Samoylov A., Shtepa A.

Southern Federal University, Russia

Development of web-applications on the base of

Bitrix Framework

The number of applications developed by means of web-technologies is increasing now. First of all it is connected with convenience of using such applications. The large quantity of tasks can be executed without resorting to software installation, using only the browser. With the help of Internet technologies it is possible to carry out purchases, to communicate, to work, to study. And it only a small part of activity kinds that people can do in the Internet.

Demand gives rise to the offer. Therefore every day the number of firms of developers constantly grows. The quantity of development tools grows also. Some tools allow to accelerate work of the programmer, and some of them allow to develop Internet resources during a couple of hours. One of such development tools is Bitrix Framework.

Bitrix Framework is created on the basis of a PHP platform for development of web-applications. On this platform 1C-Bitrix company created two popular products: «1C-Bitrix: Site Management» and «1C-Bitrix: Corporate portal» [1]. Unlike other Framework, such as Zend Framework, Bitrix Framework besides a set of classes has also the developed interface of administration.

As well as in many Frameworks and programming languages, in Bitrix Framework there is a base allowing better to understand structure and features of a platform. Before the starting of development, for user it is necessary to study this base.

First of all, for the developer it is necessary to know the architecture of system. MVC (Model-view-controller, "Model-representation-behavior", "Model- representation-controller") - architecture of the software in which model of data of the appendix, the user interface and operating logic are divided into three separate components, so, the updating of one of the components has the minimum impact on other components [2].

The predominating role in this trio is called - "model". From this model depend both "behavior", and "representation". Model accepts inquiries (usually from "controller") and provides data for "representation".

The second of the importance is the controller. It interprets the data arriving from the user, and informs model and representation from need of reaction.

The third component is representation. Its fundamental obligation is information display. By means of this component the user interface is formed.

In Bitrix Framework each of these components has the name (fig. 1). The model is API, a system kernel. Representation is templates. The controller is a component.

Fig. 1. Architecture of MVC for Bitrix Framework

If to address to the file structure of Bitrix Framework, it is possible to see that each of all web-sites has a lot of identical catalogs. At every web-site which was developed with the help of Bitrix Framework in a root there is bitrix and upload catalog. The second catalog is intended for storage of files to which the database refers. This directory should be always protected from the start in it any sort of scripts, otherwise safety of this web-site can be broken. What concerns the first directory, it includes: the complete list of modules (models of data and API for access to these data), components (contains the controller and representation for use in the public section), templates (representation versions), and also the administrators sections, a directory with a cache of pages, files for management of events, javascript libraries and many other things.

First of all it is necessary to pay attention to the three main folders: modules, components and templates.

The first directory contains modules. Some tens modules of system contain a set of the functions, allowing to realize some global task, for example, Internet shop work.

The second directory contains a set of components of system. By the way, the quantity of available components and modules depends on system edition. The component structure as it was told earlier, includes representation and the controller.

The third directory contains templates of a site and components. The interface of an administrators part gives control opportunity for everyone of the directories of a web-site of own representation. At the first level of the templates folder are situated directories of templates of a web-site settle down. Each such template is consists of: the file of a cap (header.php), the file of a cellar (footer.php), the folder with language files of a template, templates of the components used in this template a web-site, and also files of styles, javascript libraries and included areas.

Now, when it became a little clear what structure Bitrix Framework has, it is necessary to understand how every page of web-site develop. For example, index.php file which is situated in the root. If we will open this page, it will be possible to see the following structure:

1) header.php connection;

2) Working area (connection of the components, included areas, html and a php-code);

3) footer.php connection.

It is simple to guess, why such structure is used. At the appeal to this page, information on its belonging to any template of a site is requested. After getting of the identifier of a template, it is searching in templates directory. What concerns connection of components, it is initially searching a component template in a web-site template if there isn't found, it is searching in templates of a directory of components if there also there is no template with the demanded identifier, the mistake which doesn't influence further loading of page stands out.

If the architecture a Framework and process of formation of page of a web-site is clear, it is possible to go to the data storage structure of this platform. In Bitrix Framework data are stored in information blocks. It is the next level of abstraction over the DBMS usual tables. Depending on the scope of application expected loading, productivity and other factors, Bitrix Framework can use either MySQL, or Oracle. The second DBMS is used seldom or never, generally on very big projects. The first DBMS, as well as in other systems constructed on the basis of PHP, is the most popular. Working with information blocks, the user won't notice a difference between using of this or that DBMS, at design the interface remains same.

One of conveniences is that information blocks allow to create hierarchical structure. If to present this structure in the form of a pyramid, at its top there is a type of information block (this generalization of the highest level). Settle down information block which can be much at each type below. Each information block allows to create unlimited number of sections, and, the enclosure of sections can be also unlimited. And in sections there can be an unlimited quantity of elements.

The greatest interest represents the information block – the block of homogeneous information. It contains some set of attributes (base fields and properties). Each property has type and a set of describing parameters.

Element of the information block it is direct information stored in information block. It can be news, the goods or any other object possessing properties, set in settings of the information block.

Addition, editing, removal, data acquisition – all these functions are applicable to an element of the information block посредствoм the API functions. For example, it is necessary to apply the GetList function to the organization of a sample of a quantity of elements. Let's disassemble this function on an example:

CModule::IncludeModule(‘iblock’);

$rsItem = CIBlockElement::GetList($arOrder, $arFilter, false, false, $arSelect);

while($arItem = $rsItem->GetNext())

{

echo ‘Object with id = ’.$arItem[‘ID’].’ And name ’.$arItem[‘NAME’];

}

In this example in the first line the module of information blocks is connected. CI Block Element is the class which is responsible for work with elements of the information block. $rsItem – result of a sample, an object type variable. In the array of $arOrder sorting of chosen elements is set. In the array of $arFilter parameters of a filtration of a sample are set. The following two parameters (by default, false) are responsible for parameters of paginal navigation and group. In the array of $arSelect fields and properties which it is necessary to choose are set. Next line to means of the operator of while there is a consecutive conclusion of values of elements. The GetNext method () is used for transformation of object of $rsItem to $arItem array.

On the base of above stated it is possible to make a conclusion that Bitrix Framework use for development of web-sites allows to simplify work of the programmer on design of data structure, web-site structures, to increase the time productivity of development, to leave from frequent use of repeating web-sites of the program, in short terms to adjust a caching. And in a tandem with the interface of an administrator part, this platform will allow to realize many functions of a web-site without existence of the programming skills. As to service, the company 1C-Bitrix renders services of technical support. Against a set of pluses there are also disadvantages. It is unequivocally inevitable redundancy of a code of system, as a result of universality and multifunctionality of system, and certainly the cost.

References:

1. The course «Developer Bitrix Framework» [Electronic resource]:

Access mode: http://dev.1c-bitrix.ru/docs/pdf_files/dev_full.pdf

2. «Model–view–controller» [Electronic resource]:

Access mode: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model%E2%80%93view%E2%80%93controller