15caa9746f
Blockstore and all of its (experimental) functionality has been replaced with openedx-learning, aka "Learning Core". This commit uninstalls the now-unused openedx-blockstore package and removes all dangling references to it. Note: This also removes the `copy_library_from_v1_to_v2` management command, which has been broken ever since we switched from Blockstore to Learning Core. Part of this DEPR: https://github.com/openedx/public-engineering/issues/238
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3.7 KiB
ReStructuredText
57 lines
3.7 KiB
ReStructuredText
xmodule
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#######
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The ``xmodule`` folder contains a variety of old-yet-important functionality core to both LMS and CMS, most notably:
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* the ModuleStore, edx-platform's "Version 1" learning content storage backend;
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* an XBlock Runtime implementation for ModuleStore-backed content;
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* the "partitions" framework for differentiated XBlock content;
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* implementations for the "stuctural" XBlocks: ``course``, ``chapter``, and ``sequential``;
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* the implementations of several different built-in content-level XBlocks, such as ``problem`` and ``html``; and
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* `assets for those built-in XBlocks`_.
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.. _assets for those built-in XBlocks: https://github.com/openedx/edx-platform/tree/master/xmodule/assets#readme
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Historical Context
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******************
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"XModule" was the original content framework for edx-platform, which gives the folder its current name.
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XModules rendered specific course run content types to users for both authoring and learning.
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For instance, there was an XModule for Videos, another for HTML snippets, and another for Sequences.
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XModule was succeeded in ~2013 by the "XBlock" framework, which served the same purpose, but put additional focus into flexibility and modularity.
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XBlock allows new content types to be created by anyone, completely external the edx-platform repository.
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It remains the platform's flagship content plugin framework to this day.
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For years, edx-platform supported both content frameworks simultaneously via a Frankenstein-ish hybrid XBlock+XModule runtime implementation in this directory.
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Fortunately, in 2021, `all remaining XModules were converted into XBlocks`_.
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Since support for the XModule framework is no longer necessary, `the BD-13 project`_ is now working to radically simplify the remaining XBlock runtime implementation.
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This folder was moved from ./common/lib/xmodule/xmodule to its current location, ./xmodule. The reasons that this folder (along with several others) were moved are detailed in `this ADR about the dissolution of sub-projects`_.
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.. _all remaining XModules were converted into XBlocks: https://discuss.openedx.org/t/xmodule-xblock-conversion-complete/4555
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.. _the BD-13 project: https://openedx.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/COMM/pages/3062333478/BD-13+xModule+--+xBlock+Conversion+Phase+2
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.. _this ADR about the dissolution of sub-projects: https://github.com/openedx/edx-platform/blob/master/docs/decisions/0015-sub-project-dissolution.rst
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Direction
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*********
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**Maintain, Simplify, Extract & Replace.**
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Currently, this directory contains a lot of mission-critical functionality, so continued maintenance and simplification of it is important.
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Still, we aim to eventually dissolve the directory in favor of more focused & decoupled subsystems:
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* ModuleStore is superseded by the `Learning Core`_ storage backend.
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* Learning Core-backend content is rendered by a new, simplified `edx-platform XBlock runtime`_.
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* Navigation, partitioning, and composition of learning content is being re-architected in the `openedx-learning`_ library.
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* All new XBlocks are implemented in separate repositories, such as `xblock-drag-and-drop-v2`_.
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To help with this direction, please **do not add new functionality to this directory**. If you feel that you need to add code to this directory, reach out on `the forums`_; it's likely that someone can help you find a different way to implement your change that will be more robust and architecturally sound!
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.. _Learning Core: https://github.com/openedx/openedx-learning/
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.. _edx-platform XBlock runtime: https://github.com/openedx/edx-platform/tree/master/openedx/core/djangoapps/xblock
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.. _openedx-learning: https://github.com/openedx/openedx-learning
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.. _xblock-drag-and-drop-v2: https://github.com/openedx/xblock-drag-and-drop-v2
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.. _the forums: https://discuss.openedx.org
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