templates. It also had to leave room for background bot processes.

Viper boots with composer create-project and a database password. Settings live in local and global YAML files read through Config::get(); routes are declared in YAML and map requests to controller methods with built-in validation. Models are described in YAML too, and the framework creates or updates the matching MySQL tables over PDO. Filters run before every controller, views and parsed YAML are cached, and Viper-Blade adds layouts and sections. A daemon module runs background jobs for bots.

One-command start: composer create-project arsengoian/viper

YAML config (local and global) with a Config::get() accessor

YAML routing to controllers, built-in validators, filter pipeline

Self-migrating models: YAML field definitions sync MySQL tables via PDO

Viper-Blade templates with layouts and sections; view and YAML caching

Published on GitHub and Packagist; foundation of BotMother and several client projects

PHP 7.1, Composer, YAML, PDO / MySQL, Blade-style templates, Packagist