The pros and cons of DotNetNuke

DotNetNuke is one of the leading content management systems in the world. It is an open source content management system that runs in VB.NET language through Cloud and ASP.NET which guarantees speed for its users.

Like any other CMS systems, DotNetNuke has its own set of strengths that makes it one of the most popular and trusted CMS systems by web developers. In this article, we will discuss its upsides and downsides that every website creator should consider.

Upsides:

Administrator and Users

Among the strengths of DNN is its capacity to give permission to multiple users to manage the content on the website. DNN was created with multi-tenancy function that allows multiple users to log in to the website through a username and password.

However, the general look, content, and operation of the website are managed by its site Administrator who holds full control of it.  In such case when a user makes an alteration on a certain element, the administrator is notified to either allow or reject the changes made by the user. Such changes will only then appear on the website’s front-end once they are approved by the administrator.

Skins and Modules

After successfully installing and settling into a username and password, the next things to consider are the skins and modules that will determine the look and structure of the website. Skins, in other content management systems, are referred to as the “theme” that determines the website’s overall design. It determines its colors, texts, and layout. Skins for DNN are available for purchase in the DNN store.

Modules, on the other hand, are the extended functionalities that users and administrators can integrate to their website for specific content or multimedia functions. In other CMS systems, modules are referred to as “plug-ins”. Some of the most common modules are the video gallery module, and slideshow module. Like the skins, modules are also available in the DNN store.

Editing

Editing and altering elements on a website is considerably easy with DNN as it does not require advanced knowledge in coding or html. Users and the administrator edit the website’s contents by clicking the “Edit Page” option that allows them to see the real-time appearance of the page. They would then have to drag the elements their desired size or location. Every alteration in a page is also auto-saved to ensure that no time and effort will be put to waste even if the platform unfortunately crashes.

SEO

Search engine visibility is important for every website therefore, it is important that CMS systems allow administrators and users to optimize their content to generate traffic. DNN allows users and administrators to customize the website’s page titles, meta descriptions, H Tags, Alt Tags, and URL as part of search engine optimization. They also do not have iFrames or Frames that have been proven to be potential risks to the communication of the search engine and the website.

Downsides:

Cost

Budget has been and will always be an integral factor in any business venture. Purchasing a domain will always be a significant business cost. And the integration of skins and modules could make the process even more costly especially if the type of website demands a lot of modules.

.NET

DNN’s .net domain makes it exclusive, thus getting a smaller community support. It does not have much community content or support as well with other third party Open Source solutions.

Number of skins and modules available

DNN has a lot of variation for skins and modules. But when compared to other major CMS systems such as WordPress, their options for skins and modules are considerably less than what WP can offer.

In conclusion, creating a website does not end with just a single post. It also requires maintenance. Considering both the pros and cons of DNN would be beneficial for the development of long term plans for the website which would subsequently factor to its success.