What's New With 4.0.0

Introduction

ColdBox 4 is a major release in our ColdBox Platform series and includes a new revamped MVC core and all extra functionality has been refactored into modules. We have pushed the modular architecture to a 1st class citizen even in the core itself. There are several compatibility updates that you must do in order to upgrade your ColdBox 3.X applications to ColdBox 4 standards. You will notice that the source and download of ColdBox 4 has been reduced by almost 75% in size. This is now due to our modular approach where functionality can just be brought in dynamically. How you might say?

CommandBox

CommandBox, our new ColdFusion (CFML) command line interface, package manager and REPL. You can now use CommandBox to install dependencies, modules and even ColdBox itself, all from our centralized code repository: ForgeBox. To install ColdBox 4 Bleeding Edge you can just type:

box install coldbox-be

You can even use CommandBox to generate ColdBox applications, modules, handlers, etc. It has a plethora of commands to get you started on a fantastic ColdBox Adventure:

// Get help on all the ColdBox commands
coldbox help
// create a ColdBox app with TestBox support
coldbox create app MyFirstApp --installTestBox

Internal Library Updates

ColdBox is composed of three internal libraries: WireBox (DI & AOP), CacheBox (Caching) and LogBox (Logging). Below you can find what's new with this release for each library:

Major Updates

Performance Updates

The core has been completely revamped by removing ColdFusion 7/8 code, decoupled from many features that are now available as modules and rewrites to pure cfscript syntax. The end result is the fastest ColdBox release since our 1.0.0 days. In our initial vanilla load tests, normal requests take around 4-6ms to execute.

RunEvent Caching

The runEvent method has been extended to include caching capabilities very similar to what has previously been available to the renderView methods. This will allow folks to execute internal or widget-like events and be able to use the built-in caching capabilities of ColdBox to cache the results according to the arguments used. Below is the new signature of the method:

/**
* Executes events with full life-cycle methods and returns the event results if any were returned.
* @event The event string to execute, if nothing is passed we will execute the application's default event.
* @prePostExempt If true, pre/post handlers will not be fired. Defaults to false
* @private Execute a private event if set, else defaults to public events
* @defaultEvent The flag that let's this service know if it is the default event running or not. USED BY THE FRAMEWORK ONLY
* @eventArguments A collection of arguments to passthrough to the calling event handler method
* @cache.hint Cached the output of the runnable execution, defaults to false. A unique key will be created according to event string + arguments.
* @cacheTimeout.hint The time in minutes to cache the results
* @cacheLastAccessTimeout.hint The time in minutes the results will be removed from cache if idle or requested
* @cacheSuffix.hint The suffix to add into the cache entry for this event rendering
* @cacheProvider.hint The provider to cache this event rendering in, defaults to 'template'
*/
function runEvent(
    event="",
    boolean prePostExempt=false,
    boolean private=false,
    boolean defaultEvent=false,
    struct eventArguments={},
    boolean cache=false,
    cacheTimeout="",
    cacheLastAccessTimeout="",
    cacheSuffix="",
    cacheProvider="template"
){

Please note that the default cache provider used for event caching is the template cache, so it must be a valid ColdBox Enabled Cache Provider. So if we execute our sample widget below, we will be able to leverage its caching arguments:

<!--- Render with default cache timeouts --->
#runEvent( event="widgets.users", cache=true )#

<!--- Render with specific cache args --->
#runEvent( event="widgets.users", cache=true, cacheTimeout=60 )#

<!--- Render with specific event args --->
#runEvent( event="widgets.users", eventArguments={ filter:true }, cache=true, cacheTimeout=60 )#

Info : Internally ColdBox creates an internal hash of the passed in event and eventArguments arguments for the cache key. It also leverages the template cache for event caching.

Model called Models

The convention has been updated so it matches the other conventions. You now must create a models folder instead of a model folder.

onInvalidHTTPMethod Handler Convention

We have created a new action convention in all your handlers called onInvalidHTTPMethod which will be called for you if a request is trying to execute an action in your handler without the right HTTP Verb. It will then be your job to determine what to do next:

function onInvalidHTTPMethod( faultAction, event, rc, prc ){
    return "Yep, onInvalidHTTPMethod works!";
}

HTTP Content Auto Marshalling

The getHTTPContent method on the Request Context now takes in two boolean arguments:

  1. json

  2. xml

If set, ColdBox will auto-marshall the HTTP Body content from JSON or XML to native ColdFusion data types.

myStruct  = event.getHTTPContent( json=true );
xmlObject = event.getHTTPContent( xml=true );

SES regex route placeholders

You can now define a-la-carte regex matching on route placeholders. If the route matches with that regex in the placeholder the value will now be stored in the RC as well:

addRoute( pattern = 'format/:extension-regex:(xml|json)' );

New Global View Helper

You now have a new ColdBox core setting viewsHelper which is a template that will be injected and binded to any layout/view that is rendered. This means that finally you have a template that can be globally available to any view/layout in your system.

coldbox = {
    viewsHelper = "includes/helpers/ViewHelper.cfm"
};

Application Template Java Support

All the new ColdBox application templates have been updated to include a folder called lib which is automatically wired for you to class load Java classes and jars. All you have to do is drop any jar or class file into this folder and it will be available via createobject(“java”) anywhere in your app.

New Core Modules

All internal plugins, and lots of functionality, have been refactored out of the ColdBox Core and into standalone Modules. All of them are in ForgeBox and have their own Git repositories. Also, all of them are installable via CommandBox; Our ColdFusion (CFML) CLI and Package Manager. This has reduced the ColdBox Core by over 75% in source size and complexity. Not only that, but it allows us to be able to release patches and updates for feature functionality without releasing an entire framework release, but just 1 or more modules.

  • ColdBox Debugger

box install cbdebugger

  • Storages

box install cbstorages

  • Feeds

box install cbfeeds

  • Commons

box install cbcommons

  • i18n

box install cbi18n

  • ORM

box install cborm

  • ioc

box install cbioc

  • JavaLoader

box install cbjavaloader

  • AntiSamy

box install cbantisamy

  • MailServies

box install cbmailservices

  • MessageBox

box install cbmessagebox

  • Soap

box install cbsoap

  • Security

box install cbsecurity

  • Validation

box install cbvalidation

New Anti-Forgery Module

We have created a nice anti-forgery module called csrf which can be found in ForgeBox and in GitHub: https://github.com/ColdBox/cbox-csrf. This module will enhance your ColdBox applications with Anti-Cross Site Request Forgery capabilities. You can also install it via CommandBox

box install csrf

ORM Module Updates

As you know by now, all the ColdBox ORM features are available as a module that can be installed in your application via CommandBox or downloaded separately. We have done several updates to the ORM extensions like:

  • Lucee multi-datasource support

  • Expanded createAlias() method to allow for a criteria argument

    which leverages hibernate's ability to do a where statement on a

    join

  • Script updates

New System Renderer

The ColdBox Renderer plugin has been removed and it is now part of the core as the system renderer (coldbox.system.web.Renderer).

  • It has been migrated to full script and optimized for ColdFusion 9+

    syntax

  • We have also created a new DSL to inject it via WireBox: coldbox:renderer

  • You can also add mixins or alter its behavior by talking to its

    WireBox mapping (Renderer@coldbox)

  • All handlers/interceptors/views/layouts have access to the renderer

    by calling the getRenderer() method in the super type

  • The main ColdBox controller has a new method called getRenderer() to retrieve the system renderer

New Error Template

By default, we are now not showing any exceptions in the ColdBox default error template for security and encapsulation. You now have to specify the full exception bug template if you would like to see the exceptions via the CustomErrorTemplate setting:

coldbox = {
    customErrorTemplate = "/coldbox/system/includes/BugReport.cfm"
};

This is to be secure by default. The default template used is /coldbox/system/includes/BugReport-Public.cfm

Remote Proxies Autowired

You've always been able to get models in a remote proxy (web-accessible CFC that extends coldbox.system.remote.ColdBoxProxy) using the getModel() method. Now you can also autowire your remote proxies using cfproperties just like you do in handlers and WireBox-managed models.

/remote/myProxy.cfc

component extends="coldbox.system.remote.ColdBoxProxy" {
    property name='myService' inject='myService';

    remote function doRemote() {
        variables.myService.doSomething();
    }
}

Note The autowiring only works for web-accessible remote proxies being directly invoked. You can extend the ColdBoxProxy by another manually-created CFC (such as an ORM eventHandler) but it won't be autowired.

Handlers Are Now Singletons

In pre-4.0.0 applications, all event handlers were cached in CacheBox with specific timeouts. We have found that this just created extra noise and complexity for handler CFCs. So now all event handlers will be cached as singletons by default (unless specified in the ColdBox.cfc).

Bootstrap Enhancement

The ColdBox application bootstrapper, the one used in Application.cfc has been completely updated and renamed to Bootstrap instead of Coldbox. This brings in lots of performance enhancements and faster startup times to your applications. Just use the included application templates or just update the Coldbox reference to Bootstrap.

// Inheritance
component extends="coldbox.system.Bootstrap"{

}

// Non-Inheritance
component{
    public boolean function onApplicationStart(){
        application.cbBootstrap = new coldbox.system.Bootstrap( COLDBOX_CONFIG_FILE, COLDBOX_APP_ROOT_PATH, COLDBOX_APP_KEY, COLDBOX_APP_MAPPING );
        application.cbBootstrap.loadColdbox();
        return true;
    }
}

Module Enhancements

There has been tremendous focus on modules in this release as we have moved completely to a modular architecture in the core as well. First of all, we have moved almost 75% of the source into modules so they can be installed a-la-carte by developers. Here are some major updates:

  • New getModuleSettings() & getModuleConfig() super type methods.

    This allows you to get access to any module setting or configuration

    property rather easily and directly.

  • All module properties are NOT required anymore except the name.

  • Modules no longer register their models folder as scan locations

    to increase performance.

  • try/catch around module unloads, so if a module throws an exception

    during unload it will be intercepted, unloaded and then throw an

    exception. This way it will allow developers to fix the unloading

    issues instead of basically restarting the entire CFML engine to

    make it work.

Module Inception

We have altered the module services to now allow you to nest modules within modules up to the Nth degree. Our final move to hierarchical MVC is complete. Now you can package a module with other modules that can even contain other modules within. It really opens a great opportunity for better packaging, delivery and a further break from monolithic applications. To use, just create a modules folder in your module and drop the modules there as well.

Module Config New Properties

The ''ModuleConfig.cfc'' has been updated with several new properties:

Setting

Type

Required

Default

Description

activate

boolean

false

true

You can tell ColdBox to register the module but NOT to activate it. By default, all modules activate.

aliases

array

false

[]

An array of names that can be used to execute the module instead of only the module folder name

autoMapModels

boolean

false

true

Will automatically map all model objects under the models folder in WireBox using @modulename as part of the alias.

cfmapping

string

false

empty

The ColdFusion mapping that should be registered for you that points to the root of the module.

disabled

boolean

false

false

You can manually disable a module from loading and registering

dependencies

array

false

[]

An array of dependent module names. All dependencies will be registered and activated FIRST before the module declaring them.

modelNamespace

string

false

moduleName

The name of the namespace to use when registering models in WireBox. By default it uses the name of the module.

this.autoMapModels = true;
this.modelNamespace = "store";
this.aliases = [ "store", "ecommerce", "shop" ];
this.cfmapping = "cbstore";
this.dependencies = [ "JavaLoader", "CFCouchbase" ];

Module Dependencies

Modules can now declare other module dependencies. This means that before the declared module is activated, the dependencies will be registered and activated FIRST and then the declared module will load.

Module Aliases

In pre-4.0.0 ColdBox applications, the way that you executed module handlers was via its registered module name, which had to be the name of the module folder on disk. This was ok to a certain point, but it would cause issues as it was very restrictive to the name on disk. On ColdBox 4 you can now give the module different execution aliases so you can execute the handler events via the aliases and the module folder name as well.

Module CF Mappings

Every module can now tell ColdBox what ColdFusion mapping to register for it that points to the module root location on disk when deployed. This is a huge feature for portability and the ability to influence the ColdFusion mappings for you via ColdBox.

Module Models Auto Mapped

The entire models folder will now be automatically mapped for you in WireBox via the mapDirectory call with a namespace attached to the objects (the name of the module). This way, all models are automatically mapped for you so you can just use them. Let's say you have a module called store:

property name="orderService" inject="OrderService@store";

As you can see it adds a @moduleName to discover models that come from a module directly.

Hint You can alter this behavior by setting the this.autoMapModels configuration setting to false. You can also alter the namespace used via the this.modelNamespace configuration property.

Module Bundles

You can now bundle your modules into an organizational folder that has the convention name of {name}-bundle. This is mostly for organizational purposes.

coldbox-bundle
  * cbstorages
  * cborm
  * cbsecurity

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