I’ve read that modx is very flexible. I’m a database oriented developer, and am not particularly interested in learning php. Can one create custom apps with modx without learning php? For example, I know this forum software isn’t written with modx; but could one create an application like SMF using modx, without a massive amount of php coding? The cms I have the most exposure to is drupal. Drupal has cck and views which give it a lot of flexibility.
-
MODX Staff
- 10,725 Posts
MODx is a PHP framework that allows you to maintain logic and presentation in separate layers. But in order to get the most out of MODx, you will need to make use of components (snippets, plugins, and/or modules) written in PHP, either by you, or by others that have shared their work. These script components interact with the templating elements in any way they so choose to produce their output and return it to the page. A page is just any combination of these logic and/or presentation elements; that’s what we mean by flexibility.
MODx provides very powerful tools for database-oriented development, but it doesn’t have any kind of comprehensive front-end for using them. Other CMS platforms that provide those tools tend to constrain the look and operation of your site. MODx puts no restraints at all on you so you can design exactly the site you want. The price you pay for that, at present, is that you have to learn some PHP.
If you hadn’t said your primary focus was database work, I’d say that you could likely get by in MODx with little or no PHP. For DB work, though, it would be hard to avoid and MODx might not be for you, IMHO.
OK, both of your replies have clarified this issue for me. Probably modx would require me to get pretty involved in php and I’m not sure I can take the time for that.
I write custom software solutions for all kinds of clients and would love to find some cms or other web application framework that takes little coding. Any suggestions you’ve got would be interesting to hear. Drupal is capable of quite a bit but to create mostly original applications in it is not really what it’s about (as far as I can tell). rails and django are both candidates but I was hoping for an entry point that comes with more cms like features out of the box.
I’m don’t do a lot of custom DB work (none, in fact), but I think there’s a good chance that after you see what’s out there, you’ll be back here sooner or later.
MODx 2.0 Revolution (not quite out yet) is built around XPDO, which is hard to beat for DB manipulation.
Here’s a tutorial that might give you an idea what’s involved in customizing the MODx manager for custom DB work:
http://svn.modxcms.com/docs/display/~splittingred/2008/06/25/PHP+Coding+in+MODx+Revolution%2C+Pt.+I
