User reviews on using MODX in various projects. Pros and cons of CMS MODX
MODX is a framework and CMS distributed free of charge (open source). It was first introduced in 2004. Today, two CMS options are available to users: Modx Evolution and Modx Revolutoin. The first version is no longer supported by developers, but is still popular among users (especially among older sites for which custom solutions have been developed). The second version is current and currently receives support from MODX LLC.
The MODX content management system is a powerful tool that is designed to work with both simple (company websites) and complex projects (portals, catalog sites, online stores).
The main advantage of MODX
Included in the top 5 CMS of Runet. This rating unites all content management systems: Open Source and commercial. Thanks to open source code MODX can be used to create unique applications and websites. It can be used to implement any individual solutions, unique template designs, and non-standard plugins.
Pros of CMS MODX:
Any design options are available for "stretching" onto the system. If necessary, you can create new templates and apply them depending on the type of content you add.
+ Function of simultaneous work on two sites. This is especially useful if you have a resource grid.
+ Development of websites of any complexity: from business cards to online stores.
+ Convenient tag syntax. This is one of the main differences of this instrument from other open source CMSs.
+ Versatility. You can set CNC page addresses, all the necessary headings, descriptions.
+ Convenient use on hosting. Transfer to remote server simplified as much as possible. It is enough to act in accordance with the instructions.
+ Cross-browser and cross-platform. All major browsers are supported, including mobile ones.
+ Intuitive administration panel, easy enough for a beginner to understand.
And this is not all the positive features of the platform.
It is also worth saying a few words about the high-quality optimization of the administrative panel. At first glance, there aren't that many settings. But only beginners might think so. Experienced webmasters have a huge range of options to perform a variety of tasks.
Disadvantages of MODX
Let us note right away that this CMS has incomparably more advantages than disadvantages. But for a fair assessment, we cannot ignore the latter.
The following disadvantages can be identified:
Limited number of built-in templates. Quantity free templates for Joomla and WordPress it reaches two hundred. MODX boasts several dozen. But there is a fairly simple solution to the problem. Any design layout can be opened and adapted using MODX tags, and then used in the engine.
- Limited quantity useful materials. Although there is a Russian-speaking community and documentation translated into Russian. But it may be difficult to answer some questions.
- Original terminology. It differs significantly from that used in other CMSs. Although this is hardly a serious drawback. It’s just that for a person accustomed to other content management systems, this may create some discomfort. A little practice and all the terminology will become clear.
- Like any free and open source system, there are problems with vulnerabilities. CMS is often hacked, but for an experienced programmer it is not difficult to install, for example, double authorization and configure the platform so that it is safe to use.
Main disadvantage in our opinion, this is too small a number of ready-made modules and solutions for creating a multifunctional online store on this platform. Working in the admin panel is completely unprepared for full-fledged work online store manager. A lot of things have to be completed by hand. We We do not recommend creating online stores on MODX. It is better to use more for these purposes suitable solutions(1C-Bitrix, Shop Script or free platforms Opencart, Prestashop).
Let's sum it up
What is MODX? This is a multifunctional system that boasts ease of management and cross-browser compatibility. There are two versions to choose from: Evolution for beginner webmasters and Revolution for seasoned professionals. And although Evolution is no longer supported by developers, useful tips And technical assistance can always be found online. There are still enough people who understand.
On the platform you can create and complex online stores, and simple one-pagers. You just need to hire an experienced layout designer/programmer. But, we advise you to consider other platforms for online stores, and to create corporate websites and catalog websites on this one at most.
It will be difficult for beginners to understand the nuances MODX works, but with a little learning, the tool is clear and very useful.
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April 21, 2014 at 12:06 pmIntroducing MODX
- CMS,
- WordPress,
- MODX
- Translation
These days, the choice of content management systems (CMS) is so large that you can’t help but get lost. Moreover, the quality of the system does not depend on whether it is paid or not, but decision then you are tied to the selected CMS for a long time.
I bring to your attention a translation of an article by English web developer Mark Jenkins, who discovered MODX after many years of development on various systems.
At the beginning Translating articles, then some comments on the text.
I just finished my second project on the MODX platform, and I think it's time to share my thoughts. My impression is that MODX is largely unknown in the web industry, which is partly why I'm writing this article for educational purposes.
What is MODX?
MODX is an open source content management system. It is built on PHP based and MYSQL, so it works on almost any server. Like WordPress, there are two versions: MODX Revolution(like wordpress.org, version for downloading and installing on your server) and MODX Cloud(like wordpress.com).MODX is unpretentious: it doesn't matter where the templates are located, how they are organized, or where the content is placed. This is a flexible system that allows you to work as you please.
Where can I use MODX?
The choice of content management systems (CMS) is quite wide. I've used WordPress, Perch, Expression Engine and Kirby in the past, as well as Shopify and Magento for online stores. I use WordPress and Perch on permanent basis and both systems have proven to be reliable and easy to use.This raises the question: “ Why should I even delve into MODX?»
I think it's fair to say that I'm pretty familiar with WordPress because... I did almost everything in this system: blogs, 5-page sites, multi-regional sites with hundreds of pages. While developing large sites on WordPress, I have encountered many difficulties, for example: the permalink structure and taxonomy can be limited. Although in last years The CMS has improved a lot, but it still feels like it's not the right tool for handling huge, complex sites.
This is where MODX appears in all its glory. While WordPress puts together a structure (custom post types, taxonomy, themes), MODX offers an empty shell ready to adapt to any of your needs.
The ease with which MODX works with templates is impressive. No need to create templates with given name file or place them in specific folder, and the MODX syntax keeps the code clean and accessible.
I'm switching from WordPress. Will it be difficult to relearn?
MODX is easy to learn.Firstly, MODX uses different terminology:
- Resources – web pages (resources can also be documents, links, etc.)
- Templates
- Template Variables – The equivalent of custom fields in WordPress
- Chunky - repeating on different pages HTML markup(for example: header, footer, side panels etc.)
- Snippets are dynamic pieces of PHP code.
Secondly, MODX uses its own tag syntax. At first, I thought why the MODX developers even bother creating their own syntax, but after trying it in practice, it became clear. It allows you to keep your template code clean and understandable (at least better than those horrible inconsistent WordPress features).
Git Compatible
My team did not experience any difficulties with the last project. We used this .gitignore file to exclude everything except the assets and core folders.The database does not store file paths, so you can easily move databases during development.
Are there any disadvantages to MODX?
As I noted in this article, learning MODX is not difficult. It will take some time to get used to the terminology and ways of implementing certain things.The documentation is quite good, although you will have to try to find answers to some questions. The chances of finding an answer to your problem in WordPress are probably several times higher, because... The MODX community is smaller.
However, I found a community on Twitter that was very helpful. Posting a few questions to the group #MODX, every time I received at least one answer that directed me in the right direction.
The installation process for MODX is more complex than that of WordPress. For example, to install the system locally, I cloned our repository, then copied the MODX files there, set up the configuration files, ran the install, tweaked some file permissions, and ran the install again. Compared to WordPress, getting MODX up and running is a bit fiddly.
Conclusion
While I'm still new to MODX and have a lot to learn, I ultimately feel like I've found a solid and reliable CMS that offers the flexibility I need.I have no doubts in recommending it for businesses with large websites with hundreds of pages. And I’m already looking forward to diving into the next MODX project...
- Translation
These days, the choice of content management systems (CMS) is so large that you can’t help but get lost. Moreover, the quality of the system does not depend on whether it is paid or not, and the decision made then ties you to the chosen CMS for a long time.
I bring to your attention a translation of an article by English web developer Mark Jenkins, who discovered MODX after many years of development on various systems.
First there is a translation of the article, then some comments on the text.
I just finished my second project on the MODX platform, and I think it's time to share my thoughts. My impression is that MODX is largely unknown in the web industry, which is partly why I'm writing this article for educational purposes.
What is MODX?
MODX is an open source content management system. It is built on PHP and MYSQL, so it works on almost any server. Like WordPress, there are two versions: MODX Revolution(like wordpress.org, version for downloading and installing on your server) and MODX Cloud(like wordpress.com).MODX is unpretentious: it doesn't matter where the templates are located, how they are organized, or where the content is placed. This is a flexible system that allows you to work as you please.
Where can I use MODX?
The choice of content management systems (CMS) is quite wide. I've used WordPress, Perch, Expression Engine and Kirby in the past, as well as Shopify and Magento for online stores. I use WordPress and Perch on a regular basis and both systems have proven to be reliable and easy to use.This raises the question: “ Why should I even delve into MODX?»
I think it's fair to say that I'm pretty familiar with WordPress because... I did almost everything in this system: blogs, 5-page sites, multi-regional sites with hundreds of pages. While developing large sites on WordPress, I have encountered many difficulties, for example: the permalink structure and taxonomy can be limited. Although CMS has improved significantly in recent years, it still feels like it is not the right tool for working with huge and complex websites.
This is where MODX appears in all its glory. While WordPress puts together a structure (custom post types, taxonomy, themes), MODX offers an empty shell ready to adapt to any of your needs.
The ease with which MODX works with templates is impressive. There's no need to create templates with a given file name or place them in a specific folder, and MODX's syntax keeps your code clean and accessible.
I'm switching from WordPress. Will it be difficult to relearn?
MODX is easy to learn.Firstly, MODX uses different terminology:
- Resources – web pages (resources can also be documents, links, etc.)
- Templates
- Template Variables – The equivalent of custom fields in WordPress
- Chunks – HTML markup that is repeated on different pages (for example: header, footer, sidebars, etc.)
- Snippets are dynamic pieces of PHP code.
Secondly, MODX uses its own tag syntax. At first, I thought why the MODX developers even bother creating their own syntax, but after trying it in practice, it became clear. It allows you to keep your template code clean and understandable (at least better than those horrible inconsistent WordPress features).
Git Compatible
My team did not experience any difficulties with the last project. We used this .gitignore file to exclude everything except the assets and core folders.The database does not store file paths, so you can easily move databases during development.
Are there any disadvantages to MODX?
As I noted in this article, learning MODX is not difficult. It will take some time to get used to the terminology and ways of implementing certain things.The documentation is quite good, although you will have to try to find answers to some questions. The chances of finding an answer to your problem in WordPress are probably several times higher, because... The MODX community is smaller.
However, I found a community on Twitter that was very helpful. Posting a few questions to the group #MODX, every time I received at least one answer that directed me in the right direction.
The installation process for MODX is more complex than that of WordPress. For example, to install the system locally, I cloned our repository, then copied the MODX files there, set up the configuration files, ran the install, tweaked some file permissions, and ran the install again. Compared to WordPress, getting MODX up and running is a bit fiddly.
Conclusion
While I'm still new to MODX and have a lot to learn, I ultimately feel like I've found a solid and reliable CMS that offers the flexibility I need.I have no doubts in recommending it for businesses with large websites with hundreds of pages. And I’m already looking forward to diving into the next MODX project...
CMS/SMF MODx is free system, allowing you to develop web projects of any complexity.
What is CMS MODx
Before we talk about the pros and cons of MODx, it is necessary to understand the acronym.
CMS or Content Management System or Content Management System is designed to facilitate the process of website development, as well as for its further management and maintenance. If you have ever logged into the administration panel yourself and edited website pages, then you have worked in a CMS.
CMF or Content Management Framework or framework is a toolkit that is used for development. Using the framework, you can develop not only websites of any complexity, but also the content management system itself. If the CMS is intended only for the development of standard websites, then using CMF, you can develop all necessary extensions.
MODx is open source and freely distributed under the GPL license. This means that anyone can use sites built on this management system for both personal and commercial purposes.
MODx is written in PHP language, used for storage MySQL data, can be installed on almost all web servers. And the admin area works in most cases modern browsers.
Over its long history, MODx has evolved from a small platform to a powerful toolkit with which you can implement a project of any complexity. If the task at hand is non-standard, then it is possible to independently supplement or change MODx so that it meets the requirements.
It should be borne in mind that if you are not a professional developer, then at first it will be quite difficult to understand all the intricacies of CMF - this is a minus of MODx. While providing enormous opportunities, the program requires the developer to have deep knowledge of web technologies.
History of MODx development
In 2009, the management system MODx content developed in several directions: MODx Evolution and MODx Revolution.
When developing MODx Evolution, we tried to maintain simplicity, flexibility and reliability. Learning this platform is made easier by containing the API in a single file. But at the same time, the program has tools that correspond to a full-fledged framework.
MODx Revolution is able to satisfy all the needs of a web programmer, even if they go beyond the standard.
Reasons why you should choose MODx
One of the advantages of MODx is that you can develop several sites simultaneously. This feature will appeal to webmasters who own a network of resources.
Allows you to implement any design. If the standard tools are not enough, then it is possible to develop additional templates.
With the assistance of MODx, you can implement any type of website, from the simplest business card website to complex and functionally diverse social networks.
MODx is virtually hassle-free when using a hosted system. You just need to transfer it to a remote server, having previously created a database and follow the instructions that accompany the installation process.
SEO optimization characteristics allow you to set descriptions, required headers and page addresses.
The MODx content management system imposes certain requirements on developers who have chosen this program for work. Namely, knowledge of the PHP programming language and skills in working with web technologies.
