Introduction
Contributing to the Drupal community by sharing your module can be a rewarding endeavor. To facilitate contributions and ensure your module is maintainable, it’s crucial to structure it well. This guide will help you create a module that's easy to understand, extend, and contribute to, making it a valuable resource for the Drupal community.
The Importance of Structure
A well-structured module is not only easier for others to use but also easier to maintain and scale. Proper structure involves organizing your code, settings, and documentation in a way that's intuitive and follows Drupal's conventions, paving the way for others to contribute effectively.
Basic Module Structure
Your module should adhere to Drupal’s organizational standards. Here’s a typical directory structure for a contributed module:
my_module/
├── config/
│ ├── install/
│ └── schema/
├── src/
│ ├── Controller/
│ ├── Form/
│ └── Plugin/
├── templates/
├── tests/
├── css/
├── js/
├── my_module.info.yml
├── my_module.module
└── my_module.services.yml
Explanation of Directories and Files
- config/install: Contains default configuration objects that automatically install when the module is enabled.
- config/schema: Holds YAML schema files defining the structure of configuration data.
- src: Contains your module's custom PHP code. This directory uses the PSR-4 autoloading standard.
- templates: Contains Twig template files for override defaults with your custom templates.
- tests: A space for PHPUnit and functional Behat tests for your module.
- css/js: Contain your custom stylesheets and JavaScript files.
- my_module.info.yml: Metadata about the module, such as the name, description, dependencies, etc.
- my_module.module: Optional file for implementing hooks.
- my_module.services.yml: Defines services provided by the module.
Code Formatting and Standards
Following Drupal's coding standards is critical for maintainability and readability. Here are some key points:
- PSR-12 Coding Standard: Follow the PHP FIG's PSR-12 standard for formatting.
- Use DocBlocks: Complete function, class, and file-level comments to describe functionality and usage.
- Naming Conventions: Use descriptive names for your files, classes, and functions, adhering to camelCase and snake_case standards as appropriate.
Documenting Your Code
Code should include inline documentation and broader documentation files, such as:
- Inline Comments: Describe complex logic and important considerations directly within the code.
- CHANGELOG.txt: Lists major changes in your module’s versions.
- INSTALL.txt: Provides installation instructions.
- LICENSE.txt: Includes licensing terms if different from the default GPL.
- README.md: Top-level documentation for module overview and usage instructions (we will cover this comprehensively in the next lesson).
Preparing for Contributions
When preparing for contributions, consider the following best practices:
- Use Version Control: Utilize Git for version control and hosting on platforms like Drupal.org or GitHub to manage community contributions.
- Issue Queue Management: Encourage contributors to submit patches for review and remain active in the issue queue to resolve and close issues promptly.
- Collaboration Guidelines: Set clear guidelines on how to contribute, including coding standards, branching strategies, and more.
Conclusion
Structuring your Drupal module for contribution not only benefits you as a developer by enforcing good practices but also encourages community collaboration. Such contributions can lead to a richer, more versatile module that serves a broader audience.
What's Next?
In the next lesson, we will focus on creating a comprehensive README.md file. This document is essential for providing an overview of your module, installation steps, configuration instructions, and more, which can significantly impact how easily others can contribute to your module. Stay tuned!