Controllers

Inject data into a view at render time.

A controller is a PHP file that runs just before a view renders. It receives $app, $page and the context merged so far, and returns an array that is merged into the template's variables. Use one for data every page of a view needs: related pages, navigation, computed values.

Controllers are view-scoped and run only while a page renders. Route handlers and guards fetch their own data.

Location

Colocated with the view's template and router. Optional.

site/views/{view}/controller.php
phlat/views/{view}/controller.php   ← framework-shipped views (e.g. admin)

Structure

Return a callable that returns an array:

<?php

use Phlat\App;
use Phlat\Page;

return function (App $app, Page $page, array $context): array {
    $posts = $app->page('blog')
        ->children('published=1, sort=-created');

    return compact('posts');
};

The keys become template variables:

{foreach $posts as $post}
    <a href="{$post->url()}">{$post->title}</a>
{/foreach}

Layers

Page::render() merges two layers, in order:

  1. The global controller, views/controller.php (view name app). It runs for every page.
  2. The page's own view controller.

The view controller receives the global result as $context, and its own keys win on collision. Nothing else merges automatically. To use another view's data, call $page->controller('otherView', $context).

Phlat ships no global controller. A site defines whatever its layouts need.

Fields