Unleashing the Power of Package Management in ColdFusion ???

Server Package Manager: The Forge of Efficiency ???

Adobe has heeded the call of developers across Middleware-Earth, introducing a built-in package manager to ColdFusion. This magical tool allows for the installation of features as packages, streamlining our resources and enhancing efficiency across the CF realm.

1. Resource Efficiency: By installing only what you need, ColdFusion becomes as sleek and swift as a rider of Rohan, reducing the burden on your system resources.
2. Lucee's Similar Spell: Lucee, too, has woven this feature into its fabric, offering its sorcerers the same efficiency and nimbleness.

“If you have some code that you’re using from project to project, wrap it up in a module, and push it up to ForgeBox. If you need help, you can come to talk in the ColdFusion Slack, specifically the box products channel. There’s a lot of us that hang out there that can help you modularize your code.” - Eric Peterson , CFML and Javascript developer at O.C. Tanner in Salt Lake City, Utah (From CF Alive episode, "023 Modules Make Your Projects Have Superpowers, with Eric Peterson")

CommandBox: The key to many packages of the ColdFusion Kingdom ??? CommandBox serves as the gateway to ForgeBox, a treasure trove of modules, themes, and plugins, ready to be discovered and integrated into your projects. It offers:

1. Seamless Integration: CommandBox and ForgeBox work hand in hand, like Legolas and Gimli, to bring you pre-written modules that install with ease, complete with all their dependencies.
2. A Cornucopia of Tools: From ContentBox Modules to CFWheels Plugins, ForgeBox is akin to Bilbo's pantry – stocked with an array of tools to enhance your applications.
3. Community Collaboration: ForgeBox not only provides the means to elevate your projects, but also invites you to contribute, fostering a community as united as the Fellowship itself.

“It's good to know that I'm a part of building the ecosystem, the open source projects out there that are shared on GitHub and shared on ForgeBox. The great thing about that is that everybody can be proud to be part of the open source ecosystem. That's not a secret club that you have to be in. There's no barrier to entry. Anyone who writes a reusable function or module and they stick it out on ForgeBox and publish the code, they can also be proud to be part of building the open source communities.” - Brad Wood , Software Architect and Platform Evangelist Ortus Solutions (From CF Alive episode, "029 Design Patterns for amazing app architecture (16 patterns), with Brad Wood")

???? ForgeBox: The Heart of Open Source CF Code?

ForgeBox propels open-source ColdFusion projects, creating a place where the development process quickens through sharing and collaboration, creating a more secure, and infinitely more enjoyable coding experience.

1. A Growing Repository: With hundreds of modules and counting, ForgeBox is the wellspring of innovation and practicality in ColdFusion development.
2. Encouraging New Creations: Adobe’s support for ForgeBox and other repositories could inspire more CFers to share their work, breathing life into ColdFusion with every new package.

???? Other Cool Open Source CF Code repos

In your hunger for other packages, check out these sites:

• ContentBox Modules
• CommandBox Modules
• CFWheels Plugins
• ContentBox Themes
• Adobe info MVC frameworks
• Preside CMS Extensions

?? The Call to Share and Collaborate?

In the spirit of the open-source ecosystem, share your creations and wisdom:

1. Modularize and Share: Wrap your reusable code into modules and share them on ForgeBox, contributing to a tapestry of resources that benefit all.
2. Be Proud of the Open Source Ecosystem: ForgeBox is not an exclusive club but a welcoming community where every contribution strengthens the bonds of ColdFusion developers.

??Onwards!

As we close the book on package management tools, let us cast our gaze forward. Next week, we'll explore educating ColdFusion developers, delving into the resources, strategies, and secrets that empower us to wield our coding skills with the wisdom of Gandalf and the dexterity of the Elves. Ready your minds and spirits for an enlightening journey! ????

P.S. If your legacy CF application feels as endless and winding as the paths of Moria, despair not, courageous 'Bilbo of CF'! Send forth a whisper through the secret ways, a parchment via the swift currents of the Anduin, or a beacon light from the highest peak of the Misty Mountains. As steadfast as the Fellowship amidst the Mines, we pledge our support, innovation, and guardianship. Together, let's illuminate the dark recesses of your code, guiding it past the lurking dangers of the Balrog of obsolescence. Let's set forth on this grand adventure, ensuring your project emerges victorious into the light of the new day, leaving the shadows of the old world behind. ????