name	dolibarr-development
description	Dolibarr ERP/CRM developer skill. Use for: building or extending Dolibarr modules (external/custom), implementing hooks, triggers, DAO classes, SQL tables, menus, permissions, tabs, boxes, PDF templates, cron scripts. Covers both core contributor and external module developer workflows. Applies coding rules (PSR-12, SQL norms, MVC pattern, Active Record).

Dolibarr Developer Skill

When to Use

Creating or extending a Dolibarr module (custom or external)
Implementing hooks (actions_mymodule.class.php) or triggers
Writing DAO/business object classes, SQL table definitions
Adding menus, tabs, permissions, boxes, exports, CSS/JS
Building cron/command-line scripts
Writing PDF/ODT document templates
Following Dolibarr coding rules (PHP, SQL, HTML norms)

Key Concepts

Architecture

MVC pattern: Controller (/* Actions */) + View (/* View */) in same PHP file
Active Record ORM: one class per table with CRUD methods
Global objects: $db, $user, $conf, $langs, $mysoc, $hookmanager, $extrafields
Module location: external modules live in htdocs/custom/mymodule/
Table prefix: all tables prefixed llx_

Module Entry Points

Extension point	When to use
Hooks	Inject/replace code in existing pages without modifying core
Triggers	React to business events (invoice created, order validated…)
Tabs	Add tabs on thirdparty, order, product, invoice… sheets
Menus	Add top-level or left-menu entries
Boxes	Add widgets on home page
Extrafields	Add fields to existing objects (no module needed for simple cases)
PDF templates	Customize generated PDF documents

Step-by-Step: Build a Module

1. Generate Skeleton

Use the built-in Module Builder (enable it in Setup → Modules, then click the bug icon top-right). It generates modMyModule.class.php, SQL files, DAO class, and page skeletons.

GitHub template: https://github.com/Dolibarr/dolibarr/tree/develop/htdocs/modulebuilder/template

2. Module Descriptor (required)

File: htdocs/custom/mymodule/core/modules/modMyModule.class.php

Class name starts with mod, file matches class name
Unique $this->numero (check https://wiki.dolibarr.org/index.php/List_of_modules_id)
Declare hooks contexts, menus, permissions, tabs, boxes, CSS/JS in this file
Enable/disable via Setup → Modules

See → Module Structure reference

3. SQL Tables (optional)

Files in mymodule/sql/llx_mytable.sql + llx_mytable.key.sql
Load via $this->_load_tables('/mymodule/sql/') in init()
Primary key always rowid INTEGER AUTO_INCREMENT PRIMARY KEY
Table prefix llx_, InnoDB engine, no DB triggers, no DELETE CASCADE

See → Coding Rules reference

4. DAO Class (optional)

File: mymodule/class/myobject.class.php

Copy from htdocs/modulebuilder/templates/class/myobject.class.php
Methods: create(), fetch(), update(), delete(), fetchAll()
DB access pattern: $db->begin() / $db->query() / $db->commit() or $db->rollback()

5. Hooks (optional)

Declare context in modMyModule.class.php: $this->module_parts = array('hooks' => array('thirdpartycard', 'orderlist'))
Create mymodule/class/actions_mymodule.class.php with hook methods
Disable + re-enable module after changing contexts (stored in DB)
Find contexts: search initHooks( in source. Find hook names: search executeHooks( in source.

See → Hooks & Triggers reference

6. Menus (optional)

Declare in $this->menu array in module descriptor.

fk_menu=0 + type='top' for top menu
fk_menu='fk_mainmenu=xxx' + type='left' for left sub-menu
perms field controls visibility by permission
user=0 internal, 1 external, 2 both

7. Tabs (optional)

Declare in $this->tabs array: 'objecttype:+tabcode:Title:langfile@mymodule:condition:/mymodule/page.php?id=__ID__'

Object types: thirdparty, order, invoice, product, contact, contract, propal, member, user…

8. Permissions (optional)

Declare in $this->rights array. Test with $user->rights->mymodule->action->subaction.

9. PHP Pages (optional)

Bootstrap: include main.inc.php (try multiple relative paths, see template)
Use dol_include_once('/mymodule/class/myclass.class.php', 'MyClass') for module classes
Use require_once DOL_DOCUMENT_ROOT.'/core/...' for Dolibarr core classes
CSS classes: liste_titre, pair/impair, flat, button
JS: pass $morejs array to llxHeader()

10. Setup Page (optional)

Create mymodule/admin/setup.php
Set $this->config_page_url = array("setup.php@mymodule") in descriptor

Packaging & Distribution

Package via build/makepack-dolibarrmodule.pl
Deploy: unzip in Dolibarr root
Publish on https://www.dolistore.com

References

Official Docs

Developer docs: https://wiki.dolibarr.org/index.php/Developer_documentation
Module development: https://wiki.dolibarr.org/index.php/Module_development
Hooks system: https://wiki.dolibarr.org/index.php/Hooks_system
Coding rules: https://wiki.dolibarr.org/index.php/Language_and_development_rules
Doxygen (class/file tree): https://doxygen.dolibarr.org/

name	dolibarr-development
description	Dolibarr ERP/CRM developer skill. Use for: building or extending Dolibarr modules (external/custom), implementing hooks, triggers, DAO classes, SQL tables, menus, permissions, tabs, boxes, PDF templates, cron scripts. Covers both core contributor and external module developer workflows. Applies coding rules (PSR-12, SQL norms, MVC pattern, Active Record).

Dolibarr Developer Skill

When to Use

Creating or extending a Dolibarr module (custom or external)
Implementing hooks (actions_mymodule.class.php) or triggers
Writing DAO/business object classes, SQL table definitions
Adding menus, tabs, permissions, boxes, exports, CSS/JS
Building cron/command-line scripts
Writing PDF/ODT document templates
Following Dolibarr coding rules (PHP, SQL, HTML norms)

Key Concepts

Architecture

MVC pattern: Controller (/* Actions */) + View (/* View */) in same PHP file
Active Record ORM: one class per table with CRUD methods
Global objects: $db, $user, $conf, $langs, $mysoc, $hookmanager, $extrafields
Module location: external modules live in htdocs/custom/mymodule/
Table prefix: all tables prefixed llx_

Module Entry Points

Extension point	When to use
Hooks	Inject/replace code in existing pages without modifying core
Triggers	React to business events (invoice created, order validated…)
Tabs	Add tabs on thirdparty, order, product, invoice… sheets
Menus	Add top-level or left-menu entries
Boxes	Add widgets on home page
Extrafields	Add fields to existing objects (no module needed for simple cases)
PDF templates	Customize generated PDF documents

Step-by-Step: Build a Module

1. Generate Skeleton

Use the built-in Module Builder (enable it in Setup → Modules, then click the bug icon top-right). It generates modMyModule.class.php, SQL files, DAO class, and page skeletons.

GitHub template: https://github.com/Dolibarr/dolibarr/tree/develop/htdocs/modulebuilder/template

2. Module Descriptor (required)

File: htdocs/custom/mymodule/core/modules/modMyModule.class.php

Class name starts with mod, file matches class name
Unique $this->numero (check https://wiki.dolibarr.org/index.php/List_of_modules_id)
Declare hooks contexts, menus, permissions, tabs, boxes, CSS/JS in this file
Enable/disable via Setup → Modules

See → Module Structure reference

3. SQL Tables (optional)

Files in mymodule/sql/llx_mytable.sql + llx_mytable.key.sql
Load via $this->_load_tables('/mymodule/sql/') in init()
Primary key always rowid INTEGER AUTO_INCREMENT PRIMARY KEY
Table prefix llx_, InnoDB engine, no DB triggers, no DELETE CASCADE

See → Coding Rules reference

4. DAO Class (optional)

File: mymodule/class/myobject.class.php

Copy from htdocs/modulebuilder/templates/class/myobject.class.php
Methods: create(), fetch(), update(), delete(), fetchAll()
DB access pattern: $db->begin() / $db->query() / $db->commit() or $db->rollback()

5. Hooks (optional)

Declare context in modMyModule.class.php: $this->module_parts = array('hooks' => array('thirdpartycard', 'orderlist'))
Create mymodule/class/actions_mymodule.class.php with hook methods
Disable + re-enable module after changing contexts (stored in DB)
Find contexts: search initHooks( in source. Find hook names: search executeHooks( in source.

See → Hooks & Triggers reference

6. Menus (optional)

Declare in $this->menu array in module descriptor.

fk_menu=0 + type='top' for top menu
fk_menu='fk_mainmenu=xxx' + type='left' for left sub-menu
perms field controls visibility by permission
user=0 internal, 1 external, 2 both

7. Tabs (optional)

Declare in $this->tabs array: 'objecttype:+tabcode:Title:langfile@mymodule:condition:/mymodule/page.php?id=__ID__'

Object types: thirdparty, order, invoice, product, contact, contract, propal, member, user…

8. Permissions (optional)

Declare in $this->rights array. Test with $user->rights->mymodule->action->subaction.

9. PHP Pages (optional)

Bootstrap: include main.inc.php (try multiple relative paths, see template)
Use dol_include_once('/mymodule/class/myclass.class.php', 'MyClass') for module classes
Use require_once DOL_DOCUMENT_ROOT.'/core/...' for Dolibarr core classes
CSS classes: liste_titre, pair/impair, flat, button
JS: pass $morejs array to llxHeader()

10. Setup Page (optional)

Create mymodule/admin/setup.php
Set $this->config_page_url = array("setup.php@mymodule") in descriptor

Packaging & Distribution

Package via build/makepack-dolibarrmodule.pl
Deploy: unzip in Dolibarr root
Publish on https://www.dolistore.com

References

Official Docs

Developer docs: https://wiki.dolibarr.org/index.php/Developer_documentation
Module development: https://wiki.dolibarr.org/index.php/Module_development
Hooks system: https://wiki.dolibarr.org/index.php/Hooks_system
Coding rules: https://wiki.dolibarr.org/index.php/Language_and_development_rules
Doxygen (class/file tree): https://doxygen.dolibarr.org/

dolibarr-development

Dolibarr Developer Skill

When to Use

Key Concepts

Architecture

Module Entry Points

Step-by-Step: Build a Module

1. Generate Skeleton

2. Module Descriptor (required)

3. SQL Tables (optional)

4. DAO Class (optional)

5. Hooks (optional)

6. Menus (optional)

7. Tabs (optional)

8. Permissions (optional)

9. PHP Pages (optional)

10. Setup Page (optional)

Packaging & Distribution

References

Official Docs

Dolibarr Developer Skill

When to Use

Key Concepts

Architecture

Module Entry Points

Step-by-Step: Build a Module

1. Generate Skeleton

2. Module Descriptor (required)

3. SQL Tables (optional)

4. DAO Class (optional)

5. Hooks (optional)

6. Menus (optional)

7. Tabs (optional)

8. Permissions (optional)

9. PHP Pages (optional)

10. Setup Page (optional)

Packaging & Distribution

References

Official Docs