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Tangible Object

A WordPress tool suite for building data-driven admin interfaces with a clean, layered architecture.

What is Tangible Object?​

Tangible Object provides a structured approach to building WordPress admin interfaces. Whether you need a simple settings page or a full CRUD interface for custom data, this framework handles the complexity while keeping your code clean and maintainable.

Two Ways to Build​

The Easy Way: DataView​

For most use cases, DataView is all you need. It's a high-level API that lets you define your entire admin interface in a single configuration array:

use Tangible\DataView\DataView;

$view = new DataView([
    'slug'   => 'contact_entry',
    'label'  => 'Contact',
    'fields' => [
        'name'    => 'string',
        'email'   => 'email',
        'message' => 'text',
    ],
    'ui' => [
        'menu_label' => 'Contact Entries',
    ],
]);

$view->register();

This single declaration creates:

  • A Custom Post Type to store your data
  • An admin menu page
  • List, create, and edit views
  • Form handling with validation
  • Proper sanitization

Get started with DataView →

The Flexible Way: Four-Layer Architecture​

For advanced customization, you can work directly with the four underlying layers:

  1. DataSet - Define field types and coercion rules
  2. EditorLayout - Compose the editor structure (sections, tabs, fields)
  3. Renderer - Generate HTML output from the layout
  4. RequestHandler - Handle CRUD operations with validation

Learn about the architecture →

Key Features​

  • Declarative configuration - Define your data structure once, get forms and validation automatically
  • Multiple storage backends - Custom Post Types, database tables, or WordPress options
  • Flexible layouts - Sections, tabs, sidebars, and nested structures
  • Built-in validation - Required fields, email, min/max, custom validators
  • Lifecycle hooks - React to create, update, and delete operations
  • Repeater fields - Manage collections of sub-items
  • Multiple renderers - Plain HTML or rich Tangible Fields components

Requirements​

  • PHP 8.0+
  • WordPress 5.0+