PHP Classes

File: docs/routing/HELPERS_CLASS_USAGE.md

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File: docs/routing/HELPERS_CLASS_USAGE.md
Role: Example script
Content type: text/markdown
Description: Example script
Class: upMVC
Pure PHP web development without other frameworks
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Last change: Update of docs/routing/HELPERS_CLASS_USAGE.md
Date: 4 months ago
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Contents

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Helpers Class Usage Guide

Overview

The Helpers class provides convenient static methods for common tasks in upMVC. It follows the "Pure PHP First" philosophy with clean OOP design.

Initialization

The Helpers class is automatically loaded via PSR-4 autoloader and initialized in Start.php:

// In Start.php upMVC()
Helpers::setRouter($router);

No manual include needed! The upMVC\ namespace is mapped to etc/ folder in composer.json, so PHP autoloader handles it automatically.

Usage Examples

Routing & URLs

use upMVC\Helpers;

// Generate URL from named route
$url = Helpers::route('user.show', ['id' => 123]);
// Returns: /users/123

// Generate full URL with BASE_URL
$fullUrl = Helpers::url('/api/products');
// Returns: http://localhost/upMVC/api/products

// Generate asset URL
$cssUrl = Helpers::asset('css/style.css');
// Returns: http://localhost/upMVC/css/style.css

// Redirect to URL or named route
Helpers::redirect('/dashboard');
Helpers::redirect('user.show', ['id' => 123]);
Helpers::redirect('user.show', ['id' => 123], 301); // Permanent redirect

Forms & Security

// Get CSRF token
$token = Helpers::csrfToken();

// Generate CSRF field for forms
echo Helpers::csrfField();
// Outputs: <input type="hidden" name="csrf_token" value="...">

// Get old input (form repopulation after validation error)
<input name="email" value="<?= Helpers::old('email') ?>">

Session & Request

// Get session value
$userId = Helpers::session('user_id');
$userName = Helpers::session('user_name', 'Guest'); // With default

// Get all session data
$allSession = Helpers::session();

// Get request input
$email = Helpers::request('email');
$search = Helpers::request('search', ''); // With default

// Get all request data
$allInput = Helpers::request();

Configuration & Environment

// Get environment variable
$debug = Helpers::env('APP_DEBUG', false);
$apiKey = Helpers::env('API_KEY');

// Get configuration value
$dbHost = Helpers::config('database.host', 'localhost');
$appName = Helpers::config('app.name');

Views & Responses

// Render a view
Helpers::view('users/index', ['users' => $users]);

// Return JSON response
Helpers::json(['success' => true, 'data' => $users]);
Helpers::json(['error' => 'Not found'], 404);

// Abort with HTTP status
Helpers::abort(404, 'Page not found');
Helpers::abort(403, 'Unauthorized');

Debugging

// Dump and die
Helpers::dd($user, $posts, $comments);

In Controllers

namespace YourModule;

use upMVC\Helpers;

class Controller
{
    public function show($route, $method)
    {
        $id = Helpers::request('id');
        
        if (!$id) {
            Helpers::abort(400, 'ID required');
        }
        
        $user = $this->model->find($id);
        
        if (!$user) {
            Helpers::abort(404, 'User not found');
        }
        
        Helpers::view('users/show', ['user' => $user]);
    }
    
    public function store($route, $method)
    {
        $data = Helpers::request();
        
        $user = $this->model->create($data);
        
        Helpers::redirect('user.show', ['id' => $user->id]);
    }
    
    public function api($route, $method)
    {
        $users = $this->model->all();
        
        Helpers::json([
            'success' => true,
            'data' => $users
        ]);
    }
}

In Views

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="<?= \upMVC\Helpers::asset('css/style.css') ?>">
</head>
<body>
    <form method="POST" action="<?= \upMVC\Helpers::route('user.update', ['id' => $user->id]) ?>">
        <?= \upMVC\Helpers::csrfField() ?>
        
        <input type="text" name="name" value="<?= \upMVC\Helpers::old('name', $user->name) ?>">
        
        <button type="submit">Update</button>
    </form>
</body>
</html>

Benefits of OOP Approach

  1. Namespace Isolation: No global function pollution
  2. Type Safety: IDE autocomplete and type hints
  3. Testability: Easy to mock in unit tests
  4. Extensibility: Can be extended or overridden
  5. Pure PHP: No magic, just clean OOP

Migration from Procedural Functions

If you had procedural helper functions, simply add Helpers:: prefix:

// Old (procedural)
route('user.show', ['id' => 123]);
redirect('/dashboard');
csrf_field();

// New (OOP)
Helpers::route('user.show', ['id' => 123]);
Helpers::redirect('/dashboard');
Helpers::csrfField();

Or use use statement for cleaner code:

use upMVC\Helpers as H;

H::route('user.show', ['id' => 123]);
H::redirect('/dashboard');
H::csrfField();