What is a block class in Magento 2? Explain with a code example.

by Shoaib Rehman | Jan 24, 2023 | Magento, Magento 2, Web development

A block class in Magento 2 is a class that represents a block of content that can be rendered on a page. These blocks typically contain the HTML markup and logic for displaying specific pieces of content on a page, such as a product list or a navigation menu.

For example, the following code creates a block class for displaying a list of products on a category page:

class ProductList extends \Magento\Framework\View\Element\Template
{
    protected $_productCollectionFactory;

    public function __construct(
        \Magento\Framework\View\Element\Template\Context $context,
        \Magento\Catalog\Model\ResourceModel\Product\CollectionFactory $productCollectionFactory,
        array $data = []
    ) {
        $this->_productCollectionFactory = $productCollectionFactory;
        parent::__construct($context, $data);
    }

    public function getProductCollection()
    {
        $categoryId = $this->getData('category_id');
        $productCollection = $this->_productCollectionFactory->create();
        $productCollection->addCategoryFilter($categoryId);
        return $productCollection;
    }
}

In this example, the ProductList class extends the \Magento\Framework\View\Element\Template class, which provides the basic functionality for rendering blocks in Magento 2. The class also has a constructor that accepts a factory for creating product collections, and a getProductCollection method that returns a collection of products filtered by a specific category ID. This block class can then be used in a template file to display a list of products for a specific category.

What is a Magento 2 service contract?

by Shoaib Rehman | Jan 19, 2023 | Magento, Magento 2, Web development

A Magento 2 service contract is a set of interfaces that define the API for a specific service in Magento 2. These interfaces provide a consistent and stable way for external modules and extensions to interact with the core functionality of Magento 2.

A service contract is made up of three main components:

1. The interface: This defines the methods that a service must implement and the arguments and return types that those methods must have.
2. The service class: This is the implementation of the interface and contains the actual logic for the service.
3. The web API: This provides a way for external systems to interact with the service through a RESTful API.

For example, the Magento 2 service contract for the customer service includes the following interfaces:

1. \Magento\Customer\Api\AccountManagementInterface: This interface defines the methods for creating, retrieving, and updating customer account information.
2. \Magento\Customer\Api\CustomerRepositoryInterface: This interface defines the methods for retrieving and saving customer information.
3. \Magento\Customer\Api\Data\CustomerInterface: This interface defines the data structure for a customer object.

The service class that implements these interfaces would then contain the actual logic for creating, retrieving, and updating customer information in the Magento 2 database.

The web API, on the other hand, provides a way for external systems to interact with the customer service through RESTful API calls. This allows external systems to create, retrieve, and update customer information in Magento 2 without having to directly interact with the database.

The main advantage of using service contracts in Magento 2 is that they provide a stable and consistent API for external modules and extensions to interact with the core functionality of Magento 2. This means that external modules and extensions can rely on the service contracts to remain unchanged between versions of Magento 2, which reduces the risk of compatibility issues.

Additionally, service contracts provide a clear separation of concerns between the service logic and the web API, which makes it easier to maintain and extend the service. This separation also allows for more flexibility in how the service is used, as it can be accessed through both the web API and directly through the service class.

Furthermore, service contracts provide a way to validate data before being saved to the database which can improve the security and reliability of your website.

In summary, Magento 2 service contracts are a powerful tool that allows developers to create stable and consistent APIs for external modules and extensions to interact with the core functionality of Magento 2. They provide a clear separation of concerns between the service logic and the web API, which makes it easier to maintain and extend the service. They also provide a way to validate data before being saved to the database which can improve the security and reliability of your website.

Example

For example, the following code defines a service contract for a customer service:

interface CustomerServiceInterface
{
    public function getById($customerId);
    public function save(CustomerInterface $customer);
    public function delete(CustomerInterface $customer);
}

In this example, the CustomerServiceInterface defines three public methods: getById, save, and delete. Any class that implements this interface must provide an implementation for these methods. This ensures that the service class can be used in a predictable way by other parts of the system, such as controllers or other services.

The implementation of this service contract will look like this:

class CustomerService implements CustomerServiceInterface
{
    protected $_customerFactory;

    public function __construct(
        \Magento\Customer\Model\CustomerFactory $customerFactory
    ) {
        $this->_customerFactory = $customerFactory;
    }

    public function getById($customerId)
    {
        $customer = $this->_customerFactory->create();
        $customer->load($customerId);
        return $customer;
    }

    public function save(CustomerInterface $customer)
    {
        $customer->save();
    }

    public function delete(CustomerInterface $customer)
    {
        $customer->delete();
    }
}

Service contracts can be used to improve the maintainability and flexibility of the code, by providing a clear and consistent API for interacting with different parts of the system. Additionally, service contracts can be used to test the service class without actually interacting with the database. As you can see in this example, we are using the CustomerFactory model to create a customer object and load it’s information by using its ID, this service contract also allows us to save and delete customer information as well, by providing a clear API for interacting with the customer’s data.