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View Full Version : General Website Help - What programs to use?



TwoToedSloth
29 Apr 2011, 10:40 AM
So my web dev background is slim, but I'm a very motivated and quick learner. I've spent endless hours trying to research the best method of developing my website ideas. I'm starting to get confused though with the plethora of programs and don't understand exactly what I need and what I don't need. The most problematic is a gaming website that will require an extensive database. I want an overarching user ID for the site that will allow access to forums, clans, and a Ladder based structure that will track a players rating much like a chess rating based on wins/losses + opponents rankings. Also, I will have a shopping cart/credit system applied to the same UserID.

Programs:

Design: I have Adobe Suite CS5. I'm currently designing in Fireworks and exporting to Dreamweaver. Fireworks is great because I can easily make my images in photoshop or fireworks and then apply hotsplices to them and easily configure the page layout and menu bars. I would prefer to work with this method if possible.

Basically, I have the design already completed. I need to figure out the database and CMS of the site.

So I'm not really sure if I just need to straight up learn MySQL and PHP and develop my database from there? Does anyone have a preferable Visual database program? MySQL workbench and PHPMyAdmin appear to be the popular choices.

Can I use phpbb forum boards and still have the same overarching UserID for the Ladders and clans section of my site?

Do I have to use a CMS system like Joomla or Drupal?

And finally, do I need to use a program like Cpanel? Is CPanel just a centralized folder of sorts for all of your components(Design, Database, CMS) to be easily sorted and modified?

In summary: I'm fine with the design side of the operation, but I'm confused as hell as to what I need on the database and CMS side. What exactly do I need? It seems like many programs overlap.

Sorry for all of the questions. Thanks for helping :)