How hard is it?

[will7]

I think a Content Management System (CMS) would help me clients out a lot. It would just have to be web based, i.e they access a url (www.yourwebsite.com/cms) and they could add pics, change text, add pages, take away pages (if that's possible).

But what I was wondering is, how hard would it be to code a system like this? I'd imagine it would be done with PHP, but heard XML could also be used? So basically, on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the hardest) how difficult is it to code a system like this.

And how much of a difference will it make to the client to have access to a system like this so that he/she can edit their web site by themselves without having to email me and ask me all the time?

Also, can anyone give me any links to tutorials, tips e.t.c on CMSs. Thanks, will7.

 

[freak]

It all depends on what features you want.

Pros can probably code a basic one in hours.

But you really should look at opensourced, free CMSes like phpnuke etc.

 

[Professer]

Opensource is a good option if you don't need highly individualized features. Mambo is fairly straightforward and Typo3 offers a whack of professional level features that will keep you going for a long time.

Some of the older CMSs (like phpNuke and postNuke) are based in HTML table layouts, so you'll have to decide whether you want a system that meets W3C coding and accessibility standards.

Check out OpenSourceCMS.com for demonstration trials on a variety of CMS programs.

 

[will7]

K. So clients would be happy if I just use a program of the internet, they wouldn't think it was unprofessional or anything?

 

[Professer]

Take a look at the programs on OpenSourceCMS and see how professional you think they look. You can test drive them all.

Coding your own will give you more flexibility to offer exactly what you want, but some of the better CMS programs are very flexible and may provide all that you need. (Heh. Didn't Mick Jagger say something like that a long time ago?)

Good luck with this process.

 

[Ethan]

CMS isn't that hard to make if you have had previous PHP experience, mine took me a month, but I had to tackle a lot of things I didn't know and learn a lot of PHP along the way, now I could probably code a forum in 3 hours.

 

[will7]

Could you make on entirely in PHP or would it need other languages?