31 January, 2014

Developing a Fully Functional Site with DotNetNuke

Despite being developed as a content management system originally, DotNetNuke is hugely popular, nowadays, an open source and Microsoft .NET based web application development framework. It allows developers to build robust and fully functional websites using several basic modules including Login, Blog, Discussion, Announcement, Banners, Links, Documents, Image, XML/XSL or Text/HTML.

Dotnetnuke CMS customization
The programmers can simply use a web-based management interface to add or edit features quickly according to the user requirements. The look and feel of the website can also be changed simply changing skins that can be developed by programmers familiar with HTML. At the same time, the robust security architecture of DotNetNuke ensures that only authorized users can access, edit or control the resources. You can follow some simple steps to build a fully functional site with DotNetNuke.

Five Simple Steps to Build a Fully Functional Site with DotNetNuke

1) Download the Free Version of DotNetNuke

Based on your requirements, you have option to download the Professional, Enterprise or Community version of the web development framework. But you can download the community version of DotNetNuke, distributed under Community Edition MIT license, for free. It is a good idea to start the development by downloading the free version. While downloading the framework, you can refer to the documentation to understand some of the common functions like adding a page or inserting a module. You can simply follow the instructions included with the download to install and setup the framework within 60 minutes.

2) Register Your Domain

You have option to book the domain name even before downloading DotNetNuke. So you can skip the step, if you have already registered the website domain. But it is always important to register the domain before developing the site, as people will access your site by typing the domain name in their web browsers.

3) Get Windows Hosting

As a web development framework, DotNetNuke is based on Microsoft .NET and ASP.NET. So you need Windows hosting to deploy the site. You have option to choose from several companies offering Windows hosting services. So you can always choose the hosting service plan according to your requirements and budget. It is also a good idea to avail both domain registration and hosting services from a single company to save money.

4) Install DotNetNuke in the Hosting Environment

After signing up for Windows Hosting, you have to install the web development framework in the hosting environment. You can even ask the hosting service provider to install and set up the program. But most companies lack the expertise required to install the framework properly. So you must refer to the DotNetNuke support to get the required assistance. Once the program is installed in the hosting environment properly, you can start developing the site.

5) Build the Site

The conventional website development frameworks allow programmers to create the site, and then go live. But DotNetNuke allows you to build the website in a live environment. As you are developing in a live environment, it becomes essential to set access restrictions or permission for each page or module. Also, you can create a message that will inform to the visitors that the site is currently being developed.

You can start building the site by using basic functionality provided by DotNetNuke including content management, user administration and security. The primary modules included in the core DotNetNuke distribution can be used to build a variety of websites and web applications. However, you also have option to add to third-party modules to add custom functionality to the site.

DotNetNuke also provides a skinning architecture to separate the content from design. You can change the overall design of the website simply by changing skins. If you are familiar in HTML, you can develop skins without any hassle. Normally, the skins are packaged as zip files that contain menus, placeholders (tokens) for content and other functionality, along with basic HTML files, JavaScript, images and style sheets.

If you are new to create sites using DotNetNuke, there are always chances that you will need assistance. You can avail the assistance of the large community of developers and volunteers to avail the required help. Also, you can refer to the User Manual of the particular version of DotNetNuke to set up the proper development environment.

You can hire DotNetNuke developers from top companies in India who can help you build your applications within allocated budgets and time schedules.

We provide Dotnetnuke CMS customization services. If you would like to know more about the expertise of our certified CMS developers, please get in touch with us at Mindfire Solutions.

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