1C-Bitrix Custom Pop-up Module Development

A pop-up window that appears at the wrong time is annoying. The same window at the right moment with a relevant offer brings subscribers and sales. The difference lies in triggers, targeting, and technical implementation. We have over 5 years of experience developing pop-up modules for 1C-Bitrix and have completed more than 20 projects. Bitrix has no built-in pop-up constructor. Marketplace solutions are overloaded and conflict with composite cache. Custom development gives full control: what we show, to whom, when, and how often. A custom pop-up loads 3 times faster and does not conflict with cache.

Why a custom pop-up is better than off-the-shelf solutions

Marketplace solutions often have unnecessary dependencies, integrate poorly with custom logic, and do not always support modern triggers. Our approach is a module managed via an infoblock with a flexible system of triggers and targeting. We guarantee compatibility with composite cache and no conflicts with other modules.

How show triggers work

A trigger is an event that initiates a pop-up display. Technically, each trigger is a JavaScript handler that calls a function to show the modal window.

Exit-intent — the cursor moves to the top edge of the viewport. Tracked via mouseleave on document.documentElement. On mobile — scroll up, detected via touchmove:

document.addEventListener('mouseleave', (e) => {
    if (e.clientY < 10) showPopup('exit-intent');
});

Scroll depth — user scrolled 50%, 70%, or to the end of the page. We use IntersectionObserver on a marker element or calculate percentage via window.scrollY / (document.body.scrollHeight - window.innerHeight).

Time on page — setTimeout with a delay of 15-30 seconds.

Inactivity — user does not move mouse or scroll for 10 seconds. Implemented via a debounce timer, reset on mousemove, scroll, keydown.

Click on element — standard addEventListener('click').

Number of pages viewed — counter in sessionStorage, e.g., after 3 pages.

How to set up targeting for different user groups

A pop-up without targeting is spam. Conditions are checked on the server when generating the config and on the client when the trigger fires.

Server-side conditions (formed in the PHP component):

• User group (authorized / guest / specific group) via $USER->GetUserGroupArray().
• Site section: only catalog, homepage, exclude cart via $APPLICATION->GetCurDir().
• Device type: desktop / mobile via User-Agent.
• UTM tags: show to visitors from an ad campaign, checking $_GET['utm_source'] with session storage.

Client-side conditions:

• Show frequency: no more than once a day / per session / per 3 visits via localStorage with timestamp.
• Dismissal: if user closed the pop-up — do not show again, flag popup_{id}_closed.

Architecture: component + infoblock

Pop-ups are managed through an infoblock. Each element is a separate pop-up with settings:

The component local:popup.manager is included in header.php. It selects active pop-ups, filters by server conditions, and generates a JSON configuration for JavaScript.

Compatibility with composite cache

Composite cache caches HTML. If the pop-up configuration is embedded in HTML, the cached page will have an outdated set. The solution is to move the configuration to an AJAX endpoint. When the page loads, JavaScript requests /ajax/popup_config.php and receives JSON. The page is fully cached, the configuration is always up-to-date. The request weighs 1-3 KB and executes in 20-50 ms. A dynamic Bitrix Frame is an alternative for complex scenarios.

Typical templates

Email subscription — form with a single field and button, sending via AJAX to a handler that adds the email to the Bitrix mailing list (\Bitrix\Sender\Internals\Model\PostingRecipientTable) or via the API of an external service. Double opt-in is mandatory to comply with Federal Law 152.

Promo code — display a discount code with copy-on-click. The code is taken from coupons of the sale module (\Bitrix\Sale\Internals\DiscountCouponTable). You can generate a unique coupon for each visitor.

Callback — form with name + phone, sending creates a lead in Bitrix24 CRM via REST API (crm.lead.add) or writes to a local infoblock.

Display analytics

Without analytics, it is unclear if the pop-up works. Minimum — three metrics: impressions, closures, conversions. Data is sent to Yandex.Metrica / Google Analytics via ym(COUNTER_ID, 'reachGoal', 'popup_show_' + popupId) or to a custom table b_popup_stats.

What is included in the work

• Architecture design and infoblock setup (2-3 days)
• Development of a custom component with triggers and targeting (5-7 days)
• Integration with composite cache via AJAX (1-2 days)
• Setup of impression and conversion analytics (1 day)
• Documentation and administrator training (1 day)
• One month of support after launch

Timeline and cost

We will evaluate your project and offer an optimal solution. Contact us — we will calculate timelines and cost individually.

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.