Developing a Content Personalization Module for 1C-Bitrix

Imagine an online store on 1C-Bitrix with 50,000 products. A new visitor sees the same landing page as a wholesale client. Conversion drops, and personalization is absent. This is a typical situation for many projects: static blocks of content do not consider the interests of different segments. We develop a content personalization module that solves this problem. Our team has 7+ years of experience in 1C-Bitrix development and has completed over 50 projects.

Personalized blocks yield CTR 35–50% higher than static ones, and conversion in segmented groups grows 1.5–2 times. The module integrates easily with the existing trade catalog and CRM. According to our data, implementing personalization increases LTV by 20% and shortens the purchase path by 30%.

Why standard Bitrix tools are insufficient for content personalization?

User groups with access restrictions do not provide flexible personalization. You cannot show different content to a new visitor and a client with orders. As 1C-Bitrix documentation notes, user groups are not intended for flexible personalization. For that, you need segments with dynamic conditions, behavioral profiles, and recalculation agents. Our module vendor.personalize adds this functionality without changing the kernel.

How does the content personalization module improve conversion?

The module builds a data model that includes the following entities:

• b_vendor_ps_rule — personalization rules: id, name, priority, conditions (JSON), action (JSON), is_active, created_at
• b_vendor_ps_segment — audience segments: id, name, conditions (JSON), is_active
• b_vendor_ps_user_segment — user membership in segments: user_id, segment_id, assigned_at
• b_vendor_ps_impression — impressions of personalized content: id, rule_id, user_id, session_id, element_id, created_at
• b_vendor_ps_profile — behavioral profile: user_id or session_id, data (JSON: viewed sections, categories, source, RFM metrics)

Segmentation and condition evaluation — developing the personalization module

Segments are defined by a set of conditions. Example conditions for the "warm users" segment — visited 3+ times in the last 7 days, came from search, haven't purchased yet:

{
  "logic": "AND",
  "rules": [
    {"type": "visit_count",     "operator": ">=", "value": 3},
    {"type": "has_orders",      "operator": "=",  "value": false},
    {"type": "last_visit_days", "operator": "<=", "value": 7},
    {"type": "traffic_source",  "operator": "=",  "value": "google"}
  ]
}

Condition evaluation is performed by the SegmentEvaluator class:

class SegmentEvaluator
{
    public function evaluate(array $conditions, PersonalityProfile $profile): bool
    {
        $logic = $conditions['logic'] ?? 'AND';
        $results = [];

        foreach ($conditions['rules'] as $rule) {
            $results[] = $this->evaluateRule($rule, $profile);
        }

        return $logic === 'AND'
            ? !in_array(false, $results)
            : in_array(true, $results);
    }

    private function evaluateRule(array $rule, PersonalityProfile $profile): bool
    {
        return match ($rule['type']) {
            'visit_count'     => $this->compare($profile->getVisitCount(), $rule['operator'], $rule['value']),
            'has_orders'      => $profile->hasOrders() === (bool)$rule['value'],
            'last_visit_days' => $this->compare($profile->getDaysSinceLastVisit(), $rule['operator'], $rule['value']),
            'traffic_source'  => $profile->getTrafficSource() === $rule['value'],
            'city_id'         => in_array($profile->getCityId(), (array)$rule['value']),
            default           => true,
        };
    }
}

Behavioral profile

Each visit updates the session/user profile. Over 100,000 profiles are processed overnight.

// Initialized in init.php via the OnProlog event
PersonalityProfileCollector::collect([
    'page'           => $_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'],
    'referrer'       => $_SERVER['HTTP_REFERER'] ?? null,
    'utm_source'     => $_GET['utm_source'] ?? null,
    'iblock_section' => $APPLICATION->GetCurDir(), // current section
]);

The profile is stored in b_vendor_ps_profile as JSON and contains: visit counter, viewed categories, first and last visit dates, first visit source, order presence flag.

Personalized blocks

The vendor:personalize.block component — replaces a static content block:

// In the page template:
$APPLICATION->IncludeComponent('vendor:personalize.block', '', [
    'ELEMENT_ID' => 'hero_cta', // block identifier on the page
]);

The component finds the active personalization rule for the current user and renders the corresponding content. Rule actions can be:

• show_text — show text/HTML
• show_iblock_element — show a specific info block element
• show_banner — show a banner from b_vendor_ps_banner
• redirect — redirect to a URL

Segment recalculation

Segment membership is not determined on every request — that's expensive. An agent recalculates segments nightly:

// For each active segment — recalculate from b_vendor_ps_profile
// Result — INSERT/DELETE in b_vendor_ps_user_segment
SegmentCalculator::recalculate();

For new session users (not authenticated) — evaluation in real time using session data. Recalculation takes 2 minutes for 5000 users.

Analytics

• CTR of personalized blocks vs standard (comparison with control group)
• Distribution of users by segments
• Conversion by segment to orders

Comparison: standard groups vs personalization module

What's included in the work

• Module source code with migrations
• Installation and agent configuration guide
• Administrator training on working with rules and segments
• 6-month warranty on module code

How to set up the module in 5 steps

1. Install the vendor.personalize module via Marketplace or manual upload.
2. Run migrations to create ORM tables.
3. Configure the profile collection agent in the module settings.
4. Create segments and rules through the administrative interface.
5. Place the vendor:personalize.block component in the desired templates.

Development timeline

Total: 11 working days. Integration with ML recommendation models (collaborative filtering) is a separate project.

Assess the effectiveness of personalization for your store — get a preliminary estimate. Contact us for a consultation. Order development of a personalization module for your tasks.

1C-Bitrix Module Development and Setup

The main trap of Bitrix is init.php. You add an OnBeforeIBlockElementUpdate handler there, then another one — a year later the file is 2000 lines, and on every hit all that code executes. We move business logic into full-fledged modules with D7 ORM, custom tables, and administrative interface. The module can be disabled, transferred to another project, covered with tests — none of that is possible with init.php. Our team has 10+ years of Bitrix experience, certified specialists, and a 6-month code guarantee. Request a consultation — we'll explain how to migrate legacy code to a modular architecture.

Why is init.php the worst place for business logic?

Init.php does not support class autoloading, lacks an isolated namespace, cannot be unit tested, and cannot be disabled without editing the file itself. Every handler written there runs on every request, even if not needed. In a module, you register handlers through EventManager, and they only execute when the event occurs. Performance difference: up to 3x with 10+ handlers.

Standard Modules: Typical Problems and Solutions

Information blocks. IBlock architecture is the first thing we review on any project. A classic mistake: one catalog infoblock with 80 properties, 30 of which are multiple. The b_iblock_element_property table swells to millions of rows, and CIBlockElement::GetList with filtering on three properties does a full scan. We move reference data to Highload-blocks, eliminate multiple properties where possible, and design the structure for 5x growth.

e-Store (sale). Cart business rules are a separate story. We set discount priorities to prevent two campaigns from giving 60% instead of 30%, connect payment handlers, and write custom validation via OnSaleOrderBeforeSaved.

Search. The built-in search module with morphology works up to 10–15 thousand elements. Beyond that — Elasticsearch. We configure it via the Bitrix search module API, indexing through CSearchFullText or custom indexers.

Highload-blocks for dictionaries, logs, user data — instead of bloated IBlocks. Direct queries via Bitrix\Highloadblock\HighloadBlockTable, custom tables instead of the EAV structure of standard infoblocks. A million records — no degradation.

Mail events. Configuration is not just templates in b_event_message. The key is SPF, DKIM, DMARC on the DNS, otherwise transactional emails go to spam. We check deliverability and set up bounce handling.

How to Design Infoblocks for Performance?

We use Highload-blocks for reference data (colors, sizes, manufacturers) that are not involved in complex queries. For SKUs — a separate infoblock with linking via IBLOCK_ELEMENT_PROPERTY. Enable INDEX_PROPERTY for frequently filtered properties. Tagged caching: when an element changes, only the related cache is cleared. Highload-blocks process up to 10x faster than infoblocks with multiple properties on volumes of 100,000 records.

Custom Module Development

Each module follows the structure /local/modules/vendor.modulename/:

• install/index.php — setup class, create tables via $DB->RunSQLBatch()
• lib/ — D7 ORM classes, extending Bitrix\Main\ORM\Data\DataManager
• admin/ — administrative pages using CAdminList, CAdminForm
• include.php — autoloading, event handler registration via EventManager::getInstance()->registerEventHandler()
• REST API endpoints via \Bitrix\Rest\RestManager

The module registers in the system, appears in the "Installed Solutions" list, and has its own settings at /bitrix/admin/settings.php?mid=vendor.modulename. It can be enabled, disabled, and updated through UpdateSystem or custom migration mechanics.

Examples of implemented tasks:

• Campaign management — visual condition builder via CAdminCalendar, timers via agents (CAgent::AddAgent), analytics linked to the sale module
• Cost calculator — React widget on the frontend, REST API in the module, formulas stored in a Highload-block
• Booking system — real-time calendar, locking via $DB->StartTransaction() / $DB->Commit() on concurrent requests, integration with channel manager via webhook

Components and Composite Cache

Component customization via result_modifier.php and component_epilog.php, not by editing template.php of the standard template. This way core updates are painless.

Composite cache ("Composite Site" technology) — the server sends ready HTML, bypassing PHP routing. Dynamic areas (cart, authorization) are loaded via CBitrixComponent::setFrameMode(true) and AJAX. TTFB drops to 30–50 ms. But there are caveats: not all components are compatible, $APPLICATION->ShowPanel() breaks composite, and careful markup of <div id="bx-composite-..."> is required.

What to Check Before Installing a Marketplace Module?

Before installing a module from the marketplace, an audit is mandatory. We check: SQL queries without prepared statements (hello SQL injection), direct use of $_REQUEST without filtering, use of outdated kernel API instead of D7, conflicts with the composite cache module. A module with no updates for over a year and a few dozen installations is likely a problem on the next PHP update. A typical case: a module calls CIBlockElement::GetList with no cache reset — the site crashes with 5000 elements.

Migration to D7

When upgrading PHP or switching to a new edition — refactor outdated calls:

• CIBlockElement::GetList() → Bitrix\Iblock\Elements\ElementTable::getList()
• CSaleOrder::GetList() → Bitrix\Sale\Order::getList()
• CModule::IncludeModule() → Bitrix\Main\Loader::includeModule() Testing on staging, rollback via git on issues.

According to official 1C-Bitrix documentation, D7 ORM is the recommended tool for working with data, providing type safety and automatic query generation.

Comparison: Init.php vs Module

Module Development Scope and Cost

What is included in module development?

• Technical specification and architectural plan
• Code following PSR-4 and Bitrix code style
• Unit tests (PHPUnit) for business logic
• Integration tests for events and REST API
• Installation, configuration, and API documentation
• Repository and documentation access
• Administrator training for module usage
• 6-month warranty support

Estimated timelines and complexity:

Cost is calculated individually — contact us for a project estimate.

Module Testing

Unit tests via PHPUnit cover business logic: discount calculation, validation, document generation. Mocks for Bitrix\Main\Application::getConnection() allow tests to be DB-independent. Integration tests verify event handlers on a real database — OnAfterIBlockElementAdd, OnSaleOrderSaved, etc. REST API endpoints are tested via curl or PHPUnit HTTP client. Critical for modules working with b_sale_order, b_catalog_price — where errors cost money.

Compatibility is checked on PHP 7.4, 8.0, 8.1, 8.2 and editions: Standard, Small Business, Business. We check conflicts with popular marketplace modules — they often intercept the same events. Load testing: measurements on 10K, 100K, 1M records, profiling via Xdebug for memory leaks and N+1 queries.

Practical Examples

Campaign module for an electronics chain. The built-in sale module discounts did not cover scenarios like "2+1", a gift with purchase over a certain amount, or combined conditions. We built a visual builder: marketers create rules via drag-and-drop without development tickets. Campaign calendar, auto-deactivation via agents, analytics linked to b_sale_order — conversion, average check, usage count. Time to launch a new campaign dropped from two days to half an hour.

Calculator for builders. Parameters (area, materials, number of floors) → formula → preliminary estimate → lead to CRM via CRest::call('crm.lead.add'). Regional coefficients and seasonal markups from a Highload-block, material prices from 1C exchange. The number of target leads increased by a third: clients see a breakdown before calling a manager.

Booking for a hotel chain. Real-time availability via AJAX requests to a custom table vendor_booking_slots, seasonal tariff calculation, synchronization with Booking.com via channel manager API. Room locking on concurrent booking via SELECT ... FOR UPDATE in transactions. Timezones handled via \DateTimeZone — a guest from Vladivostok and a manager from Moscow see the same picture.

We will evaluate your project within one day. Write to us — we'll tell you what is included in turnkey development. Contact us for a consultation on your project. Order a custom module development — get a ready solution with documentation and support.