Comments on: Learning Zend Framework: A Case Study http://www.brandonsavage.net/learning-zend-framework-a-case-study/ The personal blog of Brandon Savage. Contains entries of a personal and professional nature focusing on PHP, Apple, LAMP, MySQL and Washington, DC. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:36:33 -0500 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Kahlil N http://www.brandonsavage.net/learning-zend-framework-a-case-study/#comment-3251 Kahlil N Sun, 11 Apr 2010 12:08:16 +0000 http://www.brandonsavage.net/?p=1192#comment-3251 Great post! I can relate to most of what you're saying. I need to learn and stick with a Framework. I've tried Cake, Symphony, CodeIgniter, Smarty, Drupal and a few others. I start them and then get frustrated because I discover another Framework or I don't feel that it's flexible and I fear that I won't be able to do exactly what I want to, the way I want to. Part of that is my lack of understanding, it's very annoying. I'm at the early stages of learning Zend and I'm taking your advice, "Embrace it"! Thanks. Great post! I can relate to most of what you’re saying.

I need to learn and stick with a Framework. I’ve tried Cake, Symphony, CodeIgniter, Smarty, Drupal and a few others. I start them and then get frustrated because I discover another Framework or I don’t feel that it’s flexible and I fear that I won’t be able to do exactly what I want to, the way I want to. Part of that is my lack of understanding, it’s very annoying.

I’m at the early stages of learning Zend and I’m taking your advice, “Embrace it”! Thanks.

]]> By: James S http://www.brandonsavage.net/learning-zend-framework-a-case-study/#comment-3074 James S Thu, 25 Mar 2010 18:06:16 +0000 http://www.brandonsavage.net/?p=1192#comment-3074 I've been working with ZF for about a year now, and this article is absolutely true. Once you really get into learning it, it can make life a lot easier. My first big web application—listy.us—is based on ZF, and it's been a pleasure to work with, once I got a good handle on it. One thing about ZF is that once you really get into it, you come up with interesting uses for it. I repurposed Zend_View & Zend_Layout to render text & html templates for sending out automated emails. Another thing is you can't be too eager to adopt new changes: Zend_Markup is new to ZF 1.10 and looked great, but it froze up once I got it to production servers. Thus followed a day of "AHHHH!" and finding an alternate solution. I’ve been working with ZF for about a year now, and this article is absolutely true. Once you really get into learning it, it can make life a lot easier. My first big web application—listy.us—is based on ZF, and it’s been a pleasure to work with, once I got a good handle on it.

One thing about ZF is that once you really get into it, you come up with interesting uses for it. I repurposed Zend_View & Zend_Layout to render text & html templates for sending out automated emails.

Another thing is you can’t be too eager to adopt new changes: Zend_Markup is new to ZF 1.10 and looked great, but it froze up once I got it to production servers. Thus followed a day of “AHHHH!” and finding an alternate solution.

]]> By: Brandon Savage http://www.brandonsavage.net/learning-zend-framework-a-case-study/#comment-3056 Brandon Savage Mon, 22 Mar 2010 11:25:31 +0000 http://www.brandonsavage.net/?p=1192#comment-3056 Leonard, I've certainly had my share of struggles. Zend Framework isn't easy, because it's fairly extensive. It has some components that are similarly purposed or would seem to do one thing and do another (Zend_Auth and Zend_Acl, or Zend_Translate and Zend_Locale, for example). That said, I know that the team I'm working with is slowly learning and that's been without the resources I mentioned, so I know it's possible. Leonard, I’ve certainly had my share of struggles. Zend Framework isn’t easy, because it’s fairly extensive. It has some components that are similarly purposed or would seem to do one thing and do another (Zend_Auth and Zend_Acl, or Zend_Translate and Zend_Locale, for example). That said, I know that the team I’m working with is slowly learning and that’s been without the resources I mentioned, so I know it’s possible.

]]> By: Leonard Dronkers http://www.brandonsavage.net/learning-zend-framework-a-case-study/#comment-3055 Leonard Dronkers Mon, 22 Mar 2010 06:44:11 +0000 http://www.brandonsavage.net/?p=1192#comment-3055 Hi, I agree that one must learn a framework inside-out before introducing other/additional code to it. I have seen a few developers that haven't made the effort and are writing work-arounds for things that already exist. But, leaning the Zend Framework is hard. The reference guide is not the best resource because it doesn't look at the big picture. I mean, a lot of people are having a hard time putting it all together. Besides the access to great resources (people you mentioned) have you had any trouble putting it all together? Hi,

I agree that one must learn a framework inside-out before introducing other/additional code to it. I have seen a few developers that haven’t made the effort and are writing work-arounds for things that already exist. But, leaning the Zend Framework is hard. The reference guide is not the best resource because it doesn’t look at the big picture. I mean, a lot of people are having a hard time putting it all together.

Besides the access to great resources (people you mentioned) have you had any trouble putting it all together?

]]> By: Edd Twilbeck http://www.brandonsavage.net/learning-zend-framework-a-case-study/#comment-3045 Edd Twilbeck Thu, 18 Mar 2010 20:17:39 +0000 http://www.brandonsavage.net/?p=1192#comment-3045 Great article, Brandon! You really hit on some key elements for dealing with frameworks, and your advice is solid for anyone approaching this aspect of development. Have to say I had a very similar "initiation" into the world of Zend! Great article, Brandon! You really hit on some key elements for dealing with frameworks, and your advice is solid for anyone approaching this aspect of development. Have to say I had a very similar “initiation” into the world of Zend!

]]> By: Brandon Savage http://www.brandonsavage.net/learning-zend-framework-a-case-study/#comment-3043 Brandon Savage Thu, 18 Mar 2010 16:15:14 +0000 http://www.brandonsavage.net/?p=1192#comment-3043 Jake, I'm liable to get into forms soon. I've been poking around them and I want to get into them because I know I'll need them. Jake, I’m liable to get into forms soon. I’ve been poking around them and I want to get into them because I know I’ll need them.

]]> By: Jake Smith http://www.brandonsavage.net/learning-zend-framework-a-case-study/#comment-3042 Jake Smith Thu, 18 Mar 2010 16:13:57 +0000 http://www.brandonsavage.net/?p=1192#comment-3042 Brandon, I just released my first "real" project with ZF. I can tell you certain aspects were very irritating, but it is simply growing pains with the framework. Have you dealt with "Form Decorators" yet? If not, I would definitely jump into it....the configuration can get very complex. Brandon, I just released my first “real” project with ZF. I can tell you certain aspects were very irritating, but it is simply growing pains with the framework.

Have you dealt with “Form Decorators” yet? If not, I would definitely jump into it….the configuration can get very complex.

]]> By: Maarten http://www.brandonsavage.net/learning-zend-framework-a-case-study/#comment-3038 Maarten Thu, 18 Mar 2010 10:30:14 +0000 http://www.brandonsavage.net/?p=1192#comment-3038 nice read, am learning ZF myself and had the same experiences. The hard thing with ZF imho is that are alot of conflicting tutorials on how to handle certain tasks, partially because its evolving in a fast pace, partially because its looser coupling of components. nice read, am learning ZF myself and had the same experiences. The hard thing with ZF imho is that are alot of conflicting tutorials on how to handle certain tasks, partially because its evolving in a fast pace, partially because its looser coupling of components.

]]> By: Aleks http://www.brandonsavage.net/learning-zend-framework-a-case-study/#comment-3036 Aleks Thu, 18 Mar 2010 08:30:08 +0000 http://www.brandonsavage.net/?p=1192#comment-3036 Love those kinds of blogposts! I feel the same way with frameworks, and ZF :) Love those kinds of blogposts!

I feel the same way with frameworks, and ZF :)

]]> By: Royston Olivera http://www.brandonsavage.net/learning-zend-framework-a-case-study/#comment-3033 Royston Olivera Thu, 18 Mar 2010 05:36:24 +0000 http://www.brandonsavage.net/?p=1192#comment-3033 Nice post! yes, little knowledge can be very dangerous especially if your using a framework for a big/complex project. The first few steps that you take when starting a project are bootstrapping and stubbing out the entire application. Having little framework knowledge at this point of time would lead to a lot of future re-work and a patchy implementation. -Royston Nice post!

yes, little knowledge can be very dangerous especially if your using a framework for a big/complex project.

The first few steps that you take when starting a project are bootstrapping and stubbing out the entire application. Having little framework knowledge at this point of time would lead to a lot of future re-work and a patchy implementation.

-Royston

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