Customizable and well-documented community (~ Flickr)

Not for 'how-to' coding questions but PHP theory instead, this forum is here for those of us who wish to learn about design aspects of programming with PHP.

Moderator: General Moderators

Post Reply
Multiplexor
Forum Newbie
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Mar 11, 2009 10:50 am

Customizable and well-documented community (~ Flickr)

Post by Multiplexor »

Hello,

is there a state of the art PHP software, which can serve as basis to build a community similar to Flickr?

The software should offer the following functions:
- a user system (authentication, password recovery...)
- a messaging system such that users can communicate with each other without revealing their email address
- users should be able to rate the items and to create comments

The software should be well documented and have an active community, such that I can extend its functionality - without re-inventing the wheel.

Which PHP script/software matches my needs?
Theory?
Forum Contributor
Posts: 138
Joined: Wed Apr 11, 2007 10:43 am

Re: Customizable and well-documented community (~ Flickr)

Post by Theory? »

Drupal?

You're asking a relatively vague question. There is so much software out there that will do exactly what you want and then some.
Multiplexor
Forum Newbie
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Mar 11, 2009 10:50 am

Re: Customizable and well-documented community (~ Flickr)

Post by Multiplexor »

Can you please list the software you know in addition to Drupal, so I can review and compare them myself? This way I might also become more concrete...
matthijs
DevNet Master
Posts: 3360
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2005 3:57 pm

Re: Customizable and well-documented community (~ Flickr)

Post by matthijs »

Have you done any research your self?

To be honest I don't think there's a ready-made package with which you can make a "flickr" like site. Flickr is a huge site with loads of functionality, on which dozens of developers have worked a long time to develop.

There are scripts which might do certain parts/functions of the system. But then the problem is to integrate them. Maybe that's so difficult that it's better to build it your self.
User avatar
omniuni
Forum Regular
Posts: 738
Joined: Tue Jul 15, 2008 10:50 pm
Location: Carolina, USA

Re: Customizable and well-documented community (~ Flickr)

Post by omniuni »

You could try gallery:
http://gallery.menalto.com/
alex.barylski
DevNet Evangelist
Posts: 6267
Joined: Tue Dec 21, 2004 5:00 pm
Location: Winnipeg

Re: Customizable and well-documented community (~ Flickr)

Post by alex.barylski »

State of the art? In what way, letting users private message isn't exactly 'new'. :P

Joomla probably has components you can drop in and start a similar site. The fact of the matter is, custom built, when done right, is the best way to go for Flickr copy-cats.
Multiplexor
Forum Newbie
Posts: 4
Joined: Wed Mar 11, 2009 10:50 am

Re: Customizable and well-documented community (~ Flickr)

Post by Multiplexor »

I have already done research myself. To be specific, I know about the frameworks and libraries like CakePHP, eZ-Components, Symfony, Zend. I also know about community software XOOPS and Comuna. I am overwhelmed by the amount of software available. I can certainly read reviews, and I have done that, but now I see myself having two options: I can choose one particular software and start working through their tutorials and documentations to possibly find out a week later, that it is not right for me. Or I can initiate a conversation with experienced people who might help me. And, here I am :-)

My situation is this: I already have a database with items. These items are organized in a particular way, which is also already implemented. Now, I would like to envelop the whole thing in a community, but not like facebook but rather like flickr, where the items (flickr: photos) are the things the community is about. As mentioned earlier, the basic thing is the user authentication and sessions - I would reinvent the wheel programming it myself...

Now my question is, with what software library/framework/community would you work to accomplish my task?
Post Reply