The Model is part of the Model-View-Controller software design pattern.
The model handles containing the data for the application, performing data validation, and the rules / logic of the application. It receives the raw data from the controller, and then maps that into a class. A model is then made up of a number of properties, with getters and setters, and other various functions.
Each model in Submitty is derived off the AbstractModel class which provides
scaffolding for creating getters and setters for class properties. To take advantage
of this, a property must use one of the following annotation tags:
@prop(will create both a setter and getter)@prop-read(will only create a getter)@prop-write(will only create a setter)
As part of the setter, automatic type-casting will happen based on the type
information passed on the @var annotation tag for basic types (string, int, etc.).