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name coldbox-module-development
description Use this skill when creating reusable ColdBox modules, writing ModuleConfig.cfc, defining module-specific routes, models, settings, and interceptors, packaging modules for ForgeBox, or building internal application sub-systems as modules.

Module Development

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when creating ColdBox modules — reusable, self-contained sub-applications with their own routes, handlers, services, and configuration.

Language Mode Reference

Examples use BoxLang (.bx) syntax by default. Adapt for your target language:

Concept BoxLang (.bx) CFML (.cfc)
Class declaration class [extends="..."] { component [extends="..."] {
DI annotation @inject above property name="svc"; property name="svc" inject="svc";
View templates .bxm suffix .cfm / .cfml suffix
Tag prefix <bx:if>, <bx:output>, <bx:set> <cfif>, <cfoutput>, <cfset>

CFML Compat Mode: With BoxLang + CFML Compat module, .bx and .cfc files coexist freely. BoxLang-native classes use class {} (.bx files); CFML-compat classes use component {} (.cfc files).

Core Concepts

ColdBox modules:

  • Live in modules/ (external) or modules_app/ (internal)
  • Have a ModuleConfig.cfc for registration and configuration
  • Have a box.json for package metadata
  • Can declare routes, settings, interceptors, and DI bindings
  • Can be packaged and distributed on ForgeBox
  • Are isolated via their own classloader mappings

Module Directory Structure

modules_app/
  myModule/
    box.json                  # Package metadata
    ModuleConfig.cfc          # Module registration
    config/
      Router.cfc              # Module routes
      WireBox.cfc             # DI bindings (optional)
    handlers/
      Dashboard.cfc
    models/
      WidgetService.cfc
    views/
      dashboard/
        index.cfm
    layouts/
      Module.cfm
    interceptors/
      ModuleInterceptor.cfc

ModuleConfig.cfc

class ModuleConfig {

    // ======================================================
    // Module Properties
    // ======================================================
    property name="title"           default="My Module";
    property name="description"     default="A ColdBox module";
    property name="version"         default="1.0.0";
    property name="author"          default="Your Name";
    property name="webURL"          default="https://example.com";
    property name="entryPoint"      default="mymodule";
    property name="cfmapping"       default="myModule";
    property name="autoMapModels"   default="true";

    // ======================================================
    // Module Configuration
    // ======================================================
    function configure() {
        // Module settings (configurable from host app)
        settings = {
            apiKey    : "",
            timeout   : 30,
            debug     : false
        }

        // Optional layout settings
        layoutSettings = {
            defaultLayout : "Module"
        }

        // Module-specific interceptors
        interceptors = [
            {
                class : "#moduleMapping#.interceptors.ModuleInterceptor",
                name  : "MyModuleInterceptor"
            }
        ]

        // Module-specific CacheBox caches
        cachebox = {}

        // WireBox binder config path
        wirebox = {
            binder : "#moduleMapping#.config.WireBox"
        }
    }

    // ======================================================
    // Lifecycle Hooks
    // ======================================================

    function onLoad() {
        // Runs when module is loaded (after configure())
        var settings = controller.getModuleSettings( "myModule" )
        log.info( "myModule loaded with settings: #settings.toString()#" )
    }

    function onUnload() {
        // Runs when module is unloaded
        log.info( "myModule unloaded" )
    }
}

CFML (.cfc):

component {

    // ======================================================
    // Module Properties
    // ======================================================
    property name="title"           default="My Module";
    property name="description"     default="A ColdBox module";
    property name="version"         default="1.0.0";
    property name="author"          default="Your Name";
    property name="webURL"          default="https://example.com";
    property name="entryPoint"      default="mymodule";
    property name="cfmapping"       default="myModule";
    property name="autoMapModels"   default="true";

    // ======================================================
    // Module Configuration
    // ======================================================
    function configure() {
        // Module settings (configurable from host app)
        settings = {
            apiKey    : "",
            timeout   : 30,
            debug     : false
        }

        // Optional layout settings
        layoutSettings = {
            defaultLayout : "Module"
        }

        // Module-specific interceptors
        interceptors = [
            {
                class : "#moduleMapping#.interceptors.ModuleInterceptor",
                name  : "MyModuleInterceptor"
            }
        ]

        // Module-specific CacheBox caches
        cachebox = {}

        // WireBox binder config path
        wirebox = {
            binder : "#moduleMapping#.config.WireBox"
        }
    }

    // ======================================================
    // Lifecycle Hooks
    // ======================================================

    function onLoad() {
        // Runs when module is loaded (after configure())
        var settings = controller.getModuleSettings( "myModule" )
        log.info( "myModule loaded with settings: #settings.toString()#" )
    }

    function onUnload() {
        // Runs when module is unloaded
        log.info( "myModule unloaded" )
    }
}

Module Router

// modules_app/myModule/config/Router.cfc
class Router extends coldbox.system.web.routing.Router {

    function configure() {

        // All routes here are prefixed with entryPoint
        // e.g., /mymodule/...
        route( "/", "dashboard.index" )
        route( "/dashboard", "dashboard.index" )

        // Resource routes
        resources( "widgets" )

        // API routes
        group( pattern = "/api" ) {
            resources( "items" )
        }

        // Wildcard fallback
        route( "/:handler/:action?" )
    }
}

CFML (.cfc):

// modules_app/myModule/config/Router.cfc
component extends="coldbox.system.web.routing.Router" {

    function configure() {

        // All routes here are prefixed with entryPoint
        // e.g., /mymodule/...
        route( "/", "dashboard.index" )
        route( "/dashboard", "dashboard.index" )

        // Resource routes
        resources( "widgets" )

        // API routes
        group( pattern = "/api" ) {
            resources( "items" )
        }

        // Wildcard fallback
        route( "/:handler/:action?" )
    }
}

Module Handler

class Dashboard extends coldbox.system.EventHandler {

    @inject
    property name="widgetService";

    // Get module settings in handler
    property name="settings" inject="coldbox:moduleSettings:myModule";

    function index( event, rc, prc ) {
        prc.widgets   = widgetService.list()
        prc.pageTitle = "Dashboard"
        prc.apiKey    = settings.apiKey
        event.setView( "dashboard/index" )
    }
}

CFML (.cfc):

component extends="coldbox.system.EventHandler" {

    property name="widgetService" inject="widgetService";

    // Get module settings in handler
    property name="settings" inject="coldbox:moduleSettings:myModule";

    function index( event, rc, prc ) {
        prc.widgets   = widgetService.list()
        prc.pageTitle = "Dashboard"
        prc.apiKey    = settings.apiKey
        event.setView( "dashboard/index" )
    }
}

Module Service

class WidgetService {

    // Injected module settings
    @inject( "coldbox:moduleSettings:myModule" )
    property name="settings";

    @inject
    property name="wirebox";

    function list() {
        return queryExecute(
            "SELECT * FROM widgets ORDER BY created_at DESC",
            {},
            { datasource: settings.datasource ?: "myapp" }
        )
    }

    function getById( id ) {
        var result = queryExecute(
            "SELECT * FROM widgets WHERE id = :id",
            { id: { value: id, cfsqltype: "integer" } },
            { datasource: settings.datasource ?: "myapp" }
        )
        return result.recordcount ? result : javaCast( "null", "" )
    }
}

CFML (.cfc):

component {

    // Injected module settings
    property name="settings" inject="coldbox:moduleSettings:myModule";

    property name="wirebox" inject="wirebox";

    function list() {
        return queryExecute(
            "SELECT * FROM widgets ORDER BY created_at DESC",
            {},
            { datasource: settings.datasource ?: "myapp" }
        )
    }

    function getById( id ) {
        var result = queryExecute(
            "SELECT * FROM widgets WHERE id = :id",
            { id: { value: id, cfsqltype: "integer" } },
            { datasource: settings.datasource ?: "myapp" }
        )
        return result.recordcount ? result : javaCast( "null", "" )
    }
}

box.json

{
    "name"        : "my-module",
    "version"     : "1.0.0",
    "author"      : "Your Name <you@example.com>",
    "description" : "A ColdBox module",
    "homepage"    : "https://github.com/yourorg/my-module",
    "license"     : "Apache-2.0",
    "slug"        : "my-module",
    "type"        : "modules",
    "keywords"    : [ "coldbox", "module" ],
    "dependencies": {
        "coldbox"   : "^7.0.0"
    },
    "devDependencies": {
        "testbox" : "^5.0.0"
    }
}

Module Inception and Dependencies

Use module inception when one ColdBox module depends on another ColdBox module and should install or bootstrap it automatically.

{
    "name" : "content-module",
    "type" : "modules",
    "dependencies" : {
        "cbvalidation" : "^4.0.0",
        "cbauth"       : "^2.0.0"
    }
}

Keep inception boundaries clean:

  • Declare module dependencies in box.json, not in ad hoc runtime checks
  • Let each module own its config, routes, interceptors, and binder registrations
  • Avoid hard-coding host-app paths when a dependent module should remain portable

Overriding Module Settings from Host App

// config/ColdBox.cfc → moduleSettings
moduleSettings = {
    myModule : {
        apiKey  : getSystemSetting( "MY_MODULE_API_KEY", "" ),
        timeout : 60,
        debug   : ( server.system.environment.APP_ENV ?: "production" ) == "development"
    }
}

Module Interceptors

// modules_app/myModule/interceptors/ModuleInterceptor.cfc
class ModuleInterceptor extends coldbox.system.Interceptor {

    property name="settings" inject="coldbox:moduleSettings:myModule";

    function configure() {
        log.info( "MyModule interceptor configured" )
    }

    function preProcess( event, rc, prc, interceptData ) {
        if( settings.debug ){
            log.debug( "Module request: #event.getCurrentEvent()#" )
        }
    }
}

CFML (.cfc):

// modules_app/myModule/interceptors/ModuleInterceptor.cfc
component extends="coldbox.system.Interceptor" {

    property name="settings" inject="coldbox:moduleSettings:myModule";

    function configure() {
        log.info( "MyModule interceptor configured" )
    }

    function preProcess( event, rc, prc, interceptData ) {
        if( settings.debug ){
            log.debug( "Module request: #event.getCurrentEvent()#" )
        }
    }
}

Module Helpers and CF Mappings

// modules_app/myModule/ModuleConfig.cfc
class ModuleConfig {

    function configure() {
        settings = {
            cfmapping : "/mymodule"
        }
    }
}

Use module helpers and CF mappings intentionally:

  • Add module-level or handler-level helper templates for reusable view logic that belongs to the module
  • Expose a dedicated CF mapping when external code needs stable access to module assets or classes
  • Keep helpers presentation-focused; do not move service/business logic into helper files

Module WireBox Binder

// modules_app/myModule/config/WireBox.cfc
class WireBox extends coldbox.system.ioc.config.Binder {

    function configure() {
        // Map an interface to an implementation
        mapPath( "#moduleMapping#.models.WidgetService" )
            .asSingleton()

        // Map with custom ID
        map( "widgetRepository" )
            .to( "#moduleMapping#.models.WidgetRepository" )
            .asSingleton()

        // Map with constructor args
        map( "myModuleClient" )
            .to( "#moduleMapping#.models.APIClient" )
            .asSingleton()
            .initWith( apiKey = "@settings.apiKey@" )
    }
}

CFML (.cfc):

// modules_app/myModule/config/WireBox.cfc
component extends="coldbox.system.ioc.config.Binder" {

    function configure() {
        // Map an interface to an implementation
        mapPath( "#moduleMapping#.models.WidgetService" )
            .asSingleton()

        // Map with custom ID
        map( "widgetRepository" )
            .to( "#moduleMapping#.models.WidgetRepository" )
            .asSingleton()

        // Map with constructor args
        map( "myModuleClient" )
            .to( "#moduleMapping#.models.APIClient" )
            .asSingleton()
            .initWith( apiKey = "@settings.apiKey@" )
    }
}

Module Best Practices

  • Use moduleMapping (injected by ColdBox) for fully-qualified class paths
  • Access module settings via cold box:moduleSettings:moduleName injection DSL
  • Use onLoad() and onUnload() for setup/teardown initialization
  • Set autoMapModels = true so models auto-register with WireBox
  • Keep modules self-contained — don't depend on host app models
  • Test modules independently with their own TestBox specs
  • Publish finished modules to ForgeBox with semantic versioning