I build websites for companies using PHP and mySQL, usually graphically unique and intense. I'm very comfortable making web pages with those technologies. I now have a client who wants a PHP/mySQL site, but they want the ability to add their own content. Not with forums and blogs, etc. They want to be able to add pages, add to the navigation, or even just alter the content of the page. I'm trying to decide if that makes Drupal a quality choice for me. I've used my own homebrew CMS for extracting and inputting dat into a database on the backend, and then pulling that with PHP on the front end. But I've never built it so far as they could make their own page, alter the main and secondary navigation, etc.
I'm having trouble wrapping my head around the big picture. Drupal can do so much, and so much of it is outside the scope of my needs.
Sorry if this a vague, newb-type question. But I was just hoping for some general thoughts on the subject.
Thanks.
Comments
I would guess that Drupal
I would guess that Drupal could be a good choice for what you want but moving from a custom solution to any solution built by other people is going to take some learning and adjustment. Your system is probably tailored to the way you do things and while Drupal is very flexible it does have it's own way of doing things. So what I would suggest is download Drupal, try it out, see how the theming system works,
Or this
I'm sure that Drupal can do what you require but it sounds to me as if you need something more akin to CMS Builder, this is a program that allows you to build your own website and then add CMS sections to any area of the site which you want a client to be able to edit themselves. For example you can restrict a user to single or multiple update options where they can either only update say the 'contact us' page or perhaps update any 'news' section using the predefined fields of your page.
The client updates the agreed content areas by using their web browser, no html or php needed. I wouldn't canvass against Drupal but perhaps CMS Builder may be an easier option for the client - http://www.interactivetools.com/products/cmsbuilder/
Best Wishes,
Mickey
...
It could be. Depends on what you find fun. If you treat Drupal as a framework (which it is) where you get to code/leverage fun stuff while the mundane (user management, roles, display, database access tools) was all ready taken care of and all you had to do was leverage it, then yes, Drupal could be lots of fun.
However, as you are familiar with and comfortable with your existing code, Drupal has had over seven years to mature and there is a learning curve to grow familiar with it's api and it's community. Check out for various random content of possible interest.
http://drupal.org/cases
http://api.drupal.org
-Steven Peck
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Test site, always start with a test site.
Drupal Best Practices Guide -|- Black Mountain
-Steven Peck
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Test site, always start with a test site.
Drupal Best Practices Guide
try joomla
Try joomla.Its cool and is more suited for CMS websites.
what?
I strongly disagree with that statement.
-Steven Peck
---------
Test site, always start with a test site.
Drupal Best Practices Guide -|- Black Mountain
-Steven Peck
---------
Test site, always start with a test site.
Drupal Best Practices Guide
IMO drupal is perfect for
IMO drupal is perfect for this. Just be ready for a learning curve. Between rolling your own system to allow users to edit content and using Drupal it's a no brainer to use Drupal. You don't have to worry about blogs or forums. Sounds like you just need the Drupal "Page" type and give your users the ability to create this type only (which you can easily do)
I'm learning how to use
I'm learning how to use Drupal exactly because of it's strengths in allowing users to
contribute and organise content with knowing any html, bbcode, etc.
There is a good choice of wysiwyg editors, and an awesome module called IMCE which
allows each user to have their own private folder for uploaded files/images, whilst
still allowing them to access shared upload folders and the normal 'core' uploads system,
if they have the right permissions. For managing user-contributed content, having such
a strong file browser is unique in any of the open source CMS, I think.