Summary

In the previous chapters, we were building fundamental services that are useful in a CMS. In this chapter, we have thought about a uniform architecture for adding the functionality that is actually visible to the user. That visibility is primarily provided by modules creating output within screen areas. Those screen areas are constructed by a template, which has overall control over as many aspects of the visible style of the site as can possibly be achieved.

Less immediately visible but potentially much larger than either modules or templates, components provide specific functionality to deliver the objectives of the website. Operating beneath the surface but often having an effect on the visible results, plugins are usually small units of code that give added flexibility. Integrated applications include a component with the addition of modules and plugins as part of the same code bundle.

All of the mechanisms are designed to conform to modern design standards that separate styling...