Who this is for

You are extending DeskFlow beyond inline Application\ code — publishing a reusable Composer package, registering an AppProvider for middleware and routes, or looking up global helpers like response() and table().

What you will learn

• The difference between plain plugins (libraries) and providers (boot hooks)
• Where to register an AppProvider in settings.ini or bootstrap/application.php
• Which guide covers Packagist publishing vs hook reference vs helper index

Before you start

How it works

Most teams extend Pionia in two ways:

1. Application code — services, switches, middleware under Application\ in your repo.
2. Composer packages — reusable libraries; some packages also ship a provider to register middleware, routes, or commands automatically.

Start with Composer packages if you are publishing to Packagist. Use App providers when you need the full hook list and boot order.

Common mistakes

• Putting boot-time wiring in a service action instead of an AppProvider — helpers like logger() are not available before AppRealm::create() returns
• Using a generic API version slug (v2) in a package routes() — collides with the host app’s switches
• Forgetting php pionia cache:clear after removing a provider from [app_providers]
• Requiring RoadRunner or Redis in package require instead of suggest — breaks minimal installs

What’s next