How will you accomplish the preferred functionality and look for your website? For a layman, this will be a dilemma that appears unassailable until he/she comes across open source customization.
Open source customization involves tailoring open source content management system (CMS) or scripts like Joomla, WordPress, Oscommerce, Mambo and PHPBB to adorn the website with the choicest look and functionality. However, a layman can still not sail through open source customization until he/she has a good knowledge of PHP, CSS, and HTML.
Open source Content Management Systems like WordPress and Joomla are of great use in modern techno-freak world. WordPress forms the most popular blogging platform, with many a people hosting their weblogs on this platform. With respect to the other blog platforms, it is relatively easier to publish and organize content on WordPress. Want to upload your favourite photos and videos for others to see. WordPress allows these and more. Many a users are now using this free-to-use platform to build websites. Besides WordPress blogs and websites are more user-friendly and SEO friendly, thanks to the host of in-built functionalities.
Joomla is relatively tougher, but this award winning open source software allows you to build a seamless website without even messing with HTML, CSS or PHP. Another important advantage of using Joomla is that the website developer has a greater command on the look and feel of the website. Also one can try a whole spectrum of ways to view different parts of the website. Like plug-ins in WordPress, Joomla offers a host of components that can be downloaded for free and for a small charge on the internet.
The obvious question then is what the need for customization is if these open source web based softwares are so sound and seamless. The answer is in the large number of benefits that can be had through open source customization. Want to have a contact form or an image slideshow on the website? Open source customization is the answer. Open source customization also offers browser compatibility so that the website looks consistent in whatever browser it is viewed. What’s more the website shows content uninterrupted in all screen sizes.
That essays the role of customization in open source softwares. Now the website built on Joomla or WordPress is ready to be customized.There are two important parts which need to be considered while customization-Design part and Functionality part. The former defines how your website will look to the users. A large number of CMS have different files for design and programming. It is the style sheet in the theme folder where the design changes are to be made. In Joomla, look out for the template files that feature the content in the screen with preferred font colors, heading, list style and so on.
