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Date: Fri, 7 Sep 2012 20:13:49 +0100
Subject: Re: Helping with mod_perl
From: js5@sanger.ac.uk
To: modperl@perl.apache.org
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>
> Great site, Randolph--thanks for the link.  I'm glad to know
> /mod_perl[2]?/ is still in vogue.  I'm about to start using it on my
> web site:
>
>   https://usafa-1965.org
>

I have been using mod_perl now for approx 12-15 years now and it seems to be
getting better and better. I have looked at other frameworks, and development
languages - but I can never seem to find anything as neat and structured as
mod_perl - although I do (and have to speak in hushed tones at work) do quiet
a lot of development in PHP - although I do properly code in it most of the
time - rather than lots of hacky scripts.

I'm trying to get round to open source, my latest frame work Pagesmith, which
we use at work to get a whole plethora of sites out, the core of the system is
mod_perl which allows for a rapid deployment of robust websites. It doesn't
use Registry and CGI - it is "pure" mod_perl, make extensive use of handlers
and (output) filters. But none of the clean way it's coded would be possible
without the power of mod_perl to allow me to hook into the Apache process at
all the right places!

I think Pagesmith is possibly unique as it is really a helper framework - you
can actually code web-pages in CGI, PHP, ruby, mod_perl/Registry, Java (and
we have pages running in 4, or even on alternative machines through mod_proxy,
on top of raw "pagesmith" pages, and use many of the benefits of the framework:

 * Two stage templating (along better "caching" of pages)
 * Dynamic components (including easy methods to enable "ajaxifying"
 * A parallel JS/CSS framework which works in conjunction with the mod_perl to
   add functionality to the pages - tables, tabs, accordions, ajax, form
   validation

without using the core of the framework.

Additionally it comes with a whole host of support code, a full web-publishing
system with sandbox, auto updating dev, staging and live machines, backed by SVN,
with full code quality checks - all committed perl MUST pass brutal perl critic
(now that was a challenge for someone who didn't see eye-to-eye with some of
the definitions). Diagnostic scripts, remote server management...

Some of the sample sites are:
  http://www.cancerrxgene.org/
  http://www.sanger.ac.uk/
  http://cancer.sanger.ac.uk/ (although this needs some work to improve the code quality)
  http://www.genes2cognition.org/

More information is on my blog which is really about neat code that is being added
etc:

  http://wp.sanger.ac.uk/pagesmith

I intend to open source it later in the year - I have just spend 3 months - seperating
the core code from the institute specific code!

James


-- 
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