Chamilo LMS

Chamilo LMS is a self‑hosted, open‑source learning management system that has served over 30 million users worldwide. Built on modern PHP and Symfony components, it offers a modular architecture that allows developers to extend core functionality through plugins, REST APIs, and webhooks. The project is actively maintained with a rigorous CI pipeline that includes Behat, PHPUnit, and static analysis tools (Scrutinizer, Psalm), ensuring high code quality and predictable releases.

Technical Stack & Architecture

• Language & Frameworks: PHP 8.2+, Symfony 6+ (core, HTTP foundation, Messenger). The codebase follows PSR‑4 autoloading and leverages Doctrine ORM for database abstraction.
• Database: MySQL/MariaDB (default) with optional PostgreSQL support. Schema migrations are handled by Doctrine Migrations, enabling reproducible deployments.
• Front‑end: Symfony Twig templates with a vanilla JS layer; optional Yarn-managed assets (Vue/React can be integrated via Webpack Encore). The UI is responsive and accessible, built with Bootstrap 5.
• Service Layer: Symfony Messenger handles asynchronous tasks (email queues, grading workflows). Caching is available via Redis or Memcached.

The architecture separates concerns into bundles (e.g., Chamilo\CoreBundle, Chamilo\CourseBundle) that can be swapped or overridden, making the system highly extensible.

Core Capabilities for Developers

• RESTful API: Full CRUD on users, courses, lessons, and grades. OAuth2 authentication is supported via the Symfony Security component.
• Webhooks: Trigger events on user enrollment, course completion, or assessment submission; useful for integrations with external analytics or LMS‑as‑a‑Service platforms.
• Plugin System: Register new bundles via the config/bundles.php file. Plugins can add routes, services, and database tables without touching core code.
• Event Dispatcher: Symfony events (CourseCreated, UserRegistered) allow developers to hook into lifecycle actions.
• CLI Tools: Symfony Console commands for course import/export, user bulk operations, and cache clearing.

Deployment & Infrastructure

Chamilo is designed for self‑hosting on Linux servers. Minimum hardware: 2 vCPUs, 4 GB RAM, and 4 GB free disk (production). Docker images are available in the official repository, enabling rapid spin‑up of isolated environments. For scaling, you can deploy multiple application instances behind a load balancer, using Redis for session storage and a shared MySQL cluster. The Symfony Messenger transport can be backed by RabbitMQ or Amazon SQS for high‑throughput background jobs.

Integration & Extensibility

• SAML/OIDC: Single sign‑on via external identity providers.
• LTI 1.3 & 2.0: Launch courses from third‑party tools and embed Chamilo content elsewhere.
• LDAP/Active Directory: Sync users for enterprise deployments.
• Custom Themes: Override Twig templates and assets; the theming system supports brand‑specific styling without code changes.

The combination of Symfony components and a well‑documented plugin API makes it straightforward to add new learning modules, analytics dashboards, or custom grading algorithms.

Developer Experience

Chamilo’s documentation is extensive: setup guides, API references, and a dedicated “Developer” section. The community is active on GitHub, with issue triage, pull‑request reviews, and a Discord channel for real‑time support. Continuous integration ensures that new contributions pass unit tests, static analysis, and code coverage checks before merging.

Use Cases

• Educational Institutions: Deploy a fully custom LMS that integrates with existing student information systems and supports large‑scale online courses.
• Corporate Training: Build micro‑learning modules, track compliance, and export data to HR analytics platforms via webhooks.
• EdTech Startups: Rapidly prototype new learning experiences, leveraging Chamilo’s plugin architecture to experiment with adaptive assessments.
• Government & NGOs: Deploy a free, GDPR‑compliant LMS for remote learning initiatives without vendor lock‑in.

Advantages Over Alternatives

• Open Source & GPLv3+: No licensing fees, full source access.
• Performance: Symfony’s HTTP caching and Doctrine’s query optimization deliver fast response times even with complex course structures.
• Flexibility: Modular bundles and a robust plugin system allow tailoring the LMS to niche educational workflows.
• Community & Security: Active maintenance, frequent security patches, and a strong CI pipeline reduce technical debt.
• Scalability: Built‑in support for asynchronous processing and horizontal scaling makes it suitable for both small schools and large universities.

In summary, Chamilo LMS offers a developer‑friendly, extensible platform that balances robust core functionality with the flexibility to build custom learning solutions. Its mature Symfony‑based architecture, comprehensive API surface, and active community make it a compelling choice for organizations seeking control over their e‑learning stack.