NAME

Catalyst::Manual::Tutorial - Catalyst Tutorial: Overview

DESCRIPTION

The Catalyst framework is a flexible and comprehensive environment for quickly building high-functionality web applications. This tutorial is designed to provide a rapid introduction to its basics and its most commonly used features while focusing on real-world best practices.

The tutorial is divided into the following sections:

• Introduction
• Catalyst Basics
• Basic CRUD
• Authentication
• Authorization
• Testing
• Advanced CRUD
• Appendices

A tarball of the final application is available at to_be_compled_in_final_version.

Detailed Table Of Contents

Part 1: Introduction

• VERSIONS AND CONVENTIONS USED IN THIS TUTORIAL
• CATALYST INSTALLATION
• DATABASES
• WHERE TO GET WORKING CODE

Part 2: Catalyst Application Development Basics

• CREATE A CATALYST PROJECT
• CREATE A SQLITE DATABASE
• EDIT THE LIST OF CATALYST PLUGINS
• DATABASE ACCESS WITH DBIx::Class
• Create a DBIC Schema File
• Create the DBIC ``Result Source'' Files
• Use Catalyst::Model::DBIC::Schema to Load the Model Class

      =item *

  CREATE A CATALYST CONTROLLER

• CATALYST VIEWS
  • Create a Catalyst View Using TTSite
  • Globally Customize Every View
  • Create a TT Template Page
• RUN THE APPLICATION

Part 3: Basic CRUD

• FORMLESS SUBMISSION
  • Include a Create Action in the Books Controller
  • Include a Template for the url_create Action:
  • Try the url_create Feature
• MANUALLY BUILDING A CREATE FORM
  • Add a Method to Display the Form
  • Add a Template for the Form
  • Add Method to Process Form Values and Update Database
  • Test Out the Form
• A SIMPLE DELETE FEATURE
  • Include a Delete Link in the List
  • Add a Delete Action to the Controller
  • Try the Delete Feature

Part 4: Authentication

• BASIC AUTHENTICATION
  • Add Users and Roles to the Database
  • Add User and Role Information to DBIC Schema
  • Create New ``Result Source Objects''
  • Sanity-Check Reload of Development Server
  • Include Authentication and Session Plugins
  • Configure Authentication
  • Add Login and Logout Controllers
  • Add a Login Form TT Template Page
  • Add Valid User Check
  • Displaying Content Only to Authenticated Users
  • Try Out Authentication
• USING PASSWORD HASHES
  • Get a SHA-1 Hash for the Password
  • Switch to SHA-1 Password Hashes in the Database
  • Enable SHA-1 Hash Passwords in Catalyst::Plugin::Authentication::Store::DBIC
  • Try Out the Hashed Passwords

Part 5: Authorization

• BASIC AUTHORIZATION
  • Update Plugins to Include Support for Authorization
  • Add Config Information for Authorization
  • Add Role-Specific Logic to the ``Book List'' Template
  • Limit Books::add to admin Users
  • Try Out Authentication And Authorization
• ENABLE ACL-BASED AUTHORIZATION
  • Add the Catalyst::Plugin::Authorization::ACL Plugin
  • Add ACL Rules to the Application Class
  • Add a Method to Handle Access Violations

Part 6: Debugging

• LOG STATEMENTS
• RUNNING CATALYST UNDER THE PERL DEBUGGER

Part 7: Testing

• RUNNING THE "CANNED" CATALYST TESTS
• RUNNING A SINGLE TEST
• ADDING YOUR OWN TEST SCRIPT
• SUPPORTING BOTH PRODUCTION AND TEST DATABASES

Part 8: Advanced CRUD

• HTML::WIDGET FORM CREATION
  • Add the HTML::Widget Plugin
  • Add a Form Creation Helper Method
  • Add Actions to Display and Save the Form
  • Update the CSS
  • Create a Template Page To Display The Form
  • Add Links for Create and Update via HTML::Widget
  • Test The <HTML::Widget> Create Form
• HTML::WIDGET VALIDATION AND FILTERING
  • Add Constraints and Filters to the Widget Creation Method
  • Rebuild the Form Submission Method to Include Validation
  • Try Out the Form
• Enable DBIx::Class::HTMLWidget Support
  • Add DBIx::Class::HTMLWidget to DBIC Model
  • Use populate_from_widget in hw_create_do

Part 9: Appendices

• APPENDIX 1: CUT AND PASTE FOR POD-BASED EXAMPLES
  • "Un-indenting" with Vi/Vim
  • "Un-indenting" with Emacs
• APPENDIX 2: USING MYSQL AND POSTGRESQL
  • MySQL
  • PostgreSQL