This topic describes functional differences between following modules and can be used to discuss whether those modules should be merged:
Integrated Metatags: http://drupal.org/project/int_meta
Meta tags: http://drupal.org/project/nodewords

Currently, these modules offer following settings:

Integrated Metatags (6.x-1.0-beta7):

  1. Default (i.e. per site) AND per content-type
    1. Enable metatag for content-type
    2. Show empty metatags
    3. Display metatags also with teasers
    4. Manual/Static metatag entry (may include tokens)
    5. Dynamic metatags (data from a CCK fields or from a combination of CCK fields)
  2. Site
    1. Cap on words or characters (limit discription, keywords or other metatags)
  3. Per content-type
    1. Inherit default metatags
  4. Permissions (per role)
    1. Administer integrated meta tags

Meta tags (6.x-1.0):

  1. Global (i.e. per site)
    1. Copyight
    2. GeoURL
    3. Keywords
    4. Default robots meta tag (index, follow)
    5. Use teaser of the page if the meta tag is not set
    6. Text length (maximum number of characters)
    7. Tags to show on edit form AND/ OR to output in html head (Copyright, GeoURL, keywords, description, revisit-after, Abstract, Robots)
    8. Repeat meta tags for lists (for subsequent pages that use a pager)
    9. Use front page meta tags
  2. Frontpage
    1. Keywords
    2. Descirption
  3. Permissions (per role)
    1. Administer meta tags
    2. Edit meta tags

The module 'Integrated Metatags' allows setting metatages per content-type, while the module 'Meta tags' allows setting metatages per node.
By combining aforementioned modules, authorized users would be able to per node choose between: "inheriting metatags from the content-type" or "setting metatags for a specific node".

These guidelines from Drupal recommend maintainers to join forces whenever modules offer similar functionality: http://drupal.org/node/23789
So, I will inform the maintainers of both modules about this topic.
This may encourage them to reference each other's projects and this topic on their project pages to start with.

Comments

fractile81’s picture

I agree that combining these modules would be a good idea. Both of us, as maintainers, have spoken in the past to do such a thing, but have been unable to make any headway. I'm certainly open to the prospect of combining the two. Perhaps a focus on a merged Drupal 7 release would make the most sense.

I have referenced Meta tags in my online documentation (how the two modules differ), but I can certainly put a link to it on my module's home page if that's desired.

-Craig A. Hancock, ZCE
(a.k.a. fractile81)

fractile81’s picture

Just to highlight what may not have been immediately obvious by the comparison done by not_Dries_Buytaert, the Integrated Metatags module was built with dynamic generation of metatags in mind (even the static field supports tokens). On the other hand, Meta tags is much more static and granular. Two different approaches, with the latter module simply supporting more of those one-off cases (e.g. front page tags, the "robots" tag, etc.)

This comment is more as a reference of what the original concept of the Integrated Metatags project was, and why both modules exist today.

-Craig A. Hancock, ZCE
(a.k.a. fractile81)

fractile81’s picture

I have updated the Integrated Metatags project page to reference the Nodewords/Meta tags module, as well as answer the question of how they differ conceptually.

-Craig A. Hancock, ZCE
(a.k.a. fractile81)

not_Dries_Buytaert’s picture

@fractile81: Thank you for clarifying a major difference between the modules and for updating the project page of 'Integrated Metatags'. It is nice to witness such willingness to cooperate within this community. :-)
Imo this topic describes many more differences between the modules, then are now mentioned on the project page of 'Integrated Metatags'.
Please, consider replacing the paragraph you just added on that page with something like this:
"Please, read this topic (incl. comments) to learn about the functional differences between the 'Integrated Metatags'-module and the 'Meta tags/ nodewords'-module."
@maintainers (KiamLaLuno and Robrecht Jacques) of the 'Meta tags/ nodewords'-module: It would be nice, if you would do the same on your project page.

not_Dries_Buytaert’s picture

I just found this submodule "Meta tags Node Type"-module (http://drupal.org/project/nodewords_nodetype), which extends the functionality of the "Meta tags"-module, so that certain meta tags can be specified per content type.

apaderno’s picture

The difference between the modules reported here are not valid for the code I am developing.
The main difference I can see is that Integrated Metatags doesn't have specific code to handle each of the meta tags in a specific way, or in a specific context; it asks the administration users how to gather the data that will be the content of the meta tags.
Differently, Nodewords / Meta tags allows an authenticated user (even the author of a node) to decide which data to use for the content of a meta tag; the module has specific code to decide which data use for a meta tag in the case no user has specified a value to use. This means that the code (which doesn't only associate meta tags to nodes) is able to decide if a meta tag can be set in a specific context (the default value, the front page, a node, a user profile, a taxonomy term, a view, or a path), and what the default value is basing on the context.

Also, Integrated Metatags sets the meta tags for node only, while Nodewords sets the meta tags for the front page, the user profiles, the list pages, the error pages, the tracker pages, and also a generic page (given its relative URL).
Nodewords handles the site verification meta tags used from some search engines, the canonical URL meta tag, and it has support for the Dublin Core meta tags (which still need to be expanded). It integrates with Check All, and Vertical Tabs; the support for tokens (already supported by Integrated Metatags) has been added in the branch 6.x-3.

EDITED: Corrected the text basing on the last committed code.

landike’s picture

Hello Drupal Comunity.

Are plan to make support of "verify-v1" metatag here:
Frontpage

1. Keywords
2. Descirption
3. Verify-v1

???

apaderno’s picture

The development snapshot of Nodewords already support the site verification meta tags; this is another difference between Nodewords and Integrated Metatags.

Actually, the verification meta tag has been changed to google-site-verification.

EDITED: Changed the text to compare the modules, and not report only what Nodewords does.

not_Dries_Buytaert’s picture

This topic COMPARES two modules. It does NOT discuss just only one module nor the release planning of any module.
NB: Site verification for different search engines is supported by this module: http://drupal.org/project/site_verify

paganwinter’s picture

Subscribing...

pheno’s picture

There's comes the possibility of adding meta tags for video clips.
http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?answer=80472

I guess this is not possible in nodewords? only through creating cck fields.

Nodewords looks very cool and thorough, it would be very nice for both to combine.

apaderno’s picture

This post is not thought to be used to ask to add features to the modules; it serves just to compare the two modules so people understand better the difference between one module, and the other.

The URL you reported makes reference to video sitemap, which is a completely different thing; it is a XML sitemap specialized for videos.

DocMartin’s picture

Not only does combining modules seem worthwhile, though unlikely, but meta tags so basic to websites that surely meta tags feature deserves being in core.

Note that updated Nodewords no longer automatically creates descriptions from teasers.

____________________________
DocMartin and Hong Kong Outdoors

parasolx’s picture

I read up so many good comments and bad comment about Drupal. I'm using Drupal 6 right now, developing my community learning center.

I agree with some comments said that Drupal is light when there is alone in core. But when contribution module comes it, it burden the Drupal make it more slower and slower.

What the worst, when one need to make a very simple task like this meta tags function, there need to combine between two modules. (refer to first) So IMHO, combining of almost same functionality modules will come out with one great modules that have all everything.

So, I'm subscribing this topic.

https://www.drupalnote.my (Drupal tutorial in Malay)
http://parasolx.net (my personal blog; Drupal)

alxsvdr’s picture

Subscribing on this one. It makes sense to merge both projects.

Drupal rocks!

Brian Tastic’s picture

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sinasalek’s picture

I was looking for a custom meta tag solution and noticed the link to this page on both modules.
I also recommend merging these modules. According to the comments here it seems that Nodwords module is more extensible. There are already few modules depend on it. so i suggest merging Integrated Metatags into the Nodewords by porting its special features.
I also checked both modules statistics and noticed that nodewords has a huge user base. (about 40000)

Thanks.

sina.salek.ws, Software Manager & Lead developer
Feel freedom with open source softwares

hedac’s picture

Integrated Metatags is working perfectly here for me for content types metatags by cck fields.
I would like to have some meta tags for the front page. but I can do that fixed meta tags in the template.

Holoduke’s picture

If it is possible to integrate the two modules, it would be appreciated. But each one works in different ways and I understand kiamlaluno is not specially interested in merge projects.

If you are interested in write custom descriptions or setting custom meta-tags... why do you need automatically added meta-tags.
I explain: I you are developing a project based on tag clouds, without technical resources, without manteinance, perhaps 'Integrated Metatags' is for you.

But if you are developing an heavy moderated site, with administrators, technical support, people for making content, SEO team... (IT company) then Integrated Metatags will not work better than humans do - 'Meta tags' is the choice.

SEO is too much important to be done automatically. We know google doesn't use keywords or descriptions for SEO, so the unique reason to have metas are improve conversion when users read a good description at google results and they click at your entry.

Sorry for my english.

tesliana’s picture

It's been 4.5 months since this thread started. :)

Ela’s picture

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snipe’s picture

Hi
its a good idea to combine both
i am developing my own custom module for my job site, i need to set custom meta tags and description( over 4k+ urls for listing categories, nodes have no issue )
i am finding some solutions to get something in api or somewhere when i can just add drupal_set_meta_keywords or nodewords_set_meta_keywords or int_meta_set_meta_keywords kind of things

can give a try to do somthing like this stuff setting up some code for meta tags or try to get best functionality from both int_meta and nodewords and combine in third module

lets see what i can do

Suketu

not_Dries_Buytaert’s picture

@Suketu: thx for your effort to help. I suggest you discuss your plans for a 3rd module with the maintainers of the older modules, before you develop your module.

snipe’s picture

yeah will let them know about the issue i am having
for me its kind of urgent, so i'll do something in my module right now, after that will try to descover both modules +points and ask both maintainers to do something about them

Best
Suketu

anonymous07’s picture

I haven't figured out my way around setting values in Nodewords via PHP in D6, like I was doing in D5, so this is very useful information.

kukle’s picture

Interesting topic

It's not the size of the hump, it's the movement of the camel that's important...

jjjames’s picture

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HS’s picture

If I'm not mistaken, Nodewords/Metatags module cannot use CCK fields as a teaser and Integrated Metatags module can. Its 2011 now, and has there been any progress on this front?

johnny-j-hernandez’s picture

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Anonymous’s picture

sub

jsidigital’s picture

Definitely subscribing.

Is there an estimated time for this being done?

WorldFallz’s picture

There's no point in endlessly bumping this thread so I'm closing comments. This effort has moved to the http://drupal.org/project/metatags module.

Also see #948102: Ideas for Metatags structure and possible merger scenarios: Integrated Metatags, Nodewords, Page Title and Site Verification for some background.