PHP CMS

vs
PHP Frameworks
When to use any of them?

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 CMS vs Frameworks
• Joomla
• Drupal • Zend Framework
• Wordpress • CakePHP
• TikiWiki • Symfony
• Code Ignitor

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 Considerations
• Complexity of Project

• Features

• Design

• Scale

• Development methodology

• How much mid-course adjustments can you

afford to make?

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 Considerations
• Make-up of Development Team

• Single or Multiple members

• Functional roles

• Familiarity with CMS / Framework

• Timeline

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 Characteristics
• Open Source CMS

• Basic set of functionalities

• Extensions required to enhance app

• Standard look & feel with fixed positioning of

design elements

• Themes to customise look & feel

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 Characteristics
• Open Source CMS works best when:

• Project requirements relatively straight forward

• Existing extensions can do the job

• Custom themes can conform to CMS’s basic

structure

• “Square Peg in a Square World”

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 But...
• Things start to fall apart when:

• “I need function Y which is not in Extension Z”

• “Can add category to this listing?”

• “The design is too square-ish.”

• “Can don’t have this thing here?”

• Which means...

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 What they really mean
• Things start to fall apart when:

• You’ll need to mod Extension Z to include

Function Y (or new design element).

• You’ll need to mod the core system to include

the new function.

• You’ll need to mod the design which may be

intertwined with the core system

• “Square Peg in a Circular World”

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 Options Available
• Modify the codes

• Issues with future upgrades

• Submit Bug Fix / Feature Request to extension /

core system developers

• Long wait...

• Create your own extensions

• DIY or Outsource

• Shorter wait & more control, but some

restrictions still apply
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Time to Mod / Hack
=
$$$$

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 Characteristics
• Open Source Framework

• Basic set of functionalities

• Full control over how the site is put together

(freeform & far more flexible)

• Standard look & feel (scaffold) or customise

almost anything

• Conforms to your designs and requirements

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 Characteristics
• Open Source Framework
• Handles all the primary functions (eg.
connecting to database, parsing data,
processing forms)
• Spend more time concentrating on the
business-specific problem, rather than on
the "plumbing" code behind it.
• Limit choices during development, so it
increases productivity, especially in large
and complex systems. Ph.P
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 Characteristics
• Open Source Framework

• Patterns

• Model-View-Controller

• Factory

• Object Oriented

• Don’t Repeat Yourself

• Convention over Configuration

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 Characteristics
• Open Source Framework works best when:

• Project requirements is complex & need

maximum flexibility

• Flexible design and fully customised front-end

• Team-friendly & minimal documentation

• Focus on User Interface / Experience

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 But...
• The down-side of Frameworks:

• Lower QC over end-product

• Man-hours for updates & upgrades

• Can be inflexible if not planned properly,

resulting in total rewrite

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 Conclusion
• Evaluate each project’s needs

• Know your tools

• Build your foundation & library of reusable codes

• Plan properly, but change is inevitable

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