Choose a development tool

Start with the symptom and use the smallest tool that explains it.

Symptom	Tool
Wrong markup	Template selection and live template trace
Unexpected URL handling	Dispatch list and path trace
Slow page	Database trace, logs, then focused function trace
Observer does not run	Observer list and module status
Saved changes are missing	Build output, file handling, template selection
Result changes after a flush	Cache keys and invalidation

Site Development screen with template settings, live reload, tracing, and template debugging tools.

Open System → Development to find these controls. The checkboxes shown are the test site’s settings; enable only the tools needed for your current investigation.

Enable the Development module on your local site. Keep the ordinary browser developer tools open for network and JavaScript problems. See Enable the Development module, Trace templates rendered by a request, and Trace a URL through dispatch.

Anatomy of a site application

A typical site contains the following directories. Create only the extension directories you actually need.

Application and module names

Use distinct, consistent names so code and assets can be found without ambiguity.

Anatomy of a reusable module

A reusable module normally lives in apps_user/zotonic_mod_garden and contains:

Understand the development workflow

Work in small, verifiable steps: change source, compile or reload, reproduce the request, and inspect the result.

Erlang applications, Zotonic modules, and sites

These terms describe different parts of the system.

Use maintainable Zotonic patterns

Start with a working site, reusable templates and the standard media pipeline.

Choose checks for a change

Choose checks for a change.

The Zotonic workspace

The checkout is an Erlang umbrella project: one build contains many applications.

Introduction

This is the Zotonic Developer Guide. It takes you through all aspects of Zotonic so you can start building your own sites as quickly as…

Type at least two characters

Choose a development tool

Related documentation