Theme Developers

Firstdevlab is not an open source engine, yet, it is built with developers in mind. The only aspects of Firstdevlab open to developers are Theme sections. Firstdevlab themes are open source. Our Themes development made open allows you to have your desired UI/UX taste. As a developer who wishes to contribute to our idea, you can start from here — finding our default theme on github and deploying the same logic to arrive at yours or either, you could choose to extend any Firstdevlab theme functions you find around any corner of the internet. Developing a theme for Firstdevlab takes the use of our standard framework. If you're a developer who wants to be Firstdevlab themes contributor, you must understand our workflow as well as the code nature.

The nature of our codes is clean php procedural. We understand the fact that 98%, if not 100, of the php developers are most familiar with the procedural style. So, this look has helped to formulate the basis of our decision to target web developers without any limitation through the use of procedural method.


Our workflow imitates the MVC method. The MVC method is the modern way of application development especially for web. Firstdevlab engine takes the same approach. The Model-View-Controller (MVC) is an architectural pattern that separates an application into three main logical components: the model, the view, and the controller. Each of these components is built to handle specific development aspects of an application. MVC is one of the most frequently used industry-standard web development framework to create scalable and extensible projects.

Introduction:

Development of Firstdevlab theme could be time consuming if you are novice to providing what we need. Yet, if you follow the required prototype, the development is as faster as a chitter. As earlier mentioned in the pre-context that Firstdevlab theme is open source and intend to serve the purpose of allowing developers to contribute ideas as well as give chances to stores on Firstdevlab to come up with the UI/UX of their own choice. In this regard, to bring into availability a working theme you have chosen to develop for Firstdevlab, you must have good knowledge about our theme structure. For the benefit of propelling your idea on how we expect your theme structure to look like before it can have a perfect runtime on Firstdevlab, we have provided you a standard prototype (you can download this on github or Firstdevlab developers' library). As you're preparing to download, there are some certainties you have to get right.

Building your File System

1. Certain Prefix: For our engine to read your file system right, all your core folders must bear the prefix mk_(then whichever name pleases you). E.g, mk_Firstdevlab_theme

2. Certain Parent Directory: Our expection on every theme that hopes deployment on Firstdevlab must have a parent directory carrying our prefix. You'll find more understanding in the prototype.

3. Certain Functions: Apart from your theme function(s), we functions lean on our global functions for relevant and core data. For instance, if you need to call records of customers, we have provided you with buck functions to do that. You've a defined access to manipulation of primary data we permit you. We have all you need according to data presentation.

4. In some core cases, you might to send form data through your theme but your theme cannot process data. Processing of form data is reserved only for Firstdevlab plugin development. This is why we usually recommend every theme should come with also a plugin for achieving its primary purpose. For example, if you're developing a theme for utility or bills payment shop, you should also develop a suitable plugin alongside because not all plugins are develop to serve a generic purpose. When a default plugin is available for your theme, at your own will, you might decide to make open your plugin for other Firstdevlab developers to contribute in its extension. Then, to update your plugin, you may proceed to following the necessary steps required for updating a plugin on Firstdevlab.

5. Certain core points for Vendor Setup. Firstdevlab is an easy-savior engine. It's essence is channeled towards making solutions available to whoever needs internet visibility for their shops. As Firstdevlab Theme developer, this idea you must bear in mind while developing your theme. You're making a theme for not only you but for the benefit of others. While developing your theme, you must reference some constant setup which will allow other vendors to easily fashion presentable data to their own taste. Firstdevlab is a free world platform.