389 lines
18 KiB
Markdown
389 lines
18 KiB
Markdown
# Features Research: SummerCMS
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**Domain:** Content Management Framework (CMF) for web developers, agencies, and freelancers
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**Researched:** 2026-02-04
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**Reference:** WinterCMS/OctoberCMS rewrite in Scala
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**Confidence:** HIGH (multiple authoritative sources cross-referenced)
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## Executive Summary
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Modern CMFs in 2025-2026 have converged on a set of table-stakes features while differentiating through API-first architecture, real-time collaboration, and AI-powered capabilities. SummerCMS must nail the fundamentals (plugin system, YAML-driven forms, component architecture) while leveraging Scala's strengths for performance and type safety.
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The WinterCMS reference provides a proven plugin architecture with 19 Golem15 plugins demonstrating the feature surface area. Key differentiators for SummerCMS: superior performance, type-safe plugin APIs, and modern frontend integration (Vue + HTMX).
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---
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## Table Stakes (Must Have)
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Features users expect. Missing = product feels incomplete or unusable.
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### Content Management
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| Feature | Why Expected | Complexity | Notes |
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|---------|--------------|------------|-------|
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| Page/Post CRUD | Core CMS functionality | Medium | Hierarchical pages, slugs, SEO fields |
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| Rich text editor | Content creation baseline | Medium | Recommend headless editor (TipTap/ProseMirror) |
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| Media library | Asset management expected | High | Upload, organize, transform images |
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| Content versioning | Revision history standard | Medium | Track changes, rollback capability |
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| Content scheduling | Publish at future date | Low | Schedule publish/unpublish |
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| Draft/Published states | Basic workflow | Low | Minimum viable workflow |
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**WinterCMS Reference:** Blog plugin, Pages plugin (Winter.Pages) provide these patterns.
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### User & Authentication
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| Feature | Why Expected | Complexity | Notes |
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|---------|--------------|------------|-------|
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| User registration/login | Basic access control | Medium | Email verification, password reset |
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| Role-based access (RBAC) | Permission management | High | Roles, permissions, resource scoping |
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| Backend admin auth | Separate from frontend users | Medium | Admin accounts with elevated privileges |
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| Session management | Security baseline | Low | Secure sessions, logout |
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| Password policies | Security compliance | Low | Strength requirements, expiration |
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**WinterCMS Reference:** Golem15.User plugin with JWT, GDPR compliance, OAuth integration.
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### Admin Backend
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| Feature | Why Expected | Complexity | Notes |
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|---------|--------------|------------|-------|
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| YAML/JSON-driven forms | Core WinterCMS pattern | High | `fields.yaml`, `columns.yaml` equivalent |
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| List/table views | Data management | Medium | Sortable, filterable, searchable |
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| Form widgets | Extensible inputs | High | Text, dropdown, relation, file, etc. |
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| Dashboard | Admin landing page | Low | Widgets, stats, quick actions |
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| Settings management | Global configuration | Medium | Type-safe settings with UI |
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**WinterCMS Reference:** Backend module, `fields.yaml`/`columns.yaml` pattern, Apparatus form widgets.
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### Plugin System
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| Feature | Why Expected | Complexity | Notes |
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|---------|--------------|------------|-------|
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| Plugin installation/removal | Extensibility baseline | High | Package management, migrations |
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| Plugin dependencies | Inter-plugin references | Medium | `$require` equivalent |
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| Plugin lifecycle hooks | Initialization/boot | Medium | Register, boot, update hooks |
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| Database migrations | Schema management | Medium | Per-plugin migrations |
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| Asset registration | CSS/JS injection | Low | Backend and frontend asset loading |
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**WinterCMS Reference:** Plugin.php with `$require`, `registerComponents()`, `registerSchedule()`.
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### Theme System
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| Feature | Why Expected | Complexity | Notes |
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|---------|--------------|------------|-------|
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| Theme installation | Design customization | Medium | Theme packages, activation |
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| Layouts/partials | Template composition | Medium | Layout inheritance, partial reuse |
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| Template engine | HTML generation | Medium | Twig, Thymeleaf, or Scala templates |
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| Asset compilation | Build pipeline | Medium | Vite/Tailwind integration |
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| Child themes | Theme extension | Low | Override parent theme files |
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**WinterCMS Reference:** CMS module, theme.yaml, layout/page/partial structure.
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### Frontend Components
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| Feature | Why Expected | Complexity | Notes |
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|---------|--------------|------------|-------|
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| CMS components | Reusable page elements | High | Similar to WinterCMS components |
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| Component parameters | Configuration | Medium | Define via theme/code |
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| Partial injection | Dynamic content areas | Low | Placeholders for components |
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**WinterCMS Reference:** Component classes with `defineProperties()`, `onRun()` methods.
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### Database & ORM
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| Feature | Why Expected | Complexity | Notes |
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|---------|--------------|------------|-------|
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| Model layer | Data abstraction | High | Active Record or Repository pattern |
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| Relations | Associations | High | hasMany, belongsTo, morphTo |
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| Model events | Lifecycle hooks | Medium | beforeSave, afterCreate, etc. |
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| Query builder | Flexible queries | Medium | Type-safe query construction |
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| Soft deletes | Recoverable data | Low | Trash/restore pattern |
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**WinterCMS Reference:** Storm library, model traits (SoftDelete, Nullable, etc.).
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### CLI Tools
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| Feature | Why Expected | Complexity | Notes |
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|---------|--------------|------------|-------|
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| Project scaffolding | Quick start | Medium | `summer:up`, `summer:down` equivalent |
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| Plugin creation | Developer productivity | Medium | `create:plugin`, `create:model` |
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| Migration commands | Database management | Low | Run, rollback, status |
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| Cache commands | Maintenance | Low | Clear, warm caches |
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**WinterCMS Reference:** Artisan commands via Laravel foundation.
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---
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## Differentiators (Competitive Advantage)
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Features that set SummerCMS apart. Not expected, but highly valued.
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### Performance & Scalability
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| Feature | Value Proposition | Complexity | Notes |
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|---------|-------------------|------------|-------|
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| JVM performance | 10-100x faster than PHP | - | Inherent Scala advantage |
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| Compile-time safety | Fewer runtime errors | - | Type system catches bugs |
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| Native async | Non-blocking I/O | Medium | Scala Futures, ZIO, Cats Effect |
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| Efficient caching | Sub-millisecond responses | High | Edge caching, smart invalidation |
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**Rationale:** PHP CMSs (WinterCMS, WordPress) are slow. Scala on JVM with proper architecture delivers enterprise-grade performance.
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### Modern Frontend Integration
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| Feature | Value Proposition | Complexity | Notes |
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|---------|-------------------|------------|-------|
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| HTMX native support | No-JS interactivity | Medium | Server-driven UI updates |
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| Vue.js integration | Rich client components | Medium | When HTMX isn't enough |
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| SSR + hydration | Best of both worlds | High | Server render + client enhance |
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| Live Preview | Real-time editing preview | High | See changes before publish |
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**Rationale:** HTMX + Vue provides flexibility without JavaScript fatigue. Most interactions via HTMX (fast, simple), Vue for complex widgets.
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### API-First Architecture
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| Feature | Value Proposition | Complexity | Notes |
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|---------|-------------------|------------|-------|
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| REST API built-in | Headless capability | Medium | First-class API alongside traditional |
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| GraphQL option | Flexible queries | High | Optional, for complex clients |
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| API documentation | Developer experience | Low | Auto-generated OpenAPI |
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| Versioned APIs | Stability | Medium | v1, v2 without breaking clients |
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**Rationale:** Headless is the 2025 trend. SummerCMS should work as traditional CMS AND headless backend.
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### Type-Safe Plugin Development
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| Feature | Value Proposition | Complexity | Notes |
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|---------|-------------------|------------|-------|
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| Scala plugin API | Compile-time checks | High | Plugin interfaces with types |
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| IDE autocomplete | Developer productivity | - | Free with typed API |
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| Plugin testing framework | Quality assurance | Medium | Built-in test utilities |
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| Hot reload | Development speed | High | Detect plugin changes |
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**Rationale:** PHP plugins fail at runtime with cryptic errors. Scala catches issues at compile time.
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### Advanced Workflow
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| Feature | Value Proposition | Complexity | Notes |
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|---------|-------------------|------------|-------|
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| Multi-stage approval | Enterprise workflows | High | Draft -> Review -> Approve -> Publish |
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| Content scheduling | Marketing campaigns | Medium | Time-based publish/unpublish |
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| Audit logging | Compliance | Medium | Who changed what, when |
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| Role-based workflows | Flexible processes | High | Different flows per content type |
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**WinterCMS Reference:** Apparatus scenario system provides workflow patterns.
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### Multisite & Multi-tenant
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| Feature | Value Proposition | Complexity | Notes |
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|---------|-------------------|------------|-------|
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| Multiple sites | One install, many sites | High | Shared core, separate content |
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| Site cloning | Rapid deployment | Medium | Copy site structure |
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| Per-site themes | Design flexibility | Medium | Different look per site |
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| Shared content | Reuse across sites | High | Global assets/content |
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**WinterCMS Reference:** Golem15.SiteManager plugin.
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### AI Integration (2025+ trend)
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| Feature | Value Proposition | Complexity | Notes |
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|---------|-------------------|------------|-------|
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| AI content assist | Writing help | Medium | Integration points for LLMs |
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| Auto-translation | Multilingual content | Medium | AI-powered i18n |
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| Smart tagging | Auto-categorization | Medium | AI metadata generation |
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| Content recommendations | Engagement | High | Related content suggestions |
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**WinterCMS Reference:** Golem15.AI plugin with OpenAI/Perplexity integration.
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---
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## Anti-Features (Do NOT Build)
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Features other CMFs do that are problematic. Deliberately avoid.
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| Anti-Feature | Why Avoid | What to Do Instead |
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|--------------|-----------|-------------------|
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| Kitchen-sink core | Bloated, slow, hard to maintain | Minimal core + plugin ecosystem |
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| Visual page builders | Complex, fragile, poor performance | Component-based with good defaults |
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| Magic string configurations | Runtime errors, no IDE support | Typed configuration with validation |
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| Closed marketplace | Vendor lock-in | Open plugin format, community repos |
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| WordPress-style "hooks everywhere" | Spaghetti code, unpredictable | Explicit extension points, typed APIs |
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| Database-stored code | Security risk, hard to version | Code in filesystem, config in DB |
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| Monolithic frontend | Tightly coupled, hard to customize | Decoupled frontend, HTMX by default |
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| Real-time collaboration (Phase 1) | Complex, requires WebSocket infra | Defer to Phase 3+, use optimistic locking |
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| GraphQL by default | Over-engineering for most sites | REST default, GraphQL as optional plugin |
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### Specific Patterns to Avoid
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**God Object Plugin Architecture:**
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Don't create a single "Plugin" class that handles registration, boot, routing, events, and everything else. Instead, use composition with specific handlers.
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**Inner Platform Effect:**
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Don't make the YAML configuration so flexible it becomes a programming language. Define clear boundaries for what's configurable vs. what requires code.
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**Dead Code Accumulation:**
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Establish deprecation policies early. Don't ship deprecated features that linger forever.
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---
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## Feature Dependencies
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Features must be built in order based on dependencies.
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```
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[Foundation Layer]
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Database/ORM ──────────┐
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├──► Plugin System ──► Everything Else
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User/Auth ────────────┘
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[Core CMS Layer]
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Plugin System ──► Theme System ──► Frontend Components
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│
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└──► Backend Admin ──► YAML Forms ──► Content Management
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[Advanced Layer]
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Content Management ──► Versioning ──► Workflow ──► Scheduling
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│
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└──► API Layer ──► Headless Mode
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[Extension Layer]
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All Core ──► Multisite
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│
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├──► AI Integration
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│
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└──► Real-time Collaboration
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```
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### Critical Path for MVP
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1. **Database/ORM** - Everything depends on data persistence
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2. **User/Auth** - Backend requires authentication
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3. **Plugin System** - All features are plugins
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4. **Backend Admin** - Content management UI
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5. **YAML Forms** - Backend forms for content
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6. **Theme System** - Frontend rendering
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7. **Content Management** - Pages, posts, media
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---
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## Complexity Assessment
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Rough complexity for major features (effort in developer-weeks, assuming senior developer).
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| Feature Category | Complexity | Estimated Effort | Risk |
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|------------------|------------|------------------|------|
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| Database/ORM Layer | High | 8-12 weeks | Medium (Scala ecosystem mature) |
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| Plugin System | Very High | 12-16 weeks | High (architectural decisions) |
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| Backend Admin UI | High | 10-14 weeks | Medium (Vue.js, established patterns) |
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| YAML Form Engine | High | 8-12 weeks | Medium (complex parsing + rendering) |
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| Theme/Template System | Medium | 6-8 weeks | Low (Scala templates exist) |
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| User/Auth System | Medium | 4-6 weeks | Low (standard patterns) |
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| Content Management | Medium | 6-8 weeks | Low (straightforward CRUD) |
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| Media Library | High | 8-10 weeks | Medium (file handling, transforms) |
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| CLI Tools | Low | 2-4 weeks | Low (standard tooling) |
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| API Layer (REST) | Medium | 4-6 weeks | Low (well-understood) |
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| Multisite | Very High | 12-16 weeks | High (data isolation complex) |
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| Workflow Engine | High | 8-12 weeks | Medium (state machines) |
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### Total MVP Estimate
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Core MVP (Plugin + Admin + Theme + Content): **40-60 weeks** of development effort.
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---
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## WinterCMS Feature Mapping
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Key WinterCMS features and their SummerCMS equivalents.
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### Core Modules
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| WinterCMS | SummerCMS Equivalent | Notes |
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|-----------|----------------------|-------|
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| System module | `summer-core` | Plugin management, updates, settings |
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| Backend module | `summer-admin` | Admin panel, controllers, forms |
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| CMS module | `summer-cms` | Themes, pages, components |
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| Storm library | `summer-orm` | Database abstraction layer |
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### Golem15 Plugins to Replicate
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| Plugin | Priority | Complexity | Notes |
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|--------|----------|------------|-------|
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| **Apparatus** | P0 - Critical | Very High | Core DI, scenarios, backend utilities |
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| **User** | P0 - Critical | Medium | Auth, JWT, GDPR |
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| **Blog** | P1 - High | Medium | Content example, commonly needed |
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| **PaymentGateway** | P2 - Medium | Very High | Complex FSM, financial logic |
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| **Translate** | P1 - High | High | i18n infrastructure |
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| **Menu** | P1 - High | Low | Navigation builder |
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| **SEO** | P1 - High | Medium | Meta tags, sitemap |
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| **Sitemap** | P1 - High | Low | XML sitemap generation |
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| **SiteManager** | P2 - Medium | High | Multisite functionality |
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| **AI** | P3 - Low | Medium | AI integration patterns |
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| **WebSockets** | P3 - Low | High | Real-time features |
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| **Chat** | P3 - Low | High | Real-time messaging |
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| **FAQ** | P2 - Medium | Low | Simple content type |
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| **Quote** | P2 - Medium | Medium | Business logic example |
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### Architectural Patterns to Preserve
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| WinterCMS Pattern | SummerCMS Approach |
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| `$require` plugin dependencies | Manifest-declared dependencies |
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| `fields.yaml` / `columns.yaml` | YAML/HOCON config files |
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| Component `defineProperties()` | Typed property definitions |
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| Model `$rules`, `$belongsTo`, etc. | Case class with validation, relations |
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| Event system (`Event::fire()`) | Typed event bus, pub/sub |
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| Backend behaviors (FormController, ListController) | Traits/mixins for controllers |
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| Twig templating | Scala templates or Thymeleaf |
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| AJAX Framework (Snowboard) | HTMX native, Vue for complex UI |
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### Key Apparatus Framework Concepts
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| Concept | Description | SummerCMS Equivalent |
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|---------|-------------|----------------------|
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| Scenario System | Event-driven workflow engine | Typed FSM with Akka or ZIO |
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| Dependency Injection | Auto-wiring components | Scala DI (MacWire, ZIO) |
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| Route Resolver | Custom route handling | Type-safe routing (http4s, Play) |
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| Backend Injector | CSS/JS injection | Asset pipeline with manifests |
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| Form Widgets | Custom form inputs | Widget component system |
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---
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## Sources
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### Primary (HIGH confidence)
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- WinterCMS Official Documentation: https://wintercms.com/docs
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- WinterCMS Features: https://wintercms.com/features
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- October CMS Forms Documentation: https://docs.octobercms.com/3.x/backend/forms.html
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- Golem15 WinterCMS Starter CLAUDE.md (local reference)
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### Secondary (MEDIUM confidence)
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- Craft CMS Features: https://craftcms.com/features
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- Statamic Documentation: https://statamic.com/
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- Strapi CMS Blog: https://strapi.io/blog/best-cms-2025
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- Payload CMS Documentation: https://payloadcms.com/docs
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### Market Research (MEDIUM confidence)
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- CMS Feature Comparisons (2025): Multiple web search results
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- Headless CMS landscape: https://jamstack.org/headless-cms/
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- Plugin architecture patterns: https://www.dotcms.com/blog/plugin-achitecture
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### Community (LOW confidence, patterns observed)
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- WinterCMS GitHub Discussions
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- Hacker News threads on CMS architecture
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- Various CMS comparison articles (2025)
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---
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## Gaps and Open Questions
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1. **Scala CMS precedent?** No major Scala-based CMS exists. Research Scala web frameworks (Play, http4s, ZIO HTTP) for patterns.
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2. **Template engine choice?** Twig is PHP-specific. Options: Twirl (Play), Thymeleaf, Scalate. Needs deeper research.
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3. **Hot reload in Scala?** JVM startup is slow. Investigate JRebel, Bloop, or compile daemon for development experience.
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4. **YAML parsing performance?** Scala YAML libraries need benchmarking for large config files.
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5. **Plugin isolation?** How to safely load third-party plugins without security risks. Classloader isolation? Sandboxing?
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These gaps should be addressed during phase-specific research.
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