CakePHP creating a component or another controller

Question

I have a very big AppController. Nearly 75 functions and 130 kilobytes. It seems like that slows my system. Therefore I need to put those functions inside another file, and include that file, when some other controller needs it.

Options are creating a new controller or a new component. I'm trying to make a selection. What would be the advantages or disadvantages?

My points are:

• I don't plan to use these functions inside another project. These functions will only be used by this project.

• Inside my AppController I use these files, models, components. So they should be accessible by new structure.

  App::import('Vendor', 'MyFancyVendor', array('file' => 'MyFancyVendor.php'));
  App::uses('CakeEmail', 'Network/Email');
  
  public $uses = array('Mytable1', 'Mytable2', 'Mytable3', 'Mytable4');  
  public $components    = array('Session');  
  public $helpers = array('Session','Html');
  

Edit: Although using a huge new controller/component seems like the same with the old structure, difference is: Say it MyController12 and MyController13 doesn't use the methods of these huge functions inside AppController. But because of MyController12 is created from AppController it loads models, components and other things that it doesn't need. If I put of these logic out of my AppController, MyController12 will not load all that logic.

Answer 1

The number of functions and the size of the files has absolutely no impact on the time code takes to execute.

Example: this has over 50 plugins loaded, 100ish controllers, 84k lines of code and the pages load reasonably fast.

You need to look at the queries being run. I suspect you are using queries with recursive set to 1 or 2. You should use containable at the very least.

Also look at the explain for your selects. If you are using mysql check that, or what ever is similar for your engine.

You can also install debug kit which displays a lot about what is taking time and can be sped up.

Answer 2

From what i can read, maybe its best that you think about dividing your AppController into multiple different files. Without seeing what your AppController it seems like it is assuming a lot of different roles.

Maybe its better to use different controllers for Mytable1, MyTable2, Mytable3, Mytable4, and use Components to share any information between them.

To answer your question, it is to use BOTH, and also to use Libs, and Helpers. Controllers where necessary, and Components where necessary. There's no point in changing your huge AppController into a huge Component. Split your files where you see something in common. Such as a ImageController, or Postcontroller, both however will use the Session Component.

Edit: What about changing the $helpers, $components, and $uses, from the AppController to the Individual controllers? Use relationships so that CakePHP can find the models. And make sure controllers aren't loading extra models / classes, as i doubt a big controller would cause sluggishness ( unless its your code )

Answer 3

Follow this pattern:

• Gather all related functionality in libraries.
• Move all the data logic in the models.
• Move all the view logic int the views (remember views are not templates)
• For whatever else left, create some helpers

This will make your controller thinner. Creating other controllers should be your last chance, considering that you really don't want to use these kind of functionality in any other projects or part of the website.