Coldfusion MX Skill Essence Collection 2 Page 4/6

Using Fusebox
Once you have understood how the ColdFusion server works and feel happy with the CFML language, then it is recommended that you try Fusebox, which is the most popular standardized development technology on the ColdFusion platform.

Fusebox breaks down an application into several basic components, each component being encapsulated into an independent "fuse". You can insert different fuse components into the application as needed and extend the functions of the application. This object-oriented development approach takes full advantage of ColdFusion’s modular nature of custom labels and applies this concept to the entire application.

Fusebox makes full use of the reusability and modularity of program code, both of which are flattering principles of any application development tool. The operating mode of Fusebox not only allows you to insert the same fuse (i.e., program module) into different applications, but also allows you to easily apply modules developed by others to your own applications.

The operating mode of Fusebox is centered on a "Home application" that represents your entire application. This main application is composed of many different "Circuit applications", and each peripheral loop application can call from the main application. You can pass a variable called FuseAction between the main application and the peripheral loop application through a URL or form, which can be used to determine the action you want to perform. Various files that need to be used are distinguished by different types, so the database query statements, action instructions, display screens, etc. in the application are all independent of each other. This independence allows you to master the highest reusability and ease of use.

Using Fusebox is not only helpful for the ColdFusion application development process, it can also help you easily enter the next product of the Allaire company ColdFusion product line: Allaire Spectra. The object-oriented architecture used by Spectra is very similar to the architecture used by Fusebox in many aspects. The main difference between these two products is that Spectra has built-in many pre-designed custom labels and functions, which can be directly used to handle various development tasks, such as content management, personalization, and e-commerce related functions, etc.