Croogo 1.3.2 released!

Let's call this version Plugins-Are-Awesome version! I have spent more time thinking than actually coding about how plugins can integrate themselves with the whole application more easily without having to touch the core. And I believe, I have been able to take the right direction. Still a long way to go. This release consists of 55 commits resolving 18 tickets, and fixing a number of bugs.

Download

Download the latest version from GitHub: http://github.com/croogo/croogo/downloads.

Changelog

See all commits for this release on GitHub, and tickets on LightHouse.

New and improved plugin/hook system

The major change in this release is how plugins work in Croogo. Previously, administrators were given the ability to activate/deactivate a helper or a component (hook) individually, which is bad because it expects the administrator to know about CakePHP development. But now you activate/deactive a plugin as a whole only, which is easier to understand for non-developers. And it is from the plugin's own bootstrap file that you decide which items to hook (let it be a component, helper, behavior or routes). The administrator doesn't need to know what happens there.

Upgrading existing Croogo installations

There has been no change in the database schema since the last release. A simple 'git pull' should update everything smoothly (like my blog). If you have developed plugins utilizing the hook system of Croogo, you should read the Developers section of the new wiki.

Site is up with documentation! Yes, I know I have been very slow (may be lazy) with documentation. One of the reasons is that things were continuously being improved for more flexibility and ease of use. But the API is getting pretty stable now, and there is no reason for not writing documentation. Check out the site here at http://croogo.org. I will be writing for the next few weeks constantly, and once the wiki is in a decent shape, I will turn it into a git/markdown based wiki so user contribution and translation becomes easier.

What's next?

Next release will be all about user experience (aka UX). There will be a more usable and accessible (and of course, good looking!) admin panel. I lack skill in designing area, so if any of you want to share your experience and send suggestions, please post on Google Group. Submitting screenshots highlighting the good parts of other existing solutions would help too. Mockups would be highly appreciated!

If the project progresses at the current speed, I am positive that a stable version will be available in the next three releases. But don't expect a label of 'stable' unless there is decent test case coverage.

Extensions

An extensions directory could be up soon. And it largely depends on the number of community contributed plugins and themes. I can see a number of plugins being developed already, but there aren't many theme designers interested in Croogo yet. So if your friend is a designer, make sure you recommend Croogo to him/her!

Enjoy and Happy Baking!