Fortunately creating a website doesn't require a lot of knowledge, free time or money for that matter. Nowadays having a site won't cost more than a few dollars per month and that really depends on the hosting provider you choose. More affordable hosting plans can start at only $4 month whilst other more complex solutions could literally reach the hundreds of dollars. Beginners won't have to worry about this given that in most cases a basic hosting package offers all the necessary features required to host a site.
When thinking of creating a website there are a few questions each individual should ask before venturing on. Knowing exactly what is pretended and how to achieve those goals is the most important step to be taken before initiating a project. The internet presents many extremely flexible solutions that could all provide the results pretended but the problem is that some require basic knowledge whilst others don't.
The first way in which an individual could create a website is by coding it himself with the aid of an HTML editor. This might seem rather complex but the truth is that HTML is a programming language extremely easy to use and perfectly suited for creating basic internet sites. Please not that this solution is only suited for simple sites which consist mostly of static content.
Advantages
- Easy to dominate
- Full control over every aspect of the site
- Good learning experience
- Well documented on the internet, information widely available
Disadvantages
- Only suited for very simple sites, more complex sites require good skills
- Not suited for dynamic content sites
- Requires some learning
- Long time to develop
The best solution for someone lacking basic programming knowledge is the use of a CMS. A content management system (CMS) is used to manage the content of a site. Instead of creating a bunch of static HTML pages a user can install a CMS and have it organize, store, and display the content efficiently. Individuals are only required to create the actual content and publish it.
Advantages
- Most CMS are extremely easy to use
- Robust, many features on offer
- Saves time
- Tolls that help in the creations and publishing of content
- Many CMS to choose from
- Most are Free
- No programming knowledge required
Disadvantages
- Some CMS are complex
- Might seem overwhelming at first
Wordpress is one of the most popular and widely used CMS on the internet. Although the initial project anticipated the development of a stable blogging platform, that notion has changed considerably over the years. Today Wordpress is an extremely easy to use, robust CMS that can be utilized in many projects be it to create a simple blog or a complex site. The advantages of using Wordpress are considerable.
Advantages
- Extremely easy to use
- Enormous community ready help if any problem arises
- Many free plugins to add extra functionalities
- Unbelievable amount of free Themes to chose from
Disadvantages
- Initially intended as a blogging platform, other CMS might offer better solutions for sites
- Creating a complex site requires a lot of technical experience
Joomla! is a free, open source content management system especially created for publishing content on the internet. A more robust solution, Joomla could be considered a multifaceted, feature rich software package best suited for complex sites. The reason for this is that not only can an individual create a simple website with the aid of this CMS but they can also develop a large scale portal or community site with extreme ease. With Joomla the possibilities are endless.
Advantages
- Free to use
- Very well documented
- Good community of users ready to help
- Extremely flexible
- Possibilities are endless
Disadvantages
- Beginners will struggle seeing as Joomla is a rather complex CMS
- Some extensions are expensive
As you can see creating a site isn't very hard, all that is needed is the right tools. The resources provided free of charge on the internet are more than sufficient for any individual to start putting together a site. All you have to do is chose the best solutions and build the site. |
