Database Automation

Jengo provides an incredibly smooth out-of-the-box database experience, enabling you to start writing code instantly without setting up local MySQL servers.

Zero-Config SQLite

By default, the Jengo Installer configures your new application to use an SQLite database.

During the installation process, the DbInstaller automatically:

1. Parses your app/Config/Database.php.
2. Comments out the default MySQL block.
3. Uncomments the SQLite block and points it to WRITEPATH . 'database.db'.

Automatic Migrations

After configuring the connection, the installer automatically executes:

php spark migrate --all

If you included the Auth suite (--auth), this means that the users, auth_identities, and auth_logins tables are created for you immediately. You can boot the application and register a user right away!

Switching to Production Databases

When you are ready to deploy or switch to a robust local database (like MySQL or PostgreSQL), simply open your app/Config/Database.php, comment the SQLite block back out, and uncomment your preferred database driver.

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Declarative Schemas & Relationship Derivation

For complex applications requiring type-safe queries and relationship hydration, Jengo provides jengo/schema:

• Declarative PHP 8 Schema Attributes: Map database tables, primary keys, fields, and computed attributes.
• Automatic Relationship Derivation: Seamlessly join and hydrate deeply nested single (BelongsTo) and collection (HasMany) relationships with zero N+1 queries.
• Context-Aware Pagination Clamping: Automatically clamp out-of-scope page numbers to the last available page for UI requests while preserving raw JSON responses for headless APIs.
• Virtual Schemas: Query directly from existing CodeIgniter 4 Model classes without writing dedicated schema classes.
• TypeScript Interface Generation: Generate .d.ts interfaces matching your database schemas directly from table metadata.

For complete guides and API references, see the jengo/schema package documentation.

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Data Mappings & Entity Interoperability

When integrating third-party CodeIgniter 4 packages (such as CodeIgniter Shield, Myth:Auth, or custom vendor packages) whose entities do not extend Jengo's BaseEntity, use the Data Mapping Engine from jengo/base:

• Bidirectional Mapping: Map between arrays, third-party entities, and Jengo entities.
• Entity Synchronization: Push modifications back into third-party entities with $entity->syncTo($source) or reconstruct the original entity with $entity->toOriginal().
• PHP 8 Mapping Attributes: Declaratively configure column aliases, exclusions, and custom transformers (#[MapFrom], #[MapTo], #[MapProperty], #[MapIgnore], #[MapWith]).
• Nested Casting: Automatically hydrate child entities and collections using #[MapCast].

For complete guides and API references, see the jengo/base Data Mappings documentation.