4+ year Java developer wanting to create xenforo addons! Help!

[Andrew]

hi everyone,

I have been programming with Java and c++ for 4 years and I have almost 4 years of SQL experience. I understand advanced topics such as multi threading, design patterns, queries, api creation, etc. However I have only done very little php work. The last website I made with php was www.entrebtc.com. I'm thinking of making a retro game website that does very in depth information on games and would like to create a database application to run it. I see xenforo as a way to cut out 95% of the programming.

Are (well coded) xenforo addons capable of running large scale database mods?
Any advice for someone new to xen programming? (I understand mvc design pattern)
Any recommended tutorials or addons that I can dissect for learning purposes?

Thanks a ton!

 

[rainmotorsports]

The main thing PHP programmers who have never done forums seem to choke on is the concept that you are delivering variables to templates and the templates are rendered separately. It was a bit harder in vB but in Xenforo you can literally perform loops in the template. So instead of outputting a for each html result in code we push the variable to the template and when the template renders your loop can be there instead. So much easier. Once they figure that out they should be fine. I think Java will still do this to you but maybe not. Beginners in PHP are probably used to having the PHP code directly return HTML results and thats not how its done in forums and other frameworks like them.

 

[thedude]

The main thing PHP programmers who have never done forums seem to choke on is the concept that you are delivering variables to templates and the templates are rendered separately. It was a bit harder in vB but in Xenforo you can literally perform loops in the template. So instead of outputting a for each html result in code we push the variable to the template and when the template renders your loop can be there instead. So much easier. Once they figure that out they should be fine. I think Java will still do this to you but maybe not. Beginners in PHP are probably used to having the PHP code directly return HTML results and thats not how its done in forums and other frameworks like them.

Exactly what he said. Download a few different add-ons from here and dissect their code...you'll pick it up fast.