README

🪁 KitePHP

The Full Stack PHP Micro-Framework

Developer experience of Laravel. Speed of a React SPA. Zero heavy setup.

KitePHP is a minimalist, lightning-fast PHP micro-framework designed to blur the lines between Backend and Frontend. It comes with built-in TailwindCSS, smart database migrations, a secure query builder, and KiteJS—a zero-config Reactive SPA engine.

✨ Features

• KiteJS (Reactive SPA Engine): Fetch HTML via AJAX, update the DOM without reloads, and add Alpine-like reactivity instantly.
• Zero-Config Reactivity: Declare state in HTML with kite:data. PHP parses it as default variables, and JS auto-binds it. No setup required.
• Debounced Live Forms: Add kite:live.debounce.300ms to any form for instant live search without writing a single line of JS.
• Django-Style Models: Define your database schemas directly inside your Models.
• Auto Migrations: Run php kite migrate and the database structure automatically syncs with your code.
• Kite Templating Engine: A fast, secure engine similar to Laravel Blade, with @if, @foreach, and automatic <kite-var> reactivity wrappers.
• Secure Query Builder: Fluent PDO prepared statements and built-in Pagination (->paginate()).
• Built-in TailwindCSS: Designed to look beautiful out of the box.

📁 Directory Structure

kitephp/
├── app/          # Application Logic
│   └── controller/ # HTTP Controllers (e.g. HomeController.php)
├── core/         # The Framework Engine (Core logic)
├── database/     # SQLite DB & Config
│   └── models.php  # Define Models & Schemas here
├── helper/       # Global helper functions (route, view, db, etc)
├── public/       # Web Root (index.php, CSS, JS assets)
├── resource/     # Frontend Resources
│   └── view/       # Kite Templates (*.kite.php)
├── route/        # Web Routes
│   └── url.php     # Map URLs to Controllers
└── kite          # Command Line Interface Tool (CLI)

⚡ SPA & Reactive Engine (KiteJS)

KiteJS is what makes KitePHP special. It acts as both a Pjax-style SPA navigator and a lightweight AlpineJS-style reactive engine.

1. Instant Navigation & Forms

Convert any traditional web page into a Single Page Application instantly.

<!-- Instant Navigation (No full page reload) -->
<a href="/about" kite:navigate>About Us</a>

<!-- AJAX Form Submission -->
<form action="/login" method="POST" kite:submit>
    @csrf
    <input type="email" name="email">
    <button type="submit">Login</button>
</form>

2. Zero-Config Reactivity & Auto-Binding

Define your state using kite:data. KitePHP will extract this state into backend PHP variables automatically, and KiteJS will bind it on the frontend.

<div kite:data="{ count: 0, name: '', showDetails: false }">
    
    <!-- Auto-Bind Inputs: Matches name="name" with state.name -->
    <input type="text" name="name" placeholder="Type your name...">
    
    <!-- Auto-Updating Text: PHP auto-wraps this for KiteJS reactivity -->
    <h1>Hello, {{ $name }}</h1>

    <!-- Client-Side State Toggling -->
    <button kite:click="showDetails = !showDetails">Toggle Details</button>
    
    <!-- Conditional Frontend Rendering -->
    <div kite:show="showDetails">
        <p>This is hidden/shown instantly without asking the server!</p>
    </div>
</div>

3. Live Forms & Debouncing (HTMX style)

Want a live search bar? Add kite:live to any form. KiteJS will track your typing, maintain your cursor focus, and silently submit the form via AJAX when you stop typing.

<form action="/users" method="GET" kite:submit kite:live.debounce.500ms>
    <input type="text" name="search" placeholder="Live search users...">
</form>

🛣️ Routing & Controllers

Routes are simple and fast. They are defined in route/url.php.

get('/', 'HomeController@index')->name('home');
post('/users/save', 'UserController@save')->name('users.save');

Controllers handle requests via an injected Request object. Validation is Laravel-inspired and automatically redirects back with flashed errors if it fails.

namespace App\Controller;
use Kite\Core\Request;

class UserController {
    public function save(Request $request) {
        $validated = $request->validate([
            'name' => 'required|min:3|max:50',
            'email' => 'required|email|unique:users,email'
        ]);
        
        db('users')->insert($validated);
        session()->flash('success', 'User saved successfully!');
        
        return redirect(route('users.index'));
    }
}

🎨 Views (Kite Engine)

KitePHP uses .kite.php extensions. It provides clean syntax, layout extending, and CSRF protection.

@extends('layout')

@section('content')
    <h1>Dashboard</h1>
    
    @if($user->isAdmin)
        <p>Secure Admin Data</p>
    @endif
    
    <ul>
    @foreach($items as $item)
        <li>{{ $item }}</li>
    @endforeach
    </ul>

    <form method="POST">
        @csrf
        <input type="text" name="email" value="{{ old('email') }}">
        @error('email')
            <p class="error">{{ $message }}</p>
        @enderror
    </form>
@endsection

🪄 Models, Schemas & Query Builder

Unlike other frameworks, schemas are defined directly inside your models (database/models.php). No separate migration files to manage.

class User extends Model {
    public static function fields(): array {
        return [
            'name'     => Field::string(['max_length' => 255]),
            'email'    => Field::string(['max_length' => 255, 'unique' => true]),
            'password' => Field::string(['max_length' => 255]),
        ];
    }
}

Sync your database automatically:

php kite migrate

Use the secure Query Builder for complex logic:

// Active Record / ORM
$user = User::objects()->find(1);
$posts = $user->posts; // Dynamic relationships

// Fluent Query Builder
$users = db('users')->where('status', 'active')->orderBy('id', 'DESC')->get();

// Pagination built-in
$paginated = db('users')->paginate(10);

🛠️ Helper Functions

• view('name', $data) - Render a template
• route('name', ['id' => 1]) - Get a named URL
• redirect('/url') - Redirect user
• db('table') - Query builder instance
• session() - Session manager
• abort(404) - Throw HTTP error
• asset('file.js') - Load public asset
• csrf_token() - Get CSRF token value