How to Use WordPress & Drupal
WordPress and Drupal provide ways to create configurable, interactive websites. The two platforms work differently from each other, and the specifics of how to accomplish any given task are quite different. The basic procedures for getting started with WordPress or Drupal are the same, and understanding these general principals can help you plan your site effectively.
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Instructions
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Select a host server. Both WordPress and Drupal must run from a Web server, and several commercial servers, such as Bluehost and Hostgator, specialize in WordPress and Drupal sites. Your host server must support SQL and PHP.
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Install Drupal or WordPress. Log in to your account with your host server and click the icon in the Administrative Dashboard for the content management system you want to install. The host will gather some information from you, such as the name for the site, an administrator username and password. The host will automatically install and configure the proper code for you.
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Select and install a design theme. Themes are user-contributed templates that provide a basic look for your site, and include a user interface so you can modify the design, add modules and post content. WordPress lets you browse through available themes from within your WordPress account. Drupal requires you to go to the Drupal site, select a theme, then copy the URL for the theme's code to install it from within your Drupal account.
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Install modules or plug-ins. Once your theme is installed, your site has some basic functionality, but you may want to allow users to comment on posts or display galleries of photos. Add these capabilities with plug-ins or modules. The process for finding and installing either differs between programs, but is similar to the process for installing a theme.
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Add content. The Administrative Dashboard of your WordPress or Drupal site will have prominent buttons to add an article or a static Web page to your site. The process for adding other types of content, such as menus, sidebars, and RSS feeds, will vary depending on which program you have installed and which plug-ins or modules you've added. Generally, you can add these items through the WordPress or Drupal interface.
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Tips & Warnings
Both WordPress and Drupal have user-maintained help sites that include step-by-step tutorials and FAQs.
If your Web host specializes in WordPress or Drupal sites, it will automate the process of installing updates, so you don't have to download and replace code modules manually.
When you're searching for modules or plug-ins to add to your site, make sure the component is compatible with the version of WordPress or Drupal you're using.
Before you install a module or plug-in, check to see if it relies on any additional components to work. Make sure you have those components installed.
Back up your WordPress or Drupal site frequently, particularly before you run an update.
