Modules

Composable PHP

Add the parts your app needs, exactly when it needs them.

Modules are independent pieces of Leaf functionality. They stay small, framework-agnostic, easy to install, and ready to use in Leaf apps, Leaf MVC projects, or even plain PHP projects.

install

$ leaf install auth db mail

$ leaf install cors cache queue

modules wire into the Leaf ecosystem

Why modules

Start small

Use the core framework first, then add capabilities as your product grows.

Stay explicit

Installed modules make your app's capabilities obvious to people and AI tools.

Avoid lock-in

Most modules are regular Composer packages that fit normal PHP workflows.

Installing Modules

Modules are Composer packages, so you can install them with Composer:

composer require leafs/<module>

If you're using Leaf CLI, you can install official Leaf modules without the leafs/ prefix:

leaf install <module>

You can also install multiple modules at once:

leaf install auth db mail

01 / Leaf workflowLeaf CLIBest for Leaf projects. Short names work for first-party modules, and the command keeps the workflow consistent.

02 / PHP workflowComposerBest when you want the raw PHP package manager flow or are installing modules outside a Leaf app.

Using Modules

Most modules integrate directly into Leaf's functional style, so you can use focused helpers without building your own wiring layer.

auth()->login($credentials);
db()->select('users')->where('id', 1)->first();
response()->json(['ok' => true]);

In Leaf MVC, modules can also work through config files, controllers, models, services, and other structured app pieces.

Common Module Groups

01 / FoundationProduct basicsAuth, sessions, cookies, validation, CSRF, CORS, request, and response helpers.

02 / StorageData and stateDatabase, Redis, cache, queues, files, sitemaps, and storage integrations.

03 / InterfaceFrontend and viewsBlade, BareUI, Inertia, Vite, frontend asset builds, and view rendering.

04 / OperationsProduction featuresMail, billing, testing, logging, encryption, and deployment helpers.

Modules and AI Context NewNewInstalled modules stay visible to agentsLeaf keeps module capabilities in shared project context and can produce a compact handoff for external assistants.Introduced in Leaf 5

Modules make your app easier for assistants to understand because installed packages and their configuration are recorded in .leaf/CONTEXT.md. Agents inside the project read that shared memory alongside the filesystem and keep it aligned as the app changes.

If you are sharing the app with an external assistant that cannot access the folder, generate a compact handoff after adding modules:

leaf context

The command prints a minified view of the shared context, including installed modules, app structure, routes, and conventions. Paste that output into the external assistant so it can use what your app already has instead of inventing new patterns.

List of Modules

We update this list regularly. If you have a module you'd like to see here, feel free to open an issue or create a pull request on our documentation repository. Community-created modules are welcome too.

Project	Status	Description
alchemy		Tests, code style, refactoring, static analysis + CI for any PHP app, from one config
anchor		Built-in protection for your Leaf apps
auth		Simple but powerful authentication system for your apps
bareui		Dead simple templating engine with no compilation
billing		Subscriptions and one-time payments, one API across providers
blade		Laravel blade port for leaf
cache		Cache results of expensive operations
cookie		Cookie management for your PHP apps
cors		CORS operations made simple
csrf		CSRF protection for your Leaf apps
date		Dead simple PHP dates
db		Lightweight query builder for your PHP apps
exception		Crash reports with stack traces, user journeys and AI handoff
fetch		HTTP requests made simple
form		Form processes and validation
fs		Awesome filesystem operations + file uploads
http		Http operations made simple (request, response, ...)
inertia		Leaf adapter for inertia JS
lingo		Multi-language (i18n) support for your apps
logger		leaf logger module
mail		Mailing made easy with leaf
mvc-core		Brain of Leaf MVC
password		Password encryption/validation/hashing in one box
paystack		Billing with paystack
queue		Queue integration for leaf
redis		Functionality for Redis
s3		Drop-in aws s3 module for Leaf FS
schema		Git for your database: migrations, seeds and schema files
seedling		Lightweight console application framework
session		PHP sessions made simple
sitemap		PHP sitemaps made simple
sprout		Fast, lightweight and minimal CLI framework for PHP
stripe		Billing with Stripe
vite		Leaf server component for Vite

Community Modules

Modules created by the Leaf community are welcome here. They're not officially maintained by the Leaf team, but we're happy to list them. Built something? Open an issue or send a pull request on the documentation repository to add yours.