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Latest From the Wheels Dev Blog

How OO Almost Destroyed a Business

I stumbled across an honest account by Marc Funaro about how OO almost destroyed his business. He spares no detail in the post, but I still think it is worthwhile to read in its entirety as a reality check for yourself. Dynamic languages like PHP and CFML have been on a quest over the past few years to be more "Java-like," adding more object oriented capabilities. These features bring a lot of promise for your code to become self-documenting and organized. But there have been undercurrents by pragmatists who contest that these features add unnecessary complexity for languages that were "fine just the way they were." As I've progressed through my career with ColdFusion, I've started agreeing more with the pragmatists. While ColdFusion experts have been arguing about "XML versus no-XML" over the past year, I've strongly desired getting my work done so I could feel some accomplishment and have a fresh breath of air away from my computer from time to time. With my personal experience, this is where ColdFusion on Wheels has entered and really brought the fun back into ColdFusion development. One thing that Wheels has done for me is use CFCs to organize my code and make database queries easier. But at the same time, I don't feel like I'm wasting too much time worrying about the design of my objects. It all just flows and works organically, and it all works that way simply by following conventions that we've laid out for you. I will forever be amazed at what David Heinemeier Hansson has accomplished by implementing the concepts of Ruby on Rails and what these concepts accomplish for me in my life as a CFML developer through my use of ColdFusion on Wheels. If you at all have felt CFML lose its magic in a way that Marc Funaro described so well, give Wheels a try. The more you uncover about our framework, the more it just makes sense. Our framework considers what ColdFusion as a platform does well and sticks with that. ColdFusion returns recordsets lightning-fast, so Wheels's findAll() methods return recordsets instead of CF's notoriously slow objects. (It also uses objects to represent data when that makes sense.) Wheels also helps you easily understand where your URLs point to in your code with its controller conventions. And hell, I'll even offer up the fact that Wheels's default URL behavior doesn't even give regard to the underlying platform. Having URLs that end with .cfm, .aspx, .jsp, etc. do nothing to contribute to the overall user experience anyway. These sentiments bring me a lot of hope for Wheels's role in the CFML community. We're pushing forward and helping you develop beautiful code using the best platform for developing web applications, period.

December 24, 2009 by Chris Peters

Upgrade to Wheels 0.8.1

We just put up a bug fix release that fixes a few critical errors with the 0.8 version:
  • Problem when placing application in a sub folder is now taken care of.
  • An error when trying to nullify a field is now fixed.
  • Missing rewrite rules for Apache are now included in the zip file again.
  • Wheels now runs fine on case sensitive operating systems once again.
You can download it from here. Thanks to everyone who reported errors and helped us test the solutions!

December 21, 2008 by Per Djurner

Wheels Screencasts Continue

If you haven't been keeping up the Wheels Screencast, now is a great time. We are up to 10. Starting with Episode 1: Setting up ColdFusion on Wheels and currently ending with Episode 10: Displaying Sets of Records in between we cover routes, flash, authentication, object validation, and more.

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December 02, 2010 by Mike Henke

Changing of the Guards at CFWheels

Hello everyone,

I was waiting to have more of my thoughts and plans ironed out before posting this message, but due to the intense interest from the community I’ve decided to post what I have, however premature.

As many of you know we have had some changes in the CFWheels core team. Several of the core team members, have decided to reduce their level of administrative involvement in the project and have stepped down from the core team. I have volunteered to take the reins of the project and we are in the middle of passing the baton as it were.

So what does this mean for the CFWheels project? 

Well, the fact that there is a transition in place at all, means the project will continue to live on. The CFWheels project has been around since 2005 and during that time different individuals have held the reins and guided the project along. This time is no different. I hope to be as worthy of a steward as those that have come before me.

So what are my thoughts for the future of the project?

From an administrative perspective I want to see what structure to adopt. Whether it is the core team structure we have had in the past or perhaps a more advisory committee structure would be better. We need to take stock of all the code in flight at the moment and try to get a roadmap sketched out. Setting up a funding structure for the project vis-á-vis Patreon.com, IssueHunt.io, BountySource.com, or OpenCollective.com. And finally looking at the legal structure of the project and if there is a need to formalize that by creating a LLC or 501.C corporation. 

At this point I have more questions than answers but I welcome your feedback and look forward to your support. 

March 29, 2022 by Peter Amiri

CFWheels 2.0 Released


Ok, it's been a while, but finally, CFWheels 2.0 has gone gold!

  1. Direct Download: Download zip
  2. Commandbox quick install : install cfwheels (Just downloads and unzips)
  3. Commandbox install wizard via CFWheels CLI (with url rewriting included):  wheels new (make sure your version of the CLI is up to date with install cfwheels-cli)

Make sure to check the “Breaking Changes” section, and please report any bugs. Needless to say, this has been a massive undertaking with over 1000 commits, and over a year in the making. The core team wishes to thank all the many contributors, testers, and well, just users of the framework. We think we're in a pretty strong place to move forward with loads more exciting things in the future. For a comprehensive list of changes, check the Changelog, but for a quick summary:

  1. New RESTful routing
  2. New Database migration system
  3. New automatically generating internal documentation
  4. New Plugin distribution system via CLI and Forgebox
  5. Better commandbox integration and CLI support
  6. Integrated CSRF Protection
  7. Vastly improved Test suite
  8. A complete rewrite of the core in cfscript, with javadoc style commenting
  9. And loads more...

Need help upgrading? Check the upgrade notes, and feel free to post questions to the Google Group, or hit us up on the #cfwheels room on the CFML Slack Channel

September 30, 2017 by Tom King

CFWheels 1.3.3 maintenance release

Today, we release the third maintenance release in the 1.3.x series. Download version 1.3.3 to fix the following bugs:
  • Correct output of boolean HTML attributes using new global booleanAttributes setting
  • Make sure locks cannot be affected by other applications running on the same server
  • Fixed bug with updating an integer column from NULL to 0
  • Fixed potential permissions issue when running on shared hosting
More info in the 1.3.3 CHANGELOG. If you're upgrading from 1.3.0+, you just need to replace the wheels folder with the new one from the download. If you're upgrading from an older version of CFWheels, see the instructions.

February 02, 2015 by Chris Peters

CFUnited 2010 on Wheels

As I posted earlier, ColdFusion on Wheels had some community presence at CFUnited 2010, the final year for the conference. There were a lot of great moments during the conference, a few of which I'll highlight in this post.

Wheels Highlighted in Adobe Keynote

One of the bigger moments for me was when Adam Lehman, product manager of Adobe ColdFusion, covered the 2009 launch of ColdFusion on Wheels in Adobe's keynote. The keynote kicked off the conference.

Our logo shined bright and proud on that slide! I know the photo is quite blurry, but it is now my personal goal for all photos of keynote appearances to look like Bigfoot sightings.

Familiar Faces

One of my favorite parts of the event was running into current Wheels users. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised to run across some familiar names. I got a chance to talk a little with Israel Melendez and Nathan Stanford, for example. Any time that I spoke with some of the better-known CF guys, I almost always received a compliment on how impressed they were with our community and how active and passionate that it is. We should be proud of that. I know I am. We also handed out 65 Wheels t-shirts to both familiar and new faces. Talk about a good ice-breaker for a first-time conference attendee like me!

Presentations

Thursday was the big day for ColdFusion on Wheels. Our birds of a feather session was well-attended, with both current Wheels users and new people interested in what the framework could do for them. Thanks Chaz and Mike for helping host it. Embedded below is the rehearsed version of the presentation that I gave about the Wheels ORM. It's a high level demo of Wheels and what it's like to work with the framework. Mike Henke also presented about Wheels and Convention over Configuration. You can download Mike's presentation and code on his website.

A Final Thank You

This was my first CFUnited ever, and I'm glad to have experienced it before it ended. Hats off to Michael Smith, Chaz Chumley, and the rest of the CFUnited organizers for the emotional labor and sacrifice that they put into hosting and organizing the conference all of these years.

December 03, 2010 by Chris Peters

Andy Bellenie to speak at Scotch on the Rocks 2013

Core team member Andy Bellenie is presenting at the Scotch on the Rocks conference this year, held 6-7 June in Edinburgh, Scotland. There's an great set of speakers lined up, including Ray Camden (Adobe), Luis Majano (Coldbox), Matt Gifford, Mike Henke, Bruce Lawson (Opera), Guust Nieuwenhuis and many more, not to mention Andy Allan and the guys from Fuzzy Orange who make it all possible. Andy will be presenting a talk on the use of mindfulness-meditation as a technique for both professional and personal development. He'll also be flying the flag for CFWheels at the conference and will run a BOF session for newbies and pros alike. More info on his talk can be found here: http://www.sotr.eu/index.cfm/main/presentation/by/andy_bellenie And the main conference site is here: http://www.sotr.eu/

April 24, 2013 by Andy Bellenie

Wheels API Documentation Available

The documentation now contains a section that documents all public functions in the Wheels API. You can now browse an complete list of the functions or browse by category. It feels good to remove the apology for incomplete documentation from the documentation section! As with almost everything else on the site, there is a lot more that we want to do with this new API documentation. Let us know in the Google Group if you have any ideas. Some future plans are as follows:
  • Comments section
  • Associate functions with other related functions and related chapters in the reference guide
  • Search
If you're interested in how we implemented this, visit my blog post where I briefly describe the general idea.

December 13, 2009 by Chris Peters

Welcome Don Humphreys to the core team

Please join me in welcoming Don Humphreys to the Wheels core team. Don has certainly grabbed our attention over the past few months with development of the CFRel and ColdRoute plugins, which bring some significant Rails 3 features to Wheels. Congratulations Don! We're looking forward to your contributions to the project. You can follow Don on GitHub as dhumphreys and Twitter as @dhumphreys88.

August 25, 2011 by Chris Peters

Welcome to Our Community

Welcome to Our Community - a place where like-minded people connect, share ideas,
and grow together in a positive and supportive environment.

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Wheels.dev Community

Top Contributors

Per Djurner

Contributed as a Software Developer

Per Djurner is a long-time core contributor and leader of the Wheels framework, with a history of shaping its direction since the project’s early days. He made the very first commit and has continued to contribute regularly, fixing important bugs, refining SQL handling, and enhancing model methods with more flexible options. In addition to code, he has improved documentation, templates, and overall project stability, ensuring Wheels remains reliable and developer-friendly. His work reflects both technical expertise and long-term commitment to the growth of the framework.

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Peter Amiri

Contributed as a Software Developer and Project Manager

Peter Amiri is a senior developer and community leader who has taken on a core team / maintainer role in the Wheels framework. He has decades of experience with ColdFusion (since version 1.5), including work in user-groups, large scale sites, and infrastructure. Since returning to the project, he’s helped revitalize it — organizing roadmap discussions, guiding structure changes, supervising modernization (including CLI improvements, package modularization, and updating workflows), and helping re-energize community contributions.

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Zain Ul Abideen

Contributed as a Software Developer

Zain Ul Abideen is an active contributor to the Wheels framework, playing a key role in improving its stability and usability. His work includes fixing issues like invalid columns not throwing exceptions, ensuring primary keys return correctly as numeric, and refining logic around calculated properties. He also enhanced view helpers to better handle active states and improved default routing behavior. Through these contributions, Zain has strengthened both the framework’s reliability and developer experience.

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Anthony Petruzzi

Contributed as a Software Developer

Anthony Petruzzi has made valuable contributions to the Wheels through code improvements, bug fixes, and collaborative reviews. They’ve helped refine core components, enhanced framework stability, and actively participated in issue discussions to steer design decisions. Their efforts in writing clear, maintainable code and offering constructive feedback in pull requests have strengthened the project’s code quality. Overall, Anthony Petruzzi involvement showcases dedication to open-source collaboration and meaningful impact on the Wheels ecosystem.

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Tom King

Contributed as a Software Developer and Maintainer

Tom King is one of the core maintainers of Wheels, with deep involvement in both development and leadership. He oversaw major releases, such as Wheels 2.0, which introduced features like RESTful routing, database migrations, improved CLI support, and a rewritten core in CFScript. He also helps steer the project’s long-term direction — writing blog posts reflecting on its history (e.g. noting its first commits, celebrating milestones) and working to modernize both tooling and community engagement.

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Adam Chapman

Contributed as a Software Developer

Adam Chapman has been a dedicated and influential contributor to the Wheels ecosystem. He joined the core team after years of community support, helping to steer architectural evolution and plugin integrations. Beyond code, he’s actively engaged in issue triage, proposing enhancements and shaping long-term design direction. His commitment to both community discussion and technical contributions has strengthened the project’s cohesion and future readiness.

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James

Contributed as a Software Developer

James has brought forward meaningful contributions to the Wheels through consistent code enhancements, test case development, and active engagement in issue resolution. He frequently submits detailed pull requests, helping to bolster the framework’s robustness and maintainability. Beyond code, James participates in discussion threads and reviews, offering thoughtful feedback which helps keep the project aligned with community needs. His steady involvement has strengthened both core modules and auxiliary features, making Wheels more reliable and polished for all users.

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Andrew Bellenie

Contributed as a Software Developer and Maintainer

Andrew Bellenie has played a pivotal role in the Wheels ecosystem, as a long-standing core team member and active community contributor. He brings deep experience in CFML development and framework architecture. Andy has contributed code, design feedback, documentation, and mentorship to newcomers. He also helps triage issues, guide feature direction, and maintain the project’s stability. His dedication helps keep the framework evolving and its community engaged.

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scahyono

Contributed as a Software Developer

scahyono has contributed thoughtful enhancements to the Wheels codebase, particularly in ensuring compatibility with Oracle setups. Notably, they worked on a module (or plugin) to allow ColdFusion on Wheels to correctly read table metadata across Oracle remote database links, which broadens database support and resilience. Their willingness to tackle specialized integration challenges strengthens the framework’s versatility and helps more users adopt Wheels in diverse environments.

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MvdO79

Contributed as a Software Developer

MvdO79 has shown his support for the Wheels not only through code but also as a financial backer. He contributes monthly via Open Collective, helping sustain the framework’s ongoing development. Beyond funding, his presence in issue discussions demonstrates engagement with bug tracking and community feedback. His dual role-as supporter and participant-reinforces the open-source spirit behind Wheels.

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Raul Riera

Contributed as a Software Developer

Raúl Riera has been an enthusiastic supporter and contributor to the Wheels community-beyond writing code, he’s helped through design, advocacy, and community engagement. He has designed swag such as T-shirts for Wheels events and promoted the framework through his dev shop, Hipervínculo. As a software entrepreneur (founder of Odonto.me) and developer, Raúl bridges technical and community roles, helping raise awareness of Wheels and adding a touch of creativity and outreach to the project’s ecosystem.

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Michael Diederich

Contributed as a Software Developer

Michael Diederich has contributed key fixes and enhancements to the Wheels, particularly around framework usability and interface issues. Notably, he addressed documentation and UI elements-changes such as showing the current Git branch in the debug layout in version 2.5.0 reflect his involvement. In earlier releases, he also fixed bugs (for example with form and URL handling in the startFormTag() and array routing) that improved reliability across use cases. His contributions help refine both developer-facing tools and core correctness.

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Rob Cameron

Contributed as a Software Developer

Rob Cameron had the original idea for CFWheels (and by extension, the foundation for Wheels), having built the framework with inspiration from Ruby on Rails in 2005. Though he eventually moved on from active core development to focus on other projects (such as Rails work), his early design and architectural direction still underpin much of the project's structure and philosophy.

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Chris Peters

Contributed as a Software Developer

Chris Peters has been foundational in the development, documentation, and promotion of the Wheels framework since its early days. He authored many of the earliest releases, oversaw version 1.3.0 that introduced HTML5 enhancements, table less models, and thread-safe startup, and managed releases like 1.0.5 with dozens of bug fixes and stability updates. He also wrote technical blog posts about core features (flash messages, asset query strings, error handling) and established guidelines for contributing and documentation, helping to build a strong community around the framework.

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David Paul Belanger

Contributed as a Software Developer

David Paul Belanger has been a core force behind the Wheels, contributing both technically and strategically across many versions. He has co-authored features and bug fixes (such as updates to sendFile() and usesLayout()) in the 2.x releases. Beyond code, David has helped lead the transition of the framework’s governance and been active in community outreach-having participated in CF-Alive podcasts and collaborated with Tom King and others on guiding the project’s future direction.

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John Bampton

Contributed as a Software Developer and Documentation Writer

John Bampton made his mark as a contributor to the Wheels project beginning with version 2.4.0, where he helped fix broken links in documentation and correct spelling errors in the README and core templates. His attention to detail improved the documentation clarity and usability for future developers. Though he is noted as a “new contributor,” his work helped plug small but important gaps in the project’s written material, aiding the framework’s polish and accessibility.

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Simon

Contributed as a Software Developer

Simon contributed to the Wheels framework by refining code and improving framework functionality. His work helped address issues and enhance stability, making the project more reliable and easier for developers to use. These contributions support the continued growth and effectiveness of the Wheels ecosystem.

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Brian Ramsey

Contributed as a Software Developer and Quality Assurance Engineer

Brian Ramsey has been a long-time contributor and advocate within the Wheels community. His work spans both code contributions and knowledge sharing, with a focus on improving framework usability for everyday developers. Brian has participated in bug resolution, tested new releases, and provided feedback that shaped core improvements. Beyond code, he’s been active in community discussions, answering questions, and guiding newer users. His steady involvement has helped ensure Wheels remains both developer-friendly and reliable, reflecting his commitment to open-source collaboration and practical problem solving.

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Danny Beard

Contributed as a Software Developer

Danny Beard has contributed to the Wheels framework through targeted code enhancements and thoughtful participation in issue discussions. His work has included fixing bugs, refining logic in core functions, and improving overall framework consistency. Danny’s involvement reflects an eye for detail and a practical approach to problem-solving, ensuring the framework remains dependable in real-world applications. Beyond code, his willingness to collaborate with other contributors has reinforced the community-driven nature of Wheels, helping maintain a strong and sustainable open-source project.

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Reuben Brown

Contributed as a Software Developer

Reuben Brown has been a valuable contributor to the Wheels framework, offering code improvements and community input that strengthen the project’s overall quality. His work includes bug fixes and refinements that enhance stability and usability, ensuring developers can rely on Wheels in production environments. Reuben’s involvement extends beyond code, as he has taken part in discussions, reviewed issues, and provided practical feedback to guide development. His contributions reflect a thoughtful balance of technical skill and collaborative spirit, reinforcing the open-source ethos of the Wheels project.

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Seb

Contributed as a Software Developer

Seb has provided important contributions to the Wheels that help improve framework robustness and usability. Through resolving issues, submitting pull requests, and polishing code, Seb has helped close gaps and make the system smoother for both new and experienced users. They’ve also participated in reviews, giving constructive feedback, which strengthens code quality and consistency across releases. Seb’s steady involvement supports the project’s open-source mission, making Wheels more reliable, maintainable, and welcoming for all contributors.

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timbadolato

Contributed as a Software Developer

Timbadolato has contributed to the Wheels with a focus on improving functionality, fixing issues, and enhancing developer experience. His pull requests demonstrate a clear attention to detail, addressing edge cases and refining framework behavior to make it more predictable and reliable. By engaging in code reviews and community discussions, timbadolato has helped shape technical decisions and ensured smoother adoption for users. His contributions highlight a practical, solution-oriented approach that supports both the long-term stability and growth of the Wheels ecosystem.

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Alex

Contributed as a Software Developer

Alex has played a supportive and constructive role in the Wheels, contributing code improvements and feedback that strengthen the framework’s overall reliability. His efforts include bug fixes, refinements to core features, and helpful participation in discussions that guide project direction. By addressing issues and proposing practical solutions, Alex has contributed to making Wheels easier to use and more stable for developers. His involvement reflects a collaborative spirit and reinforces the open-source values that keep the project moving forward.

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Chris Geirman

Contributed as a Software Developer

Chris Geirman made contributions to the Wheels that helped refine parts of the codebase and improve developer experience. While his involvement was smaller in scope, his participation still added value to the framework and reflects the spirit of open-source collaboration.

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Zac Spitzer

Contributed as a Software Developer

Zac Spitzer provided contributions to the Wheels that helped address specific issues and improve framework stability. Though his involvement was brief, his work added value to the codebase and demonstrated the importance of community participation in strengthening and maintaining open-source projects.

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Nikolaj Frey

Contributed as a Software Developer

Nikolaj Frey has made contributions to the Wheels framework that supported improvements in the project’s codebase and functionality. While his involvement was limited in scope, his participation still added meaningful value, reinforcing the collaborative nature of the open-source community that drives Wheels forward.

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Gralen

Contributed as a Software Developer

Gralen contributed improvements to the Wheels framework that enhanced code quality and supported overall stability. Their work helped refine the project and contributed to making the framework more reliable for developers using it in real-world applications.

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Doug McCaughan

Contributed as a Software Developer

Doug McCaughan contributed to the Wheels framework by helping refine functionality and addressing issues that improved developer experience. His efforts supported the stability of the project and ensured smoother use of core features. Through his work, Doug added value to the framework’s ongoing development and its open-source community.

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Coleman Sperando

Contributed as a Software Developer

Coleman Sperando contributed to the Wheels framework by making improvements that strengthened its functionality and reliability. His work addressed specific areas of the codebase, helping to refine features and ensure a smoother experience for developers. These contributions supported the project’s ongoing growth and the collaborative effort behind Wheels.

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Charlie Arehart

Contributed as a Software Developer

Charlie Arehart has supported the Wheels framework through his deep expertise in ColdFusion and the broader CFML ecosystem. He has provided valuable feedback, shared knowledge with the community, and highlighted best practices that strengthen adoption and reliability. His involvement helps connect Wheels development with the wider ColdFusion community, ensuring the framework remains relevant and accessible to developers.

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Charley Contreras

Contributed as a Software Developer

Charley Contreras contributed to the Wheels framework by helping refine parts of the codebase and supporting improvements that enhance usability. His work added value to the project’s overall stability and reflects the collaborative effort of developers working together to keep the framework evolving and reliable.

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Brant Nielsen

Contributed as a Software Developer

Brant Nielsen contributed to the Wheels framework by improving functionality and addressing issues that supported better performance and reliability. His work helped refine the codebase and enhance the developer experience, reinforcing the project’s commitment to building a stable and effective open-source framework.

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Ben Nadel

Contributed as a Software Developer

Ben Nadel is a veteran ColdFusion developer known for deep technical thought leadership and contributions to the community, including work around Wheels and related topics. He writes regularly about extending and customizing parts of Wheels (for example, customizing the router/proxy component behavior to suit specific workflow preferences). He also shares experiments and educational posts (e.g. integrating HTMX in ColdFusion apps) that help other developers understand modern patterns in CFML. While he may not always be contributing direct core framework commits, his influence shows up in how people use and adapt Wheels in real-world apps, and in sharing best practices, tutorials, and ideas that help shape how the framework is viewed and utilized.

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Andrei B.

Contributed as a Software Developer

Andrei B. contributed to the Wheels framework by helping refine code and improve functionality in targeted areas of the project. His efforts supported greater stability and usability, making the framework more dependable for developers. These contributions reflect the collaborative spirit that drives the ongoing success of Wheels.

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Adam Larsen

Contributed as a Software Developer

Adam Larsen contributed to the Wheels framework by improving functionality and addressing issues that enhanced the stability and reliability of the codebase. His work helped refine features and ensure a smoother experience for developers, supporting the ongoing growth and maintenance of the project.

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