DotNetNuke (DNN) – CMS

The main reason for choosing Joomla or Drupal over DNN is the licensing costs of Linux, Apache, MySql, and PHP together, called LAMP, which is free. The other option is a Windows Server OS and SQL Server, which is costly to get a SQL Server enterprise license if the application is to be hosted in house. Hosting costs are slightly higher in a web hosting environment, although still reasonable.

Joomla is much less intuitive and administrative-friendly than DNN, which we use for module creation. It performs much better in terms of IDE, RAD, and the skinning is more flexible. Visual Studio, which is the IDE for DNN, is almost a developer’s dream. So why do we not use DNN more often than other CMSs? Well, it all boils down to our client’s budget.

Why DNN?

DotNetNuke is very easy to use. End users can learn to post content to their website in minutes. The simple yet powerful page editing tools let end users modify content without IT support.

The granular security model allows system administrators to precisely define website access for end users at the site, page, or module level. Users can access the right content for their contributions yet have no access to modify the rest of the website. This provides end users with considerable freedom to modify content yet limited access to the overall web site.

The best Content Management System DotNetNuke DNN CMS.

DNN Pros

The main thing to keep in mind is that if you choose DNN, you’re starting with a Framework (built for making web applications), which has CMS features. This means a whole lot of stuff is already done for you. DotNetNuke is an open source project, with a very active team of developers and a large community of resources and users worldwide. The core application is available to download for free, and there are many add-in modules for free or for purchase.

  • DNN is super user-friendly!
  • Maintain portal content without any web page development applications.
  • It is easy for anyone to update or maintain content. No technical skills required!
  • Easy to add modules for content. (See the long list of modules available!)
  • Secure all or part of your Portal from public viewing.
  • Create groups of users with different levels of access control.
  • Enable public or private conversations with such tools as forums or chat rooms.
  • Easily change the layout and colors of your Portal without changing content!
  • Skinning is independent from the content, so if you decide to change the layout, there is no need to rebuild the site, just load a new “skin”.
  • Implement an advanced dynamic website in very little time.

Launch and manage a Portal without the expense of custom IT development!

DNN Cons

There are not too many cons that come to mind, as this may be the best open source CMS out there. Yet, here are a few things to consider:

  • If a module doesn’t exist, it takes in-depth .NET knowledge to develop a custom module.
  • Upgrading to newer versions can be difficult and time-consuming.
  • DNN requires a Windows environment and an IIS web server.

DNN Performance

Typically, DotNetNuke performs very well compared to the PHP counterparts. However, performance may be enhaced by optimizing SiteLog and EventLog tables. We would simply delete old and unnecessary records from these tables. Other performance enhancements could be achieved by tweaking the server configuration a bit.

DNN The Ultimate Solution

We like DotNetNuke over any other open source CMS. It’s fast and the most user-friendly. As developers, we love Microsoft’s amazing creation of the IDE Visual Studio, which we use to work on DotNetNuke codes. If you do not mind a slightly higher hosting fee, this would be the best way to go for your website. Ultimately, the decision is yours.