• An object that stores information.
  • Content
  • Configuration

• No actual Entity Class in D7 core.
• PHP Standard Objects
  • Node
  • User
  • Taxonomy
  • Comments

• In Drupal 8, Entities are first class objects
• Content

  \Drupal\Core\Entity\ContentEntityBase

  abstract class ContentEntityBase extends Entity implements \IteratorAggregate, ContentEntityInterface

• Configuration

  \Drupal\Core\Config\Entity\ConfigEntityBase

  abstract class ConfigEntityBase extends Entity implements ConfigEntityInterface

• UML

• If you've been working with Drupal for multiple versions, now is the time to stop thinking in nodes.
• Use fields to model your real processes and relationships.

• QueryFactory: entity.query
• You may see blog post refering to the EntityManager Service
  • Deprecated
  • See: https://www.drupal.org/node/2549139
  • Use EntityTypeManger: entity_type.manager
• Accessing fields with methods.
• Setting field values. Check ::generateSampleValue on the field class to get structure.

• Drupal Console
• drupal generate:module
• drupal generate:entity:content
• drupal generate:entity:config

• An entity interface in the /src directory.
  • Conform your entity to multiple types by extending core interfaces.
    • ContentEntityInterface
      For obvious reasons...
    • EntityChangedInterface
      • Defines an interface for entity change timestamp tracking.
      • Allows more precise cache invalidation.
      • Disallows concurrent editing
    • EntityOwnerInterface
      Allow reassigning entity ownership.

• An entity class at /src/Entity/
  • extend ContentEntityBase
  • implement the custom interface just discussed.
  • @ContentEntityType Annotations
    • Refer to \Drupal\Core\Entity\EntityType for all possible properties
    • id: The unique identifier of this entityType.
    • label: Human readable name of the entity type
    • handlers: You can use handlers provided by parent or override with your own. Implement classes in /src for any overrides.
    • base_table: Define a unique name for the table used to store the data.

• An entity class at /src/Entity/
  • @ContentEntityType Annotations continued...
    • fieldable: Can additional fields be added to the entity via the admin UI?
    • entity_keys: Map entity columns to standard keys.
    • links: Provide routes to do standard tasks.
    • admin_permission: The permission string. Must define in a permissions.yml file.
  • implement baseFieldDefinitions
    Base fields are fields that exist for every bundle. See: Drupal\Core\Entity\FieldableEntityInterface. Note that entities can have base fields without being designated fieldable.

• Customize your entity list by extending EntityListBuilder. Add a list_builder annotation.
• Handlers you may wish to implement:
  • views_data
  • forms for add/edit and delete
  • access (Pair with a permissions.yml file.)
  • route_provider
• A routing.yml file is not needed if you implement a route provider. https://www.drupal.org/node/2593577
• Yaml files for local tasks, local actions and menu defaults. https://www.drupal.org/node/2302893

• Very Similar
  • Extending ConfigEntityInterface & ConfigEntityBase
  • Corresponding extensions of ConfigEntity classes for forms and list
  • Form controllers
  • Route provider
• Need a config/schema/module_name.schema.yml file. This defines the schema for yaml files used to export the entity.
• Each property on the defining class should have a mapping in the schema.yml

The Example Project

https://www.drupal.org/project/examples

Content Entity Cheatsheet

http://wizzlern.nl/drupal/drupal-8-entity-cheat-sheet

Drupal Console

https://drupalconsole.com

“Bring him here.”

“Question him we will.”