Root

dv-cms/
├── .htaccess              # Rewrite rules (managed via Permalink settings)
├── index.php              # Front-end entry point
├── ajax.php               # AJAX handler entry point
├── dv-config.php          # Database, keys, paths, debug settings
├── dv-config-sample.php   # Sample config (copy to dv-config.php)
├── sitemap.xsl
└── src/
    ├── dv-admin/          # Admin dashboard pages
    ├── dv-includes/       # Core engine files
    ├── dv-setup/          # Installation wizard
    └── dv-content/        # User-generated content
        ├── cache/
        ├── uploads/
        ├── layouts/
        │   ├── layout-101/
        │   ├── modern-alpha/
        │   └── draftvertex-classic/
        └── extensions/
            └── seo-engine/

Database

Security keys & salts

Paths & URLs

Debug, cache & limits

Setup steps

What the installer does

Core functions

Usage examples

// Action: run code when a post is saved
dv_add_action('dv_save_post', function($post_id, $post_data) {
    error_log("Post {$post_id} was saved");
}, 10, 2);

// Filter: append a footer note to all content
dv_add_filter('dv_the_content', function($content) {
    return $content . '<p>— Footer note</p>';
});

// Filter: restrict upload size to 2 MB
dv_add_filter('dv_max_upload_size', fn() => 2 * 1024 * 1024);

// Action: add a custom field to the registration form
dv_add_action('dv_register_form_fields', function() {
    echo '<div class="dv-auth-form-row">';
    echo '  <label>Twitter Handle</label>';
    echo '  <input type="text" name="twitter">';
    echo '</div>';
});

Permalink modes

Custom structure tags

Template resolution order (single post)

Transient API

Page cache scope

API methods

Recurrence intervals

CSRF nonce functions

Session methods

Cookie security settings

Key functions

Relevant filters

Key functions

Relevant filters

Built-in blocks

Registering a custom block

dv_register_canvas_block('my_block', [
    'name'         => 'My Block',
    'icon'         => 'icon-name',
    'description'  => 'What this block does',
    'default_data' => [
        'field1' => 'value1',
        'field2' => 'value2',
    ]
]);

Use the dv_registered_canvas_blocks filter to programmatically add or remove blocks from the list.

Control types

Registering sections & controls

dv_add_action('dv_register_customizer', function() {

    DV_Visual_Customizer::register_section('my_section', [
        'title'    => 'My Section',
        'priority' => 10,
    ]);

    DV_Visual_Customizer::register_control('my_setting', [
        'section'     => 'my_section',
        'type'        => 'text',
        'label'       => 'My Setting',
        'description' => 'Help text for this control',
        'default'     => 'default value',
        'priority'    => 10,
    ]);
});

// Read the value anywhere
$value = dv_get_option('my_setting', 'default');

File structure

dv-content/extensions/my-extension/
├── my-extension.php    # Main file (required — must match folder name)
├── assets/             # CSS, JS, images
├── templates/          # Optional template files
└── README.md

Main file header & example

<?php
/**
 * Extension Name: My Extension
 * Version:        1.0.0
 * Description:    What this extension does
 * Author:         Your Name
 */

dv_add_action('dv_init', function() {
    // Runs when CMS is fully initialised
});

dv_add_filter('dv_the_content', function($content) {
    return $content . '<p>Added by My Extension</p>';
});

Extension engine API

File structure

dv-content/layouts/my-layout/
├── my-layout.php       # Main file with header (required)
├── functions.php       # Auto-included on activation
├── style.css           # Auto-enqueued on frontend
├── templates/
│   ├── index.php
│   ├── single.php
│   ├── page.php
│   ├── archive.php
│   └── full-width.php  # Custom page template
└── assets/

Layout header + custom template

<?php
/**
 * Layout Name: My Layout
 * Version:     1.0.0
 * Description: A beautiful layout for DraftVertex CMS
 * Author:      Your Name
 */

// Custom page template (templates/full-width.php)
<?php
/**
 * Template Name: Full Width Page
 */
// Your template code here…

Template tags available in layouts

Built-in endpoints

Registering custom routes

dv_add_action('dv_rest_api_init', function() {

    DV_REST_API::registerRoute(
        'GET',
        'my-endpoint',
        function() {
            return ['status' => 'ok', 'data' => 'Hello from API'];
        }
    );

    // POST route with auth check
    DV_REST_API::registerRoute(
        'POST',
        'my-endpoint',
        function() {
            dv_require_cap('edit_posts');
            $data = json_decode(file_get_contents('php://input'), true);
            return ['received' => $data];
        }
    );
});

Core functions

SMTP configuration via filter

dv_add_filter('dv_smtp_config', function($config) {
    return [
        'host'      => 'smtp.gmail.com',
        'port'      => 587,
        'secure'    => 'tls',      // 'tls' or 'ssl'
        'username'  => 'user@gmail.com',
        'password'  => 'app-password',
        'from'      => 'noreply@example.com',
        'from_name' => 'My Site',
    ];
});

Built-in roles

Key functions

File permissions

Built-in .htaccess protections

Production checklist

Marker system

# BEGIN DV CMS  ← Start of managed block (auto-generated)
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
    RewriteEngine On
    RewriteBase /
    ...
</IfModule>
# END DV CMS    ← End of managed block

# Developer custom rules go OUTSIDE the markers
# They are preserved on every regeneration

Generated rewrite rules

Extending via filters

// Add rules inside the <IfModule> block
dv_add_filter('dv_htaccess_managed_content', function($rules) {
    return $rules . "\n    RewriteRule ^old-url$ /new-url [R=301,L]\n";
});

// Add rules outside the managed block
dv_add_filter('dv_htaccess_content', function($content) {
    return $content . "\n# Custom security header rules\nHeader set X-Frame-Options DENY\n";
});

Built-in checks