PageBuilder
Visual section builder for MODX 3: draft and publish without overwriting resource content
Key features
PageBuilder builds a page from section blocks instead of the resource Content field. Editors work on the Sections tab: draft, preview, publish. Developers add custom section types, fields, and output templates and hook in via pbOn* events.
Who it is for
| Role | What you get |
|---|---|
| Editor | Drag-and-drop sections, field inspector, draft, preview, publish without editing the template |
| Junior developer | 35 ready-made sections, 51 field types, JSON schema and Fenom in chunks without your own Vue |
| Senior developer | Events, custom section types, resource table data, UTM, miniShop3 and Collections integration |
Page builder
1. Section editor on the resource
The Sections tab on the resource form and in the PageBuilder control panel uses one Vue bundle via VueTools. Add sections from the catalog, reorder by drag or Alt+↑/↓, duplicate, and copy blocks between resources. If you close the Properties inspector with Cancel right after adding a section, the draft rolls back: no empty block remains on the page.
Details: Quick start, Manager and events.
2. Draft and publish
Autosave writes the draft. Preview shows it without publishing. Save on the MODX resource validates fields and publishes the layout to the site. The [[!PageBuilder]] snippet outputs only the published version.
Storage details: Workflow, Developer → Data model.
3. Free and Pro section catalog
| Layer | Sections | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 11 | hero, richtext, gallery, faq, cta |
| Pro | 24 | products_grid, contact_form, quiz, pricing_table, tabs |
Each section has its own page in the catalog: why to use the block, where to place it, what to fill in the inspector, similar sections.
4. Inspector and 51 field types
The field schema lives in section JSON: 31 Free types (text, repeater, migx, editorjs, image, multiselect, video…) and 20 Pro (relation, gallery, combo, embeddedTable…). Each type has a reference page with "Why", "When to use", and "Tips".
See Fields overview and type reference.
PageBuilder Pro
The pagebuilderpro extra adds Pro flags and extends the editor:
- Shared blocks: save as shared (immediate link), pull from another page (Link | Copy), local fields
libraryLocalFields - Section event journal: View / Restore (capability
versions) - Page templates: ordered empty sections (
pb_page_templates) - Examples: ready-made blocks in the catalog tab (
pagebuilder_catalog_examples_enabled) - Breakpoint field values: UI with
pagebuilder_responsive_editor_enabled, outputpagebuilder_responsive_apply(manualorcss) - Advanced fields: 20 types in the control panel (Pro group in the list). Without Pro, 31 Free types are available
- Global basket in the control panel: restore and permanent delete for sections and table rows (flag
basket)
Commerce sections (products_grid, curated_products…) require miniShop3.
Details: PageBuilder Pro, Agent API for scripts and agents.
Data and integrations
5. Resource table data
The Tables tab on a resource stores rows in pb_*: filters, pagination, CSV/JSON import, row basket. The data_table section and PageBuilderTableRows snippet output data on the site. The embeddedTable field connects a table by table_key without inline rows in document JSON.
6. UTM and contexts
UTM registry in the control panel, section visibility rules by tags and MODX context. The Visibility dialog in the inspector is enabled by pagebuilder_inspector_visibility_enabled. Placeholder {{utm:key}} in fields. Snippets PageBuilderUtmSession and PageBuilderUtmUrl for session and links.
7. Collections
With pagebuilder_collections_* enabled, Collections iframe tabs appear on the resource. The section editor and collections share one form.
8. Basket and undo
Page-level basket exists in Free. Global basket in the control panel is PageBuilder Pro (flag basket). The editor supports undo and redo. Copy sections between resources without manual JSON edits.
Frontend output
9. Fenom and section chunks
Each section renders through a chunk with Fenom (pdoTools). Field data lives in section.data. See MODX and Fenom examples on field pages and in Frontend output.
10. Snippets
| Snippet | Purpose |
|---|---|
PageBuilder | HTML of published sections |
PageBuilderResource | Sections from another resource |
PageBuilderSitemap | XML sitemap for pages with sections |
PageBuilderTableRows | Resource table rows |
PageBuilderUtmSession / PageBuilderUtmUrl | UTM on the frontend |
PageBuilderQuiz / PageBuilderContactForm | FetchIt handlers for Pro (quiz, contact_form; do not call from the template) |
| Public API | JSON of published sections for headless (api.php) |
Full list: Snippets.
11. pbOn* events
Plugins subscribe to save, publish, render, and Pro provider registration. Extension point without editing component core.
Event list: Events.
System requirements
| MODX Revolution | 3.0.3+ |
| PHP | 8.2+ |
| VueTools | 1.1.2+ |
| pdoTools | 3.0+ |
| miniShop3 | optional, for Pro commerce sections |
MODX namespace: pagebuilder. Pro installs as pagebuilderpro (Free core is pulled as a dependency).