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April 06, 2021 | 08 min read
2. Code standards
Always obey the coding guidelines and never edit the core files as they will break the default behavior of Magento and leave you with vulnerabilities. Several times what happens is that the project or task needs a quick turnaround, so usually, all developers lose focus on sticking to the standards. You will get the results quickly, but your work will lack consistency and progress will be stalled in a short time.
By following standard norms, you give a professional look to your code while making it easier to read. Make sure your Magento coding standards are based on Zend coding standards, PSR1, PSR2, and PSR4.
3. Estimate, calculation after prototyping
Let’s assume that you’re working with a client where every hour is billable and your client is highly expected to provide estimates in advance of the job. In the case of a custom attribute module, I’d skip estimates.
With just 10–15 minutes of looking at the code base, particularly when we talk about Magento 2, we can have a solid understanding and some great ideas about how to incorporate a custom module. But if your estimate is 10 hours, it might potentially be 50 hours or a full week of work plus a weekend.
Use pencil and paper to build custom module architecture, even a high-level diagram will give you a better idea and a nice bread to think about what needs to be done.
4. Provide support for localization
Until you determine that the module is ready to be delivered to Magento Marketplace or GitHub for the group, make sure that it contains localization help.
All text in the custom module should be wrapped in the __(‘My Text’) feature. It can be used all over the place, classes, templates, JavaScript components, email templates, etc.
5. Using Composer File
The value of the composer.json file may be underestimated. Each single Magento 2 module, bundle, theme, and location should include a compositer.json file with all the dependencies specified. I’ve seen a number of Magento 2 modules where only 1 dependency is called “magento/framework.” This is an incorrect presumption of dependency only for Framework if your module uses Magento\Catalog\Api interfaces from the “magento/module-catalog” kit, for example.
6. Avoid creating helper classes
Helper or utility classes are classes loaded with static methods that don’t match anywhere else. These classes are considered an anti-pattern and run contrary to the concepts of object-oriented programming. If you have ClassA and ClassAHelper with static functions running in ClassA, you should consider refactoring such functions in ClassA.
A helper class that serves as a catch-all for random methods violates the single responsibility principle since it tries to solve multiple problems in a single class. You should rewrite the code and transfer certain functions to the proper classes on which they should operate.
7. Test Module with different modes of deployment
To ensure that a custom module does not break any existing features, it is very good practice to switch between production and development application modes. 70 percent of modules do not compile with the production mode, according to the latest study by the Magento Marketplace team.
Before launching the Magento 2 module to the Magento Marketplace or anywhere else, take some time and schedule production mode testing. The Magento Ecosystem needs modules that are safe and stable.
8. Review Code
If you work in a team or as a solo developer, find a way to show other developers your code and ask them to review the code. It doesn’t matter if you’re a Senior Developer who knows absolutely everything or you can’t underestimate a Junior Developer who just began the value of code review.
One small TYPO code can lead to downtime for the website and a big drop in sales for the owner of the shop. A stronger and cleaner code version may be given by peer review.
9. Testing is as critical as code importing.
When creating a custom module for Magento 2, consider incorporating various types of tests. You can find various styles included in Magento 2 for the moment, including unit tests, integration tests, functional tests, etc.
For sure, the initial estimate of effort for construction tests will be raised, but maintenance costs would be smaller. With a strong level of trust for existing features to function as planned, new features can be introduced much faster.
10. Make sure you require the module that you create
The core code and optional components that improve or substitute the core code are composed by Magento. For Magento 2, there are over 100 out-of-the-box components available in the form of plugins, themes, and language bundles. The architecture of Magento enables changes by having you create your own components.
For any functionality, you will still need the feeling to create a new module, but before you make sure that it really needs you to create a new module. You can get the default code and overwrite it instead of creating a new module from scratch to suit your specifications, which will save you a lot of time and trouble. Also, ensure that you rewrite only the necessary code when overriding the core for rewrite and that the new class extends the original main class to follow other codes.
The first thing you want to make sure is that correct naming conventions are being followed and case when designing any module. When designating conventions for files, directories, methods, and classes, you must preserve continuity.
Magento 2 needs a lot of extra coding, but it is built on basic and straightforward principles, so it is probably not the best way to do it if it is too complex. If you don’t know how to do it, then look at the source code for Magento. The Magento code is also a source of inspiration when something new is approached.
