building a community website using drupal
DESCRIPTION
Building a community website using Drupal Presentation held by Niels van Mourik and Ronald Huizer on FOSDEM 2009.TRANSCRIPT
Ronald Huizer, CEO Jobcircle B.V. <[email protected]>Niels van Mourik, Software Developer Madcap B.V. <[email protected]>
Building a community websiteusing Drupal: www.jobcircle.nl
FOSDEM - 8 February 2009
Ronald Huizer, CEO Jobcircle B.V. <[email protected]>Niels van Mourik, Software Developer Madcap B.V. <[email protected]>
Building a community website using Drupal - www.jobcircle.nl
Before it all started
FOSDEM - 8 February 2009 Building a community website using Drupal - www.jobcircle.nl
Ronald Huizer, CEO Jobcircle B.V. <[email protected]>Niels van Mourik, Software Developer Madcap B.V. <[email protected]>
Why Jobcircle?
FNV Bondgenoten is the largest trade union in the Netherlands.The amount of members has been shrinking and FNV Bondgenoten wants to attract younger people (18-35).The existing union proposition is not suited for the next generation.A 'stand alone' organisation can develop more flexibly and adapt faster to changes.
FOSDEM - 8 February 2009 Building a community website using Drupal - www.jobcircle.nl
Ronald Huizer, CEO Jobcircle B.V. <[email protected]>Niels van Mourik, Software Developer Madcap B.V. <[email protected]>
The Goal
Targetgroup, younger employees (18-35). To obtain a relevant position by providing services
on work and career development. Sharing information, tips & tricks and experiences.
Our stakeholder, FNV Bondgenoten. To build contacts and relationships within the above
mentioned targetgroup. Keep a strong position in the Dutch society.
FOSDEM - 8 February 2009
Ronald Huizer, CEO Jobcircle B.V. <[email protected]>Niels van Mourik, Software Developer Madcap B.V. <[email protected]>
Building a community website using Drupal - www.jobcircle.nl
Start of a newtrade community
FOSDEM - 8 February 2009 Building a community website using Drupal - www.jobcircle.nl
Ronald Huizer, CEO Jobcircle B.V. <[email protected]>Niels van Mourik, Software Developer Madcap B.V. <[email protected]>
Why Drupal?
Bad experiences with proprietary products like MS Axapta.OSS has proven rapid development and flexibility, vendor independence.We want to show off OSS and increase the userbase.Headstart in social networking features out of the box, like groups, buddylists, profiles and blogs.
FOSDEM - 8 February 2009 Building a community website using Drupal - www.jobcircle.nl
Ronald Huizer, CEO Jobcircle B.V. <[email protected]>Niels van Mourik, Software Developer Madcap B.V. <[email protected]>
July 2007
Organisation and funding initiated.Comparing different vendors using different technologies.Some good proposals, using PHP and .NET based applications.The .NET proposal seemed promising.But, a proprietary path didn't ”feel good”.
FOSDEM - 8 February 2009 Building a community website using Drupal - www.jobcircle.nl
Ronald Huizer, CEO Jobcircle B.V. <[email protected]>Niels van Mourik, Software Developer Madcap B.V. <[email protected]>
August 2007
The 'first vendor, then technology' path seemed wrong. We had to start over again.Our consulting partner created a proof of concept setup comparing Drupal, Typo3 and Joomla.Based on capacity, experience and overall feeling the current vendor got selected.
FOSDEM - 8 February 2009
Ronald Huizer, CEO Jobcircle B.V. <[email protected]>Niels van Mourik, Software Developer Madcap B.V. <[email protected]>
Building a community website using Drupal - www.jobcircle.nl
The techies gotinvolved
FOSDEM - 8 February 2009 Building a community website using Drupal - www.jobcircle.nl
Ronald Huizer, CEO Jobcircle B.V. <[email protected]>Niels van Mourik, Software Developer Madcap B.V. <[email protected]>
The Big Rush
First commit on November 16th 2007.Deadline of March 6th 2008.6 people involved.Focus on quantity and initial release.
FOSDEM - 8 February 2009 Building a community website using Drupal - www.jobcircle.nl
Ronald Huizer, CEO Jobcircle B.V. <[email protected]>Niels van Mourik, Software Developer Madcap B.V. <[email protected]>
5th of May
FOSDEM - 8 February 2009 Building a community website using Drupal - www.jobcircle.nl
Ronald Huizer, CEO Jobcircle B.V. <[email protected]>Niels van Mourik, Software Developer Madcap B.V. <[email protected]>
The Cool Down, Chimera
Officially branched on 29th of July 2008.No hard deadline, November 1st 2008.Number of people reduced.
Two to three developers. Different graphical designer.
Focus on performance, modularity and maintainability.
FOSDEM - 8 February 2009 Building a community website using Drupal - www.jobcircle.nl
Ronald Huizer, CEO Jobcircle B.V. <[email protected]>Niels van Mourik, Software Developer Madcap B.V. <[email protected]>
November 2008
FOSDEM - 8 February 2009
Ronald Huizer, CEO Jobcircle B.V. <[email protected]>Niels van Mourik, Software Developer Madcap B.V. <[email protected]>
Building a community website using Drupal - www.jobcircle.nl
Technical Architecture
FOSDEM - 8 February 2009 Building a community website using Drupal - www.jobcircle.nl
Ronald Huizer, CEO Jobcircle B.V. <[email protected]>Niels van Mourik, Software Developer Madcap B.V. <[email protected]>
Facts and Figures
Over 2000 code changesets and counting.Number of nodes: 1004 (719 wiki items).Modules from contributions/: 144In-house developed modules: 40Handed out 39 different SVN accounts.Created 4 different Drupal themes.Number of crashes on deployment: 1
FOSDEM - 8 February 2009 Building a community website using Drupal - www.jobcircle.nl
Ronald Huizer, CEO Jobcircle B.V. <[email protected]>Niels van Mourik, Software Developer Madcap B.V. <[email protected]>
For the sake of impressive graphs
DBOLObject based persistent
Database Layer
Drupal 5.15Node Taxonomy Menu Search Poll Forum ThemeXMLRPC
Drupal Contrib
OG
ViewsPrivatemsg
Buddylist
ECInvite Liquid
AUTHRegistration andauth. extensions
VISAPISimple API that handles 'visibility' of everything
JCCore helpers andmaintenance code
User File Uploads
Weblog Extentions
Resume Builder
Search Extensions
Wiki
PROFILEForms, Hooks, Architecture
Opleiding Dienstverband Training
TaalAccountProfiel
Vaardigheid Vereniging Werkplek
Hobbie Instant Mess. Interesses
VisibilityVisibility on node level
Backend ToolsRate Your Company
Jobcircle Webshop
End User Interfaces
Framework level Code
Upstream Drupal Code
FOSDEM - 8 February 2009 Building a community website using Drupal - www.jobcircle.nl
Ronald Huizer, CEO Jobcircle B.V. <[email protected]>Niels van Mourik, Software Developer Madcap B.V. <[email protected]>
Database Object Layer (DBOL)
Simple persistent database layer, works like Drupal's node system but lightweight.
Modular design. Register data types:
hook_jc_dbol_objtypes() Hook into all operations with data objects:
hook_jc_dbol_api($objtype, $op, &$object)
$pie = jc_dbol_load('pie', 35);// Pie-id 35.$pie->topping = FALSE;jc_dbol_save($pie);
FOSDEM - 8 February 2009 Building a community website using Drupal - www.jobcircle.nl
Ronald Huizer, CEO Jobcircle B.V. <[email protected]>Niels van Mourik, Software Developer Madcap B.V. <[email protected]>
Visibility API
Handling the 'visibility' and access checks of nearly every entity.Uses a fallbacking meganism with customizable defaults.Works for Drupal nodes and all Jobcircle Profile data.
FOSDEM - 8 February 2009 Building a community website using Drupal - www.jobcircle.nl
Ronald Huizer, CEO Jobcircle B.V. <[email protected]>Niels van Mourik, Software Developer Madcap B.V. <[email protected]>
Profile Modules
One core module which handles the user/% page and the profiel/ user backend.Modular design, submodules hook into almost everything.
The users public profile, ”profile blocks”. DBOL data handling. Autocomplete data for autocomplete/%/%.
All submodules provide specific form bits, not direct menu callbacks.
FOSDEM - 8 February 2009
Ronald Huizer, CEO Jobcircle B.V. <[email protected]>Niels van Mourik, Software Developer Madcap B.V. <[email protected]>
Building a community website using Drupal - www.jobcircle.nl
Application Level Modules
FOSDEM - 8 February 2009 Building a community website using Drupal - www.jobcircle.nl
Ronald Huizer, CEO Jobcircle B.V. <[email protected]>Niels van Mourik, Software Developer Madcap B.V. <[email protected]>
Profile
Users have their own public profile. Customizable. Different blocks of information exposable to
different groups of people.
Users add data to their profile using a LinkedIn style 'my account' page.
FOSDEM - 8 February 2009 Building a community website using Drupal - www.jobcircle.nl
Ronald Huizer, CEO Jobcircle B.V. <[email protected]>Niels van Mourik, Software Developer Madcap B.V. <[email protected]>
Resume Builder
Build your own resumes based on all profile data in a WYSIWYG form.Expose different resumes to different people, job hunters, friends, corporations.
Abstracted export formats and templates. PDF (uses LaTeX) HTML
FOSDEM - 8 February 2009 Building a community website using Drupal - www.jobcircle.nl
Ronald Huizer, CEO Jobcircle B.V. <[email protected]>Niels van Mourik, Software Developer Madcap B.V. <[email protected]>
Workwiki
It is ”the knowledge base” when it comes to the Dutch working society and law.Not a Wikipedia replacement.Users can help contribute their content.Over 700 articles, most are tagged.Built on top of liquidwiki, simple nodetype.Uses 'this is validated content' style marks.
FOSDEM - 8 February 2009
Ronald Huizer, CEO Jobcircle B.V. <[email protected]>Niels van Mourik, Software Developer Madcap B.V. <[email protected]>
Building a community website using Drupal - www.jobcircle.nl
Present & Future
FOSDEM - 8 February 2009 Building a community website using Drupal - www.jobcircle.nl
Ronald Huizer, CEO Jobcircle B.V. <[email protected]>Niels van Mourik, Software Developer Madcap B.V. <[email protected]>
1 February 2009
Pageviews: 3.455.851Unique visitors: 676.590Registered users: 43.901Jobcircle is by far the biggest Dutch community on labour.Due to the economical crisis lots of employees to assist.
FOSDEM - 8 February 2009 Building a community website using Drupal - www.jobcircle.nl
Ronald Huizer, CEO Jobcircle B.V. <[email protected]>Niels van Mourik, Software Developer Madcap B.V. <[email protected]>
The future
Interesting upcoming partnerships. External deployment of the workwiki. Flexible API to extend and exchange data.
Self growing userbase and buddylist.Rating companies and exchanging experiences.All sorts of small improvements and marketing campaigns.
FOSDEM - 8 February 2009
Ronald Huizer, CEO Jobcircle B.V. <[email protected]>Niels van Mourik, Software Developer Madcap B.V. <[email protected]>
Building a community website using Drupal - www.jobcircle.nl
Questions?