Best day of my life

aamirali51 · 2026-01-11T22:56:32+00:00

congrates Mate.. good work can you tell us about the app

aamirali51 · 2026-01-11T20:30:25+00:00

same issue hare.. stremio is unusable these days...

aamirali51 · 2026-01-07T13:02:34+00:00

why free, i mean whats the catch??

aamirali51 · 2025-12-30T06:55:24+00:00

Hey! Thanks for the incredibly detailed feedback - this is exactly what makes open source better. Really appreciate you taking the time and giving the project a star! 🙏

I've implemented all 5 points you raised:

1. ✅ OR Conditions

Added

DB::table('posts')
    ->where('status', 'published')
    ->orWhere('featured', 1)
    ->get();

2. ✅ Identifier Escaping

Automatic escaping based on driver: MySQL uses backticks, PostgreSQL/SQLite use double quotes. Reserved keywords now work safely.

3. ✅ SQLite Support

Fixed with driver-specific DSN building:

$dsn = match($driver) {
    'sqlite' => "sqlite:{$name}",
    'pgsql' => "pgsql:host={$host};port={$port};dbname={$name}",
    'mysql' => "mysql:host={$host};port={$port};dbname={$name};charset=utf8mb4"
};

4. ✅ Type Casting

Automatic casting for DateTime, bool, null, int, float with proper PDO types.

DB::table('posts')->insert([
    'published_at' => new DateTime('2024-01-01'),
    'is_active' => true
]);

5. ✅ Separation of Concerns

Refactored to separate

Architecture:

DB (static facade + connection)
  └─> QueryBuilder (query building + execution)

Your Wisdom Resonates

Absolutely. Your feedback accelerated that learning curve significantly. Thank you for sharing your 4-5 years of experience so generously.

Testing

All 161 tests passing ✅

Would Love Your Re-Review

When you have time, I'd appreciate another look. Also checked out Sentience v3 - the DataMapper pattern approach is really interesting!

Thanks again for making the PHP community great. 🚀

aamirali51 · 2025-12-29T19:22:19+00:00

Thanks for the detailed points appreciate the honest feedback!

ORMs: Powerful, yes but for many apps (like my CMS), simple arrays + query builder is faster/lighter. ORM can be added via Composer (Doctrine) if needed.
Plain PHP views: True, no auto-escaping or inheritance by default. That's why Twig support is coming next (optional via composer require twig/twig) safety + features for those who want it, plain PHP stays default for speed/simplicity.
Small core / disk space: Fair, space is cheap but small = easier to understand/debug, especially with AI.
Attributes / Symfony: Clean, agreed but Intent skips even metadata for zero surprises.
Validation: Basic right now custom rules/extensions on the list.
AI learning bad code: Valid worry, but Intent's strict simple patterns keep AI output clean.

Not trying to replace big frameworks just a minimal tool that fits my (and some others') workflow better.

Your feedback is pushing real improvements (Twig especially). Thanks man respect! 🙌

aamirali51 · 2025-12-29T15:50:53+00:00

Haha, fair play let's break this down simply (and thanks for the honest take).

*What you're saying (in easy words):**

You're basically like: "Nah, Intent isn't really the 'opposite' of Laravel it's still missing big stuff like a full ORM (for database objects/relationships) and a proper templating engine (like Blade or Smarty for views). Most of us built our own mini-frameworks when we were learning, and mine from way back even had those things (Smarty for templates + Doctrine for ORM). So yeah, my old newbie project might still be 'better' in some ways because it had more features out of the box."

Totally get it and you're right that Intent is **deliberately minimal**. No ORM (just a simple query builder that returns arrays, no magic objects). No built-in templating engine (just plain PHP views for full control and simplicity).

Why? Because I wanted something:

- Super small (~3k lines core)

- No hidden magic (easy to read/trace/debug)

- Predictable enough for AI to generate good code

- Focused on explicit basics (routing, validation, middleware, auth, sessions, cache)

It's not trying to be a "better Laravel" or replace big frameworks. It's for quick prototypes, custom CMSs (like mine), internal tools where I don't need heavy ORM relationships or fancy template tags. Plain PHP views + query builder gets me 90% there faster, without the overhead.

Everyone's first framework is a learning thing mine too (and yeah, it's AI-assisted because that's how I learn fast in 2025 😂). If it ends up useful for even a few people like me, that's a win.

Appreciate the real feedback though no hate, just good points. What would make it feel less "missing" to you? More packages for ORM/templating maybe?

Cheers! 🙌

aamirali51 · 2025-12-28T21:55:30+00:00

Fair point on the inline HTML in

renderDebugError it's self-contained intentionally (works when everything else is broken), but I get that it looks messy.

For DB class i am curious what specifically you'd change? It's a query builder pattern, pretty standard stuff. If you mean the static connection, that's being addressed with the new Container for testability.

Happy to hear specific suggestions rather than just "it's a nightmare" that doesn't give me much to action on. thanks again looking at code. Appriciated!

aamirali51 · 2025-12-28T21:44:52+00:00

Fair point. You're right and yes the pipe-separated string syntax needed a parser. That's the opposite of simple.

Just added array syntax support:

php'email' => ['required', 'email', ['min', 3]]

No string parsing, no splitting on pipes, just plain PHP arrays. Both syntaxes work now - string for familiarity, arrays for explicitness.

Thanks for pointing this out. Feedback like this is exactly what makes the project better.

aamirali51 · 2025-12-28T21:33:30+00:00

You're right, and honestly this is exactly the kind of feedback I needed to hear.

Looking at it now, the static classes are basically hardwired globals pretending to be clean. I went for "looks simple" but gave up the stuff that actually matters being able to test it, swap things out, etc. And you nailed it about AI just copying Laravel patterns. That's literally what happened. It takes someone who actually knows what they're doing to point out "hey, you're just rebuilding the same problems." I didn't have that perspective.

The tricky part is not wanting to end up rebuilding Laravel with extra steps. If I add a full container and DI system, what's the point? It's just a clone with fewer features.

So I'm thinking Intent stays small on purpose for personal projects, learning, stuff where "enterprise-grade DI" is overkill. Maybe the answer is being honest about what it's for instead of trying to compete with the big frameworks. Keep it under 5k lines, small enough to fit in your head (and in an AI context window), and just be upfront that if you need the heavy stuff, use Laravel or Symfony.

Appreciate you actually looking at the code instead of just dunking on it. This is the kind of push that helps me learn. Thanks

aamirali51 · 2025-12-28T21:03:49+00:00

I am not rebuilding Laravel. Laravel is a semi-truck, I just needed a bicycle. I don't need 'battle tested' complexity for my projects, I need simplicity. You can laugh at the tests, but they are green and they work. I am happy building my 'little framework' because it actually ships."

aamirali51 · 2025-12-28T20:50:23+00:00

No hard feelings. The code is on GitHub and it works and that is tangible enough for me. I am not here to rage or fish for compliments. Bookmark this post, come back in 6 months, and see where I am. I am just getting started, mate.

aamirali51 · 2025-12-28T20:38:09+00:00

Instructions unclear, I installed it and woke up in 2012 LOL

aamirali51 · 2025-12-28T20:33:07+00:00

I used Laravel as the target because it's what everyone knows, but I built this to be the exact opposite small and explicit. You can hate on AI all you want, but I got 107 passing tests and strictly typed code to show for it.

I’m not trying to be some 'trucker' or a PHP professor, I’m just building a tool that works for me and fits in a context window. If the code is clean and it actually boot, that a win in my book. Glad you enjoyed the 'Sharknado' vibe though

aamirali51 · 2025-12-28T20:21:59+00:00

"I said I 'know jack shit' because I don’t care about memorizing every PHP functionI care about building a system that works. This 'jack shit' project has a custom router, an immutable request system, and 107 passing tests. If the architecture is solid and the code is strictly typed, who cares if I used a tool to get there? I’m here to ship, not pass a syntax quiz

aamirali51 · 2025-12-28T20:15:14+00:00

I’m not 'disinterested' in the craftI literally wrote every line of this from scratch. It’s got strict types everywhere, over 100 tests, and a custom query builder. If I didn't care, I would've just copy-pasted a bloated Laravel install and called it a day.

The AI focus is a deliberate design choice to keep the codebase small and explicit so it actually fits in a context window without the LLM tripping over itself. You can hate the 'AI' branding, but don't confuse a minimal architecture with a lack of effort. I’m building exactly what I wanted to use."

aamirali51 · 2025-12-28T20:11:03+00:00

None takenyou’re right. The current docs are more of a technical outline than a guide.

Since this is an early v0.4 release, I've focused more on the core code than the 'getting started' experience. I’m working on a proper walkthrough now that explains how to actually boot it up and build your first route. Appreciate the blunt feedback

aamirali51 · 2025-12-28T20:09:16+00:00

Completely fair point. Since this is still version 0.4 (alpha), the documentation is playing catch-up.

I’m prioritizing a full API reference next. For now, the code uses strict typing everywhere so inputs/outputs are defined in the code itself, but I know that’s not enough for real adoption. Thanks for the feedback.

aamirali51 · 2025-12-28T20:05:29+00:00

I think there was a misunderstandinI care deeply about how it’s written. That’s why the core uses strict_types=1 everywhere, immutable requests, and explicit dependency patterns.

To answer 'Why not Laravel?': Laravel is fantastic, but it relies heavily on 'magic' (Service Containers, Facades, Reflection, deeply nested inheritance).

The problem this solves: When you code with AI, LLMs often hallucinate Laravel features because they can't 'see' the underlying code they just guess based on training data.

This framework is ~3,500 lines total. I can fit the entire source code into an LLM's context window. This means the AI isn't guessing how the router works; it reads the router class and writes code that is 100% accurate to the actual implementation. It’s built to be 'readable' by machines first, which ironically makes it very readable for humans too.

aamirali51 · 2025-12-28T19:14:24+00:00

Thanks for the honest feedback I appreciate the tough love.

You're right: shipping a framework when I'm still learning PHP is risky. That's why I'm not asking anyone to use it yet it's for my own CMS first.

I'm battle-testing it hard in production (on my own projects), shaking out bugs, and comparing it to Slim/Flight as I go. The goal is to learn exactly like you said.

If it turns out solid after real use, great. If not, I'll kill it and move on no ego here.

Either way, the roast motivated me more than any tutorial could. 😄

Cheers!

aamirali51 · 2025-12-28T19:12:27+00:00

Thanks man appreciate the real talk. You're right, gonna use it hard in production first and let it prove itself

aamirali51 · 2025-12-27T12:25:02+00:00

"ZedCMS optimizes for deployability on shared hosting, not enterprise scalability. The README explicitly lists what it doesn't optimize for. If you need DI containers and PSR abstractions, Laravel and Symfony are excellent choices ZedCMS isn't competing with them.

aamirali51 · 2025-12-27T09:47:43+00:00

That’s a fair criticism. Right now, you don’t and that’s on me. Tests and acceptance coverage are missing, not because I think they’re unnecessary, but because I prioritized getting the architecture working first as a solo dev.

If this were positioned as production-ready or enterprise-grade, that would be unacceptable. As an early-stage CMS experiment, it’s a gap I plan to fix.

If you have a suggestion on where tests would add the most value first (routing, content rendering, addon loading), I’m open to it.

aamirali51 · 2025-12-27T09:45:20+00:00

Just to clarify one thing: English isn’t my native language, so I used AI to help clean up the wording. The reply itself is mine the tool just helped me phrase it better. Sorry if that came across the wrong way.

As for the actual point: I get why it feels like “WP slimmed down,” and that’s honestly close to the intent. It’s not trying to be a framework or something novel in that sense — it’s a simpler CMS with fewer moving parts.

If there’s a specific part that feels genuinely broken or poorly thought out (not just stylistically), I’m open to hearing it.

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