What's the first thing you do?

Different developers have different ways to start a site. Of course, the best way to start a new website is to install the latest version of MODX Revolution.

You'll most likely need to have a database set up and ready to use. Please, please set up your new database to use a UTF-8 character set and collation.

On most servers an easy way to install MODX is to put the install.php script in the web space where you want to install Revo. It will let you choose which version you want to install, then it will download, unzip and place the files for whichever version you selected. You'll be sent to the Setup page, and you can take it from there.

So what do you prefer to do as the first step once MODX is installed? [ed. note: sottwell last edited this post 6 years, 7 months ago.]

I have found that a good way to avoid confusion while developing the structure and content for a new site is to immediately create a new Resource to use as the Not Found page. Then edit the System Settings to set the error_page to the ID of that new resource - it would be #2 if it's the first thing you do.

Technically the MODX error page is not a 404 document, since that would come from the web server not finding the requested page. What happens is that the MODX index.php file is automatically processed by the server, so MODX handles its own case of not finding a requested page. And that is what the error_page setting specifies.

By default, MODX uses resource #1 for its error page, and since that is the default start page it can be very confusing when you just keep getting the "home" page. It's much better to have a dedicated Not Found page so that you immediately know that's why you aren't seeing the page you expect.

I would add that you should make sure the new error page is published. Otherwise, mayhem ensues.

My usual process is this:

I install my usual list of extras:

• TinyMCE
• Ace
• Wayfinder
• Get Resources
• Version X

Then, ensure that config files are not accessible.

Switch on FURLs and change name of 'ht.access' to '.htaccess' for them to work.

While there in the directories, I make a few directories I might use, eg 'images', 'js', etc

Set Sitename and landing page.

Create a 'scripts' snippet with links to my .css and external js and css files and CDNs.

Then basically template coding.