Building a Complete Module in Magento 2

Magento, renowned for its user-friendliness and customizability, has solidified its position as a leader in the e-commerce market. Magento 2, the successor to Magento 1, introduced significant improvements, including enhanced performance, official automated testing, a revamped back-end UI, and a more modular approach to module development.

In this comprehensive guide, Toptal Software Engineer Gabriel Queiroz Silva will walk you through the process of creating your first Magento 2 module. Let’s dive into the world of Magento 2 development.

Evolution from Magento 1 to Magento 2

Magento 2 emerged in late 2015 as a substantial upgrade over its predecessor, Magento 1. This new version addressed several shortcomings of Magento 1, making it a more robust and feature-rich e-commerce platform. Key improvements include:

1. Improved Performance: Enhanced speed and efficiency for better user experience.
2. Official Automated Test Suite: A comprehensive testing suite for better code quality.
3. Better Back-End UI: A more intuitive and user-friendly admin interface.
4. Modern Front-End Codebase: Upgraded front-end technology stack for a contemporary look and feel.
5. Modular Development: A more organized approach to module development with better code structure.
6. Reduced Module Conflicts: Fewer conflicts between modules customizing the same functionality.

Magento 2 has continued to evolve, becoming a powerful and reliable platform for merchants of all sizes worldwide.

Advancements in Magento 2

Magento 2 introduced several advancements that further enhance its capabilities:

1. Unit and Integration Tests: Official support and documentation for creating tests, ensuring code quality.
2. Modularization: Modules are better organized, with all files contained within a single directory.
3. Rich Templating System: Allows theme developers to create complex template hierarchies.
4. Design Patterns: Adoption of design patterns like automatic dependency injection, service contracts, repositories, and factories for improved code quality.
5. Caching Improvements: Native integration with Varnish for full-page caching and Redis for session and cache management.
6. PHP 7 Support: Compatibility with PHP 7 for enhanced performance and security.

While these improvements make Magento 2 a more robust platform, they also contribute to a steeper learning curve. In this tutorial, we’ll guide you through the process of developing your first Magento 2 module.

Prerequisites for Magento 2 Development

Before diving into Magento 2 development, it’s essential to have a strong grasp of the following technologies and concepts:

1. Object-Oriented Programming (OOP): Magento 2 is built on OOP principles, so a solid understanding is crucial.
2. PHP: Magento 2 is written in PHP, and you’ll need to be comfortable with PHP programming.
3. Namespaces: Understanding how namespaces work is essential for managing Magento 2 modules.
4. MySQL: Familiarity with MySQL is necessary for database-related tasks in Magento.
5. Basic Bash Usage: Some command-line operations are required, so basic bash skills are beneficial.

If your OOP skills need a refresher, consider reviewing them before delving into Magento 2 development.

Understanding Magento 2’s Architecture

Magento 2’s architecture emphasizes modularity and extensibility, allowing customization without altering the core codebase. This approach facilitates keeping the platform up-to-date with security patches and feature releases.

Magento 2 follows a Model View ViewModel (MVVM) architecture, which provides a robust separation between the Model and View layers. Here’s an overview of each layer:

1. Model: Contains the business logic and relies on an associated ResourceModel for database access. Service contracts expose functionality to other layers.
2. View: Represents the user interface (HTML) and is structured using PHTML files. Layout XML files connect PHTML files to ViewModels.
3. ViewModel: Interfaces with the Model layer, exposing relevant information to the View. Block classes handle this interaction, replacing the Controller’s role in MVC.

Magento 2 modules can define external dependencies using Composer, PHP’s dependency manager. Understanding this architecture is vital for Magento 2 development.

Exploring Magento 2’s Module Structure

Magento 2 modules are organized into various folders, each serving a specific purpose:

1. Api: Defines service contracts, service interfaces, and data interfaces.
2. Block: Contains ViewModels that interact with the Model layer.
3. Controller: Handles user flow, such as rendering views or redirecting users.
4. etc: Stores configuration XML files for modules, defining routes, models, blocks, observers, and cron jobs.
5. Helper: Contains helper classes used in multiple application layers, like preparing HTML for presentation.
6. i18n: Holds internationalization CSV files for translations.
7. Model: Houses Models and ResourceModels.
8. Observer: Contains Observers, which react to system events and execute associated business logic.
9. Setup: Manages migration classes for schema and data creation.
10. Test: Stores unit tests.
11. Ui: Contains UI elements like grids and forms used in the admin application.
12. view: Houses layout (XML) files and template (PHTML) files for both front-end and admin applications.

Magento 2’s core functionality resides within modules, such as Magento_Checkout for the checkout process and Magento_Catalog for product and category management. Understanding module development is essential for becoming a proficient Magento 2 developer.

Setting Up Your Magento 2 Module Development Environment

While Docker containers like Magento 2 DevBox offer convenience, setting up a native development environment ensures superior performance. This section provides instructions for creating your development environment on macOS with Brew installed.

Creating Your First Magento 2 Module

To create a complete Magento 2 module, follow these steps:

1. Boilerplate Registration Files: Create essential registration files to inform Magento about your module.
2. Interface File: Define a data contract interface for your module, e.g., for a “Post.”
3. Post Model: Develop a Post Model to represent data, implementing the data interface.
4. Post Resource Model: Create a Resource Model to link the Post Model with the database.
5. Post Collection: Design a Post Collection to retrieve multiple posts from the database.
6. Migration Classes: Generate two migration classes to set up the database schema and content.
7. Actions: Implement two actions – one to list all posts and another to view individual posts.
8. Blocks, Views, and Layout Files: Create Blocks, Views, and Layout files for both list and view actions.

By following these steps, you’ll have a fully functional Magento 2 module. This hands-on approach will help you gain practical experience in Magento 2 development.

Conclusion

Magento 2’s robust architecture and extensive feature set make it a preferred choice for e-commerce projects worldwide. This tutorial has provided a comprehensive overview of Magento 2’s architecture, module structure, and the essential steps to create your first module. Armed with this knowledge, you’re well on your way to becoming a proficient Magento 2 developer. Embrace the world of Magento 2 development, and unlock your potential in the realm of e-commerce.