Framework Architecture - Extending and Expanding

1. 

   mp (Member)
   Posted 3 years ago | Permalink

   I opened this topic at Justin's invitation to promote the constructive, open discussion of specifically those aspects of the Hybrid framework implementation that are transcendent of specific themes, or child themes - and are not tied to specific, individualized issues and solutions that are already well-represented in the other forums and topic areas.

   The Hybrid Framework originated from a specific, and clear set of design objectives:

   It was intended to be:
   1. A lightweight framework (imagine the frame of a house).
   2. A development tool to create child themes and plugins.
   3. An extension of WordPress on the frontend.

   With a User base of:
   1. People with little or no PHP, HTML, and CSS skills.
   2. People with some skills in between 1 and 3.
   3. Developers that need something to build from.

   As such, it sits "between" WordPress' vast capabilities and broad user-base, with an already large number of extensions implemented via Plugins and the rigors of open-source development - So the question is: What is the Hybrid Framework "difference"?

   The discussion for this topic should probably center on:

   1. What else should the Hybrid Framework be to meet the needs of the user base? (what?)
   2. How might those extensions be best represented and implemented? (where?, how?)
   3. What does the framework do now, that might benefit from "another look"?

   It is expected that some of this disussion will be of a highly technical nature - because it "straddles" the full-range of implementation domains of themes, web technologies, software development, generally, and WordPress itself - With the implicit goal of making the Hybrid Framework the preferred basis for implementing an ever-expanding range of end-user capabilities.

2. 

   Justin Tadlock (Key Master)
   Posted 3 years ago | Permalink

   I'd also like to add a fourth question:

   4. What else should the Hybrid Framework be to meet the needs of the developer base?

   I understand how I'd use it as a developer since I originally created it with my personal goals in mind, but I don't know how this goes over with other developers. Feel free to chime in.

3. 

   mp (Member)
   Posted 3 years ago | Permalink

   Amen to that.

   Your survey is an excellent idea. I will gather my own thoughts and submit them via that mechanism during the course of the week. I certainly appreciate the opportunity.

   If the last four or five years have been indicative, WordPress continues down an evolutionary path of refactoring itself into an increasingly general environment - and the most progressive ideas have originated by those who lead that effort.

   Based on the discussions herein, and the obviously distinct audiences - I think that there is a good argument for bifurcating at the framework level a more coherent distinction between developers/designers and end-users - and perhaps building (or, alternatively, refactoring) abstracted, or derived capabilities that anticipate, to some extent, what's happening to WordPress itself - and "live" either in a set of "special" plugins, in Hybrid-specific configuration data - or some combination of the two.

   If I'm a designer - then I want a systematic manner to change the appearance of the instance - without having to learn CSS, or to some extent, WordPress' template environment - But, if I am a developer, I'm really looking for the ability to "bolt-on" new "non-trivial" capabilities, or integrate with other systems and software that live outside of WordPress.

   Perhaps, a significant investment of specialized developement in the Web Services arena would give Hybrid , "preferred" framework status...

   I'll have to give it more thought.

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