BoxLang for CFML Developers

Overview

BoxLang is a new language with a dual parser — it can parse and run CFML file types (.cfc, .cfm, .cfs) while also offering a modern native syntax via .bx / .bxs / .bxm files. For full CFML behavioral parity, install the bx-compat-cfml compatibility module.

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The bx-compat-cfml Compatibility Module

The module patches BoxLang to behave like Adobe ColdFusion or Lucee for legacy code:

# CommandBox install
install bx-compat-cfml

# Auto-install via server.json script
{
    "scripts": {
        "onServerInitialInstall": "install bx-compat-cfml"
    }
}

What it enables/restores:

• client scope support
• cfsqltype / cf_sql_* query param syntax
• blockfactor query option (instead of fetchSize)
• Date comparison at second-level precision (instead of millisecond)
• CFML tag prefix <cfXXX> alongside <bx:XXX>
• Legacy BIF names (asc, chr, serializeJSON, etc.)

If CFML files start up without this module, BoxLang will still parse them — but behavioral differences (listed below) will apply.

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File Types

BoxLang parses all traditional CFML file types:

Extension	Type	Notes
.cfc	Component / Class	CFML classes
.cfs	Script	CFML scripts
.cfm	Template	CFML templates
.bx	Class	Native BoxLang class
.bxs	Script	Native BoxLang script
.bxm	Template	Native BoxLang template

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Components → Classes

CFML components become classes in BoxLang. component and class keywords are interchangeable, but .bx files use class:

// CFML (.cfc)
component {
    property name="firstName";
}

// BoxLang (.bx)
class {
    property name="firstName";
}

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Tags → Components (Template Prefix Change)

BoxLang uses a <bx: prefix in templates instead of <cf:

<!-- CFML -->
<cfif expression>
    <cfelse>
</cfif>

<!-- BoxLang -->
<bx:if expression>
    <bx:else>
</bx:if>

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Default Assignment Scope in Functions

File Type	Default function assignment scope
.cfm / .cfc	variables (CFML behavior)
.bx / .bxs / .bxm	local (BoxLang behavior)

// In a .cfc — assigns to variables scope (CFML compat)
function foo() {
    x = 42  // variables.x
}

// In a .bx — assigns to local scope (BoxLang default)
function foo() {
    x = 42  // local.x
}

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Function output Annotation Default

File Type	Default output
.cfm / .cfc	true
.bx / .bxs / .bxm	false

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Accessors Are true by Default

BoxLang enables accessors automatically — no need to declare accessors="true" on CFML classes:

class {
    property name="fullName";
}

var user = new User()
user.setFullName( "Luis" )         // generated setter
println( user.getFullName() )      // generated getter

Invoke Implicit Accessors

BoxLang also enables implicit accessor invocation by default — property-style access calls the getter/setter transparently:

user.fullName = "Luis Majano"   // calls setFullName()
println( user.fullName )        // calls getFullName()

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Annotations (Documentation Comments)

In CFML, doc comment annotations affect function/argument behavior. In BoxLang, doc comments are documentation only — move behavioral annotations to proper @annotation syntax:

// CFML
/**
 * @output false
 * @brad wood
 * @myService my hint here
 * @myService.inject
 */
function foo( required any myService ) {}

// BoxLang
/**
 * @myService my hint here
 */
@output( false )
@brad( "wood" )
@myService.inject
function foo( required any myService ) {}

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Multiple Catch Types

BoxLang supports catching multiple exception types in one catch block:

try {
    // ...
} catch ( foo.Exception | bar.Exception | com.luis.majano e ) {
    println( e.message )
}

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castAs Operator

Use castAs instead of javaCast():

// CFML
javaCast( "int", myValue )

// BoxLang
myValue castAs "int"

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Import and Object Resolvers

BoxLang's import supports class aliases and resolver prefixes:

// Standard import
import models.User

// With alias (avoids name collisions)
import java:org.apache.User as jUser
import models.User

var oUser = new jUser()
var appUser = new User()

// Resolvers in extends/implements
class implements="java:java.io.Serializable" {
    // ...
}

Built-in resolvers: bx: (default), java:

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No client Scope (Without Compat Module)

BoxLang does not implement a native client scope. Use session instead — sessions can be backed by any cache provider and distributed. Install bx-compat-cfml if you need client scope for legacy code.

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BIF Renames

CFML	BoxLang
asc()	ascii()
chr()	char()
serializeJSON()	jsonSerialize()
deserializeJSON()	jsonDeserialize()
getComponentMetadata()	getClassMetadata()

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createObject Type Change

// CFML
createObject( "component", "models.User" )

// BoxLang
createObject( "class", "models.User" )

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JDBC Query Changes

sqltype replaces cfsqltype

// CFML
queryExecute(
    "SELECT * FROM users WHERE id = :id",
    { id: { value: arguments.id, cfsqltype: "cf_sql_numeric" } }
)

// BoxLang (preferred)
queryExecute(
    "SELECT * FROM users WHERE id = :id",
    { id: { value: id, sqltype: "numeric" } }
)

Syntax	BoxLang Core Behavior
sqltype: "numeric"	✅ Preferred
sqltype: "cf_sql_numeric"	Silently treated as "numeric"
cfsqltype: "cf_sql_numeric"	❌ Error in core; OK with bx-compat-cfml

fetchSize replaces blockfactor

// CFML
queryExecute( "SELECT * FROM bigTable", {}, { blockfactor: 100 } )

// BoxLang
queryExecute( "SELECT * FROM bigTable", {}, { fetchSize: 100 } )

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Date and Time Handling

BoxLang uses java.time.ZonedDateTime (not java.util.Date) for all date/time values. This means:

• Precision: millisecond-level (CFML was second-level)
• Timezone-aware by default
• Greater internationalization accuracy

// If you need to pass a date to Java code requiring java.util.Date
var legacyDate = toLegacyDate( myDate )

With bx-compat-cfml, date comparison functions revert to second-level precision to match legacy behavior.

Date Addition Rounding

BoxLang correctly rounds date additions to the millisecond. Legacy engines incorrectly rounded sub-second additions to the minute:

var epochDate = parseDateTime( "1970-01-01T00:00:00.000Z" )
var updatedDate = dateAdd( "s", 500/1000, epochDate )
// BoxLang: "1970-01-01T00:00:01.000Z" ✅
// Legacy CFML engines: "1970-01-01T00:01:00.000Z" ❌ (wrong)

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structCopy Behavior Change (Lucee)

Lucee's structCopy( cfc ) returned a shallow copy of the CFC. BoxLang returns a struct representation of the properties instead. Use duplicate() for a shallow CFC copy:

// Lucee
var copy = structCopy( myCFC )  // returned CFC copy — no longer works this way

// BoxLang
var copy = myCFC.duplicate()    // correct shallow copy

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getCurrentTemplatePath() and Relative Includes

BoxLang makes template path resolution consistent across all cases. The "current template path" and relative lookups always resolve to the original source file on disk of the executing code — regardless of whether it's an injected UDF, a closure, or a direct include.

Adobe CF and Lucee disagree with each other for injected UDFs; BoxLang picks one sane, consistent rule.

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Auto-casting of Arguments and Return Types

When a function argument or return value is typed as numeric, BoxLang actively casts the value to a real number (not a string that looks like one). This is transparent in most cases but can affect:

• getClass() checks on the underlying Java type
• Passing values directly to Java methods expecting a specific numeric type

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Migration Checklist

• Install bx-compat-cfml for legacy CFML apps before making any changes
• Replace cfsqltype with sqltype and strip cf_sql_ prefix
• Replace blockfactor query option with fetchSize
• Move doc comment annotations (@output false, etc.) to proper @annotation syntax in .bx files
• Replace createObject("component", ...) with createObject("class", ...)
• Update BIF calls: serializeJSON → jsonSerialize, chr → char, etc.
• Replace <cf tag prefix with <bx: in templates being migrated to .bxm
• Use toLegacyDate() only when passing dates to Java APIs requiring java.util.Date
• Replace structCopy( cfc ) with myCFC.duplicate() if coming from Lucee
• Verify function default scoping — .bx functions default to local, not variables
• Verify output annotation behavior — .bx functions default to output=false
• Leverage castAs operator instead of javaCast() in new BoxLang code
• Use import java:ClassName as alias to resolve class name collisions