Get a developer

CTXR separates content from presentation. The platform handles data, authentication, compilation, and the editing experience. A developer builds the templates that turn your data into a website.

What a developer does

A developer creates the build/ directory for your space: the page templates, block templates, menu templates, and static assets (CSS, JS, images) that define how your content looks and behaves.

They don’t need to learn a framework. Templates are PHP files that receive a $data array and produce HTML. The platform provides helper functions for reading values, rendering editable elements, embedding blocks, and including navigation.

A developer familiar with HTML and basic PHP can build a complete space in a day.

What a developer needs to know

Point them to this documentation — specifically:

  • Concepts — the philosophy behind the platform, so they understand why things work this way
  • Data — how nodes, the tinycycle, and references work, so they know what data their templates receive
  • Templates — the build folder structure, helper functions, and editor integration

The key concepts for a developer to grasp: templates receive pre-resolved data (no fetching needed), the editing layer activates automatically through helper functions, and the tinycycle gives editors a clear draft/live workflow without extra code.

What a developer needs access to

A developer works on the build/ directory. They don’t need editor access to your space — they need access to the server filesystem (via FTP, SSH, Git, or however you deploy).

The build/ directory is the only part of a space that’s hand-crafted. Everything else — identity and access, content, and uploads — is managed by the platform.

What to expect

A typical development cycle:

  1. Plan data structures — decide which Schema.org types you’ll use, which properties matter, and how nodes relate to each other (see next step)
  2. Build page templates — one PHP file per page type (place page, overview page, home page)
  3. Build block templates — reusable cards and fragments (place card, review snippet, route stop)
  4. Build menu templates — navigation elements
  5. Style with CSS — all styles live in build/assets/css/
  6. Test in edit mode — log in as an editor and verify that editable properties work, images upload, and lists reorder

Once templates are in place, editors can start creating and publishing content immediately. The developer’s ongoing role is adding new templates for new content types, refining the design, and extending the editing experience.

Can I build it myself?

If you’re comfortable with HTML and PHP, absolutely. CTXR is designed to be approachable. Start with the Templates Getting Started guide — it walks through building a complete page template from scratch.