Helpers Reference

Flute CMS provides many helper functions that simplify module development. These functions are available globally and can be used in controllers, templates, and services.

Main categories of helpers:

Service Container and DI
Database and ORM
HTTP Requests and Responses
Templates and Views
Authentication and Authorization
Localization and Translations
Caching and Performance
Filesystem and Assets
Events and Logging

Quick Reference

Function	Description	Usage Example
`rep()`	Get ORM repository	`rep(User::class)->findByPK(1)`
`transaction()`	Create DB transaction	`transaction($entity)->run()`
`request()`	Current HTTP request	`request()->get('page', 1)`
`response()`	Create HTTP response	`response()->json($data)`
`user()`	Current user	`user()->can('permission')`
`template()`	Template system	`template()->render('view', $data)`
`route()`	Generate route URL	`route('blog.show', ['id' => 1])`
`url()`	Generate URL	`url('/path/to/resource')`
`active()/is_active()`	Active route (classes/check)	`active('admin.*', 'active')`
`__()`	Translate string	`__('blog.welcome')`
`translation()`	Translation service	`translation()->setLocale('ru')`
`cache()`	Caching system	`cache()->get('key', 'default')`
`config()`	Configuration	`config('app.name')`
`events()`	Event system	`events()->dispatch($event)`
`logs()`	Logging	`logs()->info('message')`
`session()`	Work with session	`session()->set('key', 'value')`
`cookie()`	Work with cookies	`cookie()->set('name', 'value')`
`email()`	Mail	`email()->to('user@test')->subject('Hi')->send()`
`encrypt()`	Encryption	`encrypt()->encryptString('data')`

Service Container

`app()`

Get instances of services from DI container.


<?php
// Get service
$logger = app(\Flute\Core\Services\LoggerService::class);
 
// Bind service
app()->bind('my.service', function() {
    return new MyService();
});
 
// Get bound service
$service = app('my.service');

Configuration

`config()`

Work with configuration files.


<?php
// Get value
$perPage = config('blog.articles_per_page', 10);
 
// Get entire config
$blogConfig = config('blog');
 
// Set value (at runtime)
config(['blog.enabled' => false]);

Events

`events()`

Work with event system.


<?php
// Register listener
events()->addDeferredListener('user.registered', function($event) {
    // Handle event
});
 
// Dispatch event
events()->dispatch(new UserRegisteredEvent($user));

Logging

`logs()`

Write logs to system.


<?php
// Main log
logs()->info('User logged in', ['user_id' => $user->id]);
 
// Specific channel
logs('security')->warning('Suspicious activity detected', [
    'ip' => request()->getClientIp(),
    'user_agent' => request()->headers->get('User-Agent')
]);
 
// Log errors
logs('errors')->error('Database connection failed', [
    'error' => $e->getMessage(),
    'trace' => $e->getTraceAsString()
]);

Filesystem

`fs()`

Work with files and directories.


<?php
// Check file existence
if (fs()->exists('uploads/image.jpg')) {
    // File exists
}
 
// Read file
$content = fs()->read('config/app.php');
 
// Write file
fs()->write('logs/custom.log', 'Log message');
 
// Create directory
fs()->makeDirectory('uploads/thumbnails');
 
// Copy file
fs()->copy('source.jpg', 'destination.jpg');
 
// Delete file
fs()->delete('temp/file.tmp');

`finder()`

Symfony Finder for searching files.


<?php
// Search PHP files
$files = finder()
    ->files()
    ->name('*.php')
    ->in('app/Modules')
    ->getIterator();
 
// Search by depth
$controllers = finder()
    ->files()
    ->name('*Controller.php')
    ->in('app/Modules')
    ->depth('== 2')
    ->getIterator();

HTTP Requests and Responses

`request()`

Work with current HTTP request.


<?php
// Get parameters
$page = request()->get('page', 1);
$search = request()->query->get('search');
 
// Get request body
$data = request()->request->all();
 
// Headers
$userAgent = request()->headers->get('User-Agent');
$contentType = request()->headers->get('Content-Type');
 
// Files
$uploadedFile = request()->files->get('image');
 
// Route attributes
$id = request()->getAttribute('id');
 
// Check method
if (request()->isMethod('POST')) {
    // POST request
}
 
// Check content type
if (request()->expectsJson()) {
    // Expects JSON response
}
 
// HTMX helpers
request()->htmx()->isHtmxRequest();
request()->htmx()->isBoosted();

`response()`

Create HTTP responses.


<?php
// JSON response
return response()->json(['data' => $articles]);
 
// View
return response()->view('blog::index', compact('articles'));
 
// Redirect
return response()->redirect('/dashboard');
 
// Error
return response()->error(404, 'Page not found');
 
// Download file
return response()->download('file.pdf');

`json()`

Create JSON responses.


<?php
// Simple JSON
return json(['message' => 'Success']);
 
// With data and status
return json(['data' => $user], 201);
 
// With headers
return json(['token' => $token], 200, ['Authorization' => 'Bearer ' . $token]);

`redirect()`

Create redirects.


<?php
// Simple redirect
return redirect('/dashboard');
 
// Redirect to route
return redirect(route('user.profile', ['id' => $user->id]));
 
// Redirect with flash message
return redirect('/login')->with('error', 'Invalid credentials');

Templates

`template()`

Work with template system.


<?php
// Render template
$content = template()->render('blog::article', ['article' => $article]);
 
// Add global variable
template()->addGlobal('site_name', 'My Blog');
 
// Register component
template()->registerComponent('alert', AlertComponent::class);
 
// Add script
template()->addScript('/js/custom.js');
 
// Add style
template()->addStyle('/css/custom.css');
 
// Get Blade and Yoyo
$blade = template()->getBlade();
$yoyo = template()->getYoyo(); // automatically has route /live or /admin/live

`view()` and `render()`

Rendering views.


<?php
// Render with data
$content = render('blog::index', ['articles' => $articles]);
 
// Get View object
$view = view('blog::index', ['articles' => $articles]);

Routing

`router()`

Work with routes.


<?php
// Get current route
$currentRoute = router()->getCurrentRoute();
 
// Generate URL
$url = router()->url('blog.articles.show', ['id' => 1]);
 
// Check route existence
if (router()->hasRoute('blog.articles.show')) {
    // Route exists
}

`route()`

Generate route URLs.


<?php
// Simple generation
$url = route('blog.articles.index');
 
// With parameters
$url = route('blog.articles.show', ['id' => $article->id]);
 
// With additional parameters
$url = route('blog.search', ['q' => 'php', 'page' => 1]);

Active Routes


<?php
// Get active router
$activeRouter = active_router();
 
// Check active route
if (is_active('blog.articles.*')) {
    // We are on blog articles page
}
 
// CSS class for active menu item
$class = active('blog.articles.index', 'active');

Database and ORM

`dbal()` and `db()`

Low-level database work via Cycle Database (DBAL).


<?php
// Connection manager
$manager = dbal(); // \Cycle\Database\DatabaseManager
 
// Active DB (default) or named
$db = db();            // default
$analytics = db('analytics');
 
// Examples: SELECT COUNT(*)
$exists = db()->select()->from('users')->where('email', $email)->count() > 0;
 
// Delete all rows from table
db()->delete('logs')->run();
 
// Note: for most cases ORM (ActiveRecord) is preferred

`orm()`

Work with ORM.


<?php
// Get ORM
$orm = orm();
 
// ORM Transaction
$article = new Article();
$article->title = 'Hello';
transaction($article)->run();
 
// Database of ORM source entity
// Allows getting connection to which entity is bound in ORM schema
$entityDb = ormdb(\Flute\Core\Database\Entities\User::class);

`rep()`

Get entity repository (RepositoryInterface).


<?php
// User repository
$userRepository = rep(\Flute\Modules\User\Database\Entities\User::class);
 
// Find by ID
$user = $userRepository->findByPK(1);
 
// Find by conditions (via Select)
$activeUsers = $userRepository->select()
    ->where('active', true)
    ->fetchAll();
 
// ActiveRecord API (recommended way)
$user = \Flute\Core\Database\Entities\User::findByPK(1);
$users = \Flute\Core\Database\Entities\User::findAll(['active' => true]);

It is recommended to use ActiveRecord API: User::findByPK(1), User::query()->where(...)->fetchAll().

`transaction()`

Manage ORM transactions (EntityManager).


<?php
// Save/delete multiple entities in one command
$em = transaction([$article, $comment], 'persist');
$em->run();
 
// Supported operations: 'persist', 'persistState', 'delete', 'clean', as well as chain methods on EntityManager
transaction($entity, 'delete')->run();

Authentication and Authorization

`user()`

Work with current user.


<?php
// Current user
$currentUser = user();
 
// Check authentication
if (user()->isLoggedIn()) {
    $userId = user()->id;
    $userName = user()->name;
}
 
// Check permissions
if (user()->can('manage_articles')) {
    // User can manage articles
}
 
// Check role
if (user()->hasRole('admin')) {
    // User is admin
}
 
// Special checks
user()->isLoggedIn();
user()->isGuest();

Localization

`__()`

Translate strings.


<?php
// Simple translation
$message = __('blog.welcome');
 
// With parameters
$message = __('blog.articles_count', ['count' => $count]);
 
// With pluralization
$message = __('blog.comment_count', ['count' => $count]);

`translation()`

Work with translation service.


<?php
// Set locale
translation()->setLocale('ru');
 
// Get current locale
$currentLocale = translation()->getLocale();
 
// Add translations
translation()->addTranslations([
    'custom.message' => 'Custom message'
]);
 
// Clear catalog cache (in performance mode)
translation()->flushLocaleCache('ru');

UI Components (Blade)

Short example of using UI components. Full overview — in the “Components and Usage” section.


<x-card class="my-3">
  <x-forms.field class="mb-3">
    <x-forms.label for="title" required>@t('def.title'):</x-forms.label>
    <x-input name="title" id="title" :value="old('title')" />
  </x-forms.field>
  <button class="btn btn-primary">@t('def.save')</button>
</x-card>

Caching

`cache()`

Work with cache.


<?php
// Save to cache
cache()->set('user_profile_' . $userId, $profile, 3600);
 
// Get from cache
$profile = cache()->get('user_profile_' . $userId);
 
// Check existence
if (cache()->has('user_profile_' . $userId)) {
    // Data is in cache
}
 
// Delete from cache
cache()->delete('user_profile_' . $userId);
 
// Clear entire cache
cache()->clear();
 
// Callback caching
$user = cache()->callback('user_' . $userId, function() use ($userId) {
    return rep(User::class)->findByPK($userId);
}, 3600);
 
// Temporary caching and manual clearing (used in events()->addDeferredListener)
cache()->getKeys('flute.deferred_listeners*');

Payments

`payments()`

Work with payment system.


<?php
// Get all gateways
$gateways = payments()->getAllGateways();
 
// Get specific gateway
$stripeGateway = payments()->getGateway('stripe');
 
// Create payment
$result = payments()->processor()->processPayment($paymentData);

Validation

`validator()`

Validate data.


<?php
// Create validator
$validator = validator();
 
// Validate data
$validated = $validator->validate($input, [
    'title' => 'required|string|min-str-len:3|max-str-len:255',
    'email' => 'required|email',
    'age' => 'nullable|integer|min:18|max:100'
]);
 
if (!$validated) {
    $errors = $validator->getErrors();
    // Handle errors
}

Flash Messages

`flash()`

Work with flash messages.


<?php
// Set message
flash()->add('success', 'Article created successfully');
 
// Different message types
flash()->add('error', 'An error occurred');
flash()->add('warning', 'Warning');
flash()->add('info', 'Information');

`toast()`

Toast notifications.


<?php
// Success notification
toast()->success('Data saved')->push();
 
// Error
toast()->error('Failed to save')->push();
 
// With custom title
toast()->warning('Attention!')
    ->message('Session expiring')
    ->push();

URL Utilities

`url()`

Generate URL.


<?php
// Absolute URL
$fullUrl = url('/blog/articles');
 
// Asset URL
$assetUrl = url('css/app.css');
 
// With protocol
$secureUrl = url('/admin', true); // https

Date Utilities

`now()`

Work with dates.


<?php
// Current date and time
$now = now(); // DateTime
 
// Date manipulations
$tomorrow = now()->modify('+1 day');
$lastWeek = now()->modify('-1 week');

Encryption

`encrypt()`

Encrypt data.


<?php
// Encrypt string
$encrypted = encrypt()->encryptString('secret data');
 
// Decrypt
$decrypted = encrypt()->decryptString($encrypted);

Sessions

`session()`

Work with sessions.


<?php
// Set value
session()->set('user_id', $userId);
 
// Get value
$userId = session()->get('user_id');
 
// Check existence
if (session()->has('cart')) {
    $cart = session()->get('cart');
}
 
// Remove
session()->remove('temp_data');
 
// Clear session
session()->clear();

Cookies

`cookie()`

Work with cookies.


<?php
// Set cookie
cookie()->set('theme', 'dark', 86400); // 24 hours
 
// Get cookie
$theme = cookie()->get('theme', 'light');
 
// Check existence
if (cookie()->has('preferences')) {
    $prefs = cookie()->get('preferences');
}
 
// Delete cookie
cookie()->delete('temp_token');

Email

`email()`

Send email messages.


<?php
// Send simple message
email()->to('[email protected]')
    ->subject('Welcome')
    ->body('Welcome to our site!')
    ->send();
 
// HTML message
email()->to('[email protected]')
    ->subject('New Order')
    ->html('<h1>Your order received</h1><p>Order number: #123</p>')
    ->send();
 
// With attachments
email()->to('[email protected]')
    ->subject('Report')
    ->body('Your monthly report')
    ->attach('/path/to/report.pdf')
    ->send();

Helpers Reference

Quick Reference

Service Container

app()

Configuration

config()

Events

events()

Logging

logs()

Filesystem

fs()

finder()

HTTP Requests and Responses

request()

response()

json()

redirect()

Templates

template()

view() and render()