Content Management System in PHP

[deepaks85]

Dear Sir,

I have some websites in HTML format and I want to convert all the website into nice Content Management Sytem with PHP coding. Please tell me how can I do this?

Thanks
Deepak

[ronverdonk]

That is an easy enough question. But the answer is just a bit more complicated. When you say you have HTML website and want to change to PHP, what exactly do you want? When you use PHP you will use it to (apart from processing logic, file and database handling) generate client-side coding, such as HTML, because that is the only thing a client browser will accept.

It is not a question of just moving code around, a CMS usually works with templates, so you'll have to decide on what templates you want to use: self-made, freely available (e.g. Smarty) or commercial.

So first you'll have to decide what type of CMS you want and that takes planning. When you have a broad idea of your requirements, we can discuss this further.

Let me show a quote from the Wikipedia on CMS.

Web Content Management Systems
A CMS system is essentially a way of separating your visual presentation from your actual content – whether that content includes photos, text or product catalogs. This separation allows one to accomplish several key things, including:
[list]Automated Templating: Create standard visual templates that can be automatically applied to new and existing content, creating one central place to change that look across all content on your site.

• Easily Editable Content: Once your content is separate from the visual presentation of your site, it usually becomes much easier and quicker to edit and manipulate. Most CMS software include WYSIWYG editing tools allowing non-technically trained individuals easily create and edit content.

• Scalable Feature Sets: Most CMS have plug-ins or modules that can be easily installed to extend your existing site's functionality. For example, if one wanted to add a product catalog or chat functionality to a website, he or she could easily install a module/plug-in to add that functionality rather than hiring a web developer to hand code that new functionality.

• Web Standards Upgrades: Active CMS solutions usually receive regular updates that include new feature sets and keep the system up to current web standards. These updates are usually designed for easy installation over/on-top of your existing website.

• Community Support: Most active CMS solutions have developer support forms. Since CMS users/developers are beginning from a common base, it's more than likely that developers are encountering the same development challenges and can solve those challenges as a community.

• Lower Cost Maintenance: CMS hosted sites are often easier and cheaper to maintain. Since any CMS powered website would have a community familiar with the tools of that specific CMS, it would be quite easy for a new developer to dive right in and begin updates/maintenance.

Ronald :cool: