Catalyst PHP Framework

Catalyst is a modern PHP framework designed with flexibility, performance, and developer experience in mind. It combines established architectural patterns with pragmatic solutions to create a robust foundation for PHP applications.

Overview

Catalyst is a PHP framework developed by Walter Nuñez (arcanisgk) that combines the best aspects of various architectural patterns to create a flexible yet powerful development environment. The framework requires PHP 8.3 and is distributed under the MIT License.

Philosophy

Catalyst is built on several key principles:

1. Practical Flexibility - Use the right pattern for the right job, rather than forcing a single approach
2. Separation of Concerns - Clear boundaries between components with single responsibilities
3. Developer-First Experience - Intuitive APIs and comprehensive error handling
4. Framework/Application Separation - Clear distinction between framework internals and application code

Architecture

Dual-Space Design

Catalyst uses a dual-space architecture that explicitly separates framework code from application code:

• Framework Space (`app/Assets/Framework/`) - Contains core framework components, not intended for direct modification
• Application Space (`app/Repository/`) - Dedicated development area for application-specific code

This separation allows for framework updates without disrupting application code, while still providing all the extension points needed for customization.

Mixed-Pattern Implementation

Unlike frameworks that rigidly adhere to a single pattern, Catalyst strategically employs multiple architectural patterns where they make the most sense:

• MVC Pattern - For structured request handling and response generation
• Repository Pattern - For data access abstraction
• Entity Pattern - For domain object encapsulation
• Service Pattern - For reusable business logic
• Singleton Pattern - For services that genuinely need global state

This mixed approach allows developers to use familiar patterns while avoiding their limitations.

Internationalization

Catalyst provides built-in support for multi-language applications:

• JSON-based translation files organized by language and feature
• Simple translation helpers (`t()` and `__()`)
• Language switching capabilities

Error Management

The framework includes a comprehensive error management system:

• Detailed error reporting in development environments
• Production-safe error handling
• Customizable error logging and display

Key Components

Core Framework

• Routing System - Flexible URL-to-controller mapping with middleware support
• View Engine - Template rendering with layouts and partials
• Response Handling - Type-specific responses (HTML, JSON, redirects)
• Middleware Stack - Modular request processing pipeline

Utility Layer

• Logging - Type-categorized logging with formatting support
• Debugging - Development tools for inspection and troubleshooting
• File Operations - Simplified file system interactions
• CLI Support - Command-line interface with dedicated entry point

Getting Started

Requirements

• PHP 8.3 or higher
• Composer
• Web server with URL rewriting capability (Apache, Nginx)

Installation

composer create-project arcanisgk/catalyst my-project
cd my-project

Basic Usage

1. Define routes in `bootstrap/routes/web.php`
2. Create controllers in `app/Repository/Controllers`
3. Add views in `app/Repository/Views`
4. Run your application through a web server pointing to the `public` directory

Development Roadmap

• Enhanced database abstraction layer
• Advanced middleware capabilities
• Expanded CLI tools
• Extended documentation and tutorials

License

Catalyst is open-sourced software licensed under the MIT License.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.

For documentation and more information, visit catalyst.lh-2.net.