Adding to a website

[suzyb]

Here's my question:

So say I pay someone to design some kind of photography website for me. Is there going to be a way for me to be able to update the website ... like if I want to change or add the photos or other content... without any knowledge of the coding involved? Or would I have to pay someone every time I wanted to do that? Just trying to get an idea of what's involved without sounding like an idiot when I call someone. :)

Thanks in advance for any answers or any links you can point me to.

[tracknut]

When you call someone, tell them you need the capability to edit and add images and text, without knowing the code, etc. You're defining the specs for the contract, and if you don't request a particular feature, you can't expect the developer to include it.

Dave

[suzyb]

Thanks, tracknut.

I didn't even know if that was something you could request. I just assumed one would HAVE to know code in order to mess around with websites. I'd hate to pay for one, then screw it up trying to update it.

Do you know how that would work?

[tracknut]

Typically your issue would be handled by some sort of "Content Management System" (CMS). A CMS is intended to allow the creation and editing of a web site via tools that don't require knowing how the code works. Blogs are the most obvious CMS-managed sites that we see, but a "normal" web site can be created with a CMS as well. Wordpress is a CMS you may have heard of. The various "template" sites that you hear of could be categorized as CMS's as well, though they tend to be less flexible.

On the other hand, a fully custom web site, that can do absolutely anything you want, is typically not best done in a CMS. The more the requirements deviate from the features the CMS has, the less useful doing it in the CMS product will be.

Long way around saying, tell your developer you want a site done in a CMS so you can edit it.

Dave