Joomla, PHP and CMS

If you intend to design and make your own web site and web pages you will absolutely need to know about a few common terms regardless of whether you intend to get your website up and running for personal reasons or business purposes. These terms are content management system, PHP and Joomla. This article will give you a brief definition of these terms and show you how these tools van be used to create dynamic web pages, better manage your website and to enhance the look and experience of your web pages.

PHP

Initially this term started as an abbreviation for personal home pages, an acronym that was given to this software because it as primarily used for the creation of personal home pages. But over the years people realized the efficacy of this tool in creating a myriad of web pages with a variety of features. It’s a scripting language that you will need to know if you want to design dynamic web pages. PHP is a free tool and the fact that it is compatible with most web servers and works on almost all operating systems has just added to is appeal and popularity as a powerful web designing program. You can also embed it in HTM which is an added advantage. Generally, PHP is used to design general web pages; the working of this program is fairly simple, the PHP code is input into the web serves and the web pages are created as an output.

Content Management System:

A system that uses PHP codes is known as content management system or CMS. This again is a software which helps you to not only create but also mange HTML content and other images and documents with the help of the PHP scripting language. So, essentially when you use CMS you will not only be able to create web content but it also gives you the ability to control and edit this content.

WITH CMS the process of creating and managing web pages has become infinitely simpler. One of the plus points of using CMS is that they are designed for users with little programming knowledge. So, you can create and manage your web pages without spending hours trying to master the different programming languages. This tool offers a variety of web page templates to choose from while the content is stored on databases.

Joomla:
Joomla is by far the most popular tool used for content publishing on the internet and an increasing number of people around the world are using it everyday. This CMS like many others uses the PHP programming language and the information is stored in databases. When you opt for Joomla you will get the following features, RSS feeds, page caching, news flashes, web site searching, blogs, printable version of pages, language internationalization and polls. Normally Joomla extensions and templates are available in the zip format or any other compressed format and you will have to install these before implementing. Apart from these basic functions Joomla boasts of a myriad of free extensions that will help you to create dynamic web pages that will not only add to the your business but are also easy to manage in house.

As compared to some of the other CMS Joomla is far ahead with a plethora of benefits for people who use it to create their web pages. One of the primary benefits of using Joomla is the fact that there is no cost involved in using this free tool. Also the newer updates and versions of Joomla are available with amazing features and improvements. So with Joomla you can have almost limitless prospects for a host of applications in the future.

Another important aspect of using Joomla that makes it very attractive as a CMS is the ability to add or modify content easily. You will be able to add images and several other elements of multimedia with Joomla. Also managing important data will be a breeze.

Keeping in mind the humungous popularity and the extraordinary features of Joomla several bodies have bestowed awards on this software. While this popularity in itself holds another advantage for Joomla users, which is the availability of a wide array of blogs, forums and web pages dedicated to the usage of Joomla. So, if as a new and relatively inexperienced user you have any concerns or problems, help is only a click away. Also the software is very well supported by the various service providers and the developers.

Another benefit of using Joomla is the availability of the several free extensions that allow you incorporate various features in your web pages. These extensions are commonly known as plug-ins and are background extensions which enhance the functionality of Joomla. Another type of extension known as Components also help to increase the number of feature that you can incorporate in your web pages like backing up the website, creating URL’s and translating the content. Module on the other hand helps to enhance the web page functionality by helping you to add features like Google Adsense and calendar display.

These extensions are by far one of the biggest advantages of using Joomla. Some of the popular extensions include functionalities like: banner advertising systems, data collection and reporting tools, calendars, chat software, email, blogging software, news letters, images, e commerce, multimedia galleries, shopping cart engines and much more. And of course there are many more extensions out there that can further augment the functionality of your web pages.

Among the most popular Joomla extensions are: the community builder which will help you to extend profile, create user lists and enhance the registration workflows. The next in line is the Fire board Forum that is a stylish and effective way of your getting your visitors involved in discussions. The third is the “expose Flash Gallery” which help to create slide shows from the images that you have uploaded. And finally, you have the “Events Calendar” which as the name suggests is a way to keep your visitors informed about important dates.

The simplicity of Joomla along with the numerous extensions which will allow you to create the most complex features in your website simply add to its popularity. As a matter of fact you can conveniently use Joomla for numerous applications whether you are designing a corporate mega website, small business website, school and church websites, non profit organization websites, government applications website, magazines and newspapers available online, ecommerce site or community based portals. Joomla offers you the reliability, sturdiness and state of the art features need to create web pages for any purpose. So if you are looking forward to creating a website that will enthrall visitors Joomla would be the prefect tool for you.

Once you gather some information bout content management systems and PHP you should be all set to create your web pages. Add to this availability of a reliable and free CMS like Joomla and you will be on your way to creating amazing web pages and managing the successfully in no time at all.