Choosing a web CMS and an introduction to Modx

March 2010

• Joe Lee• Senior Developer at Artemis 8• Digital Performance Agency• Develop mainly in PHP / Mysql• Enjoy working with Javascript• ...enough about me... NEXT!

Who is this guy ?

What I will be babbling about...

• What is a Web CMS?• CMS or development framework?• What choices are there?• What I wanted from a CMS• Introducing Modx• Building a website in <5mins• Questions?

What is a Web CMS ?• Content management system

“…implemented as a Web application , for creating and managing HTML content. It is used to manage and control a large, dynamic collection of Web material (HTML documents and their associated images). A WCMS facilitates content creation, content control, editing, and essential Web maintenance functions."

CMS or development framework?• Brochureware = few pages and minimal

functionality? CMS• How many ‘types ’ of pages? – All holding copy or media we produce? CMS

• What is the content?– Most data driven from and/or aggregated

from external source. Dev Framework• How rich is the functionality?– Sounds like a web app? Dev framework

• Can’t be bothered with building another admin system ? CMS ;)

What are the choices ?

Some choices:• Joomla• Drupal• Wordpress• Mambo• MojoPortal• Umbraco• DotNetNuke ....Plus loads more

http://php.opensourcecms.com/

“Where do I start?”

What I was looking for…

• Flexible - Good templating system• Easy to pick up - No learning new

mark up language• Doesn’t mess with their mark up!

Designer friendly

Developer friendly• Easy code integration• Good hook system for future

extensibility• Handy core libraries to help with the

boring stuff• Flexible content fields• Efficient solution for tiered content

structures• Active dev forums

SEO / Content people friendly

• Fast way to manage the META tags

• Easy to change friendly URLS /Slugs

• Flexibility to change meta tags without hassling the developers/designer

• Intuitive content management workflow

The solution?

Modx Introduction bit

• CMS framework• Written in PHP / Mysql• Two flavours– Evolution – Production ready (1.0.2)– Revolution – Complete rewrite, beta.

Full api and OOP based. (2.0)

History lesson bit

• Started life as a mashup of another CMS, Etomite 2004

• Modx mention got removed from the forum and got forked.

• Won “Most Promising Open Source CMS” Packt award in 2007

Cool modx stuff

Simple template system• Basic markup = “Chunk”• Chunk can be used in templates• Allows the static content to be

separated in any way you like• Nice logical separation of content

elements• Modx does not try add anything

(aka muck up) your tags• Makes it very easy for designers

to pick up

Easy to put in code!

• Code bits = “Snippet”• Eg snippet called “greeting”

<phpEcho “Hello “.$person;?>[[greeting? &person=`joe`]]

• Separate admin system to manage code snippets

Great core functionality• Wayfinder – Powerful snippet to

build navigation elements eg main nav, sub nav and site map

• Ditto – A content aggregator snippet eg blogging and news

• Eform – Build forms quickly• WebLogin – Registered user

management• Changing content from the

public pages

Great core functionality (pt2)

• Chunks/snippets can be cached• Scheduled publishing/unpublishing• Full user access level control and

defining “roles”

Template variables!• Powerful way to create custom fields• Placed anywhere in a template/chunk• Or as a variable into a snippet

Building a Modx site in < 5 mins

5 part plan to start on Modx1. Download Modx from http://modxcms.com/2. Read through the excellent tutorials from

http://codingpad.maryspad.com/beginner-tutorials/

3. Bookmark modx cheatsheet http://tinyurl.com/modxCheatsheet

4. Browse through the plugins/addins available http://modxcms.com/extras/

5. Ask questions on the forums - they are a friendly and active bunch! http://modxcms.com/forums/

Questions?

Thank you for listening!

twitter: @thiswayup

Email: theycallmejoe@gmail.com

website : joelee.me.uk