What is PHP Nuke
PHP Nuke is a software package that was designed originally by Francisco Burzi. Burzi's software combined elements of PHP and MySQL code. The integrated software elements worked together to create a content management and news publishing system that was web based and automated. Burzi's software creation was manageable from a user interface that was also web based.
Burzi created the PHP Nuke as a fork of the news portal program called Thatware. For those unfamiliar with a fork, in software design when developers of the software diverge in content design and application they can split the development team. The two development teams which started with one source of code make changes independent of each other which results in two software programs that function differently in independent and unique ways. The process of diverging and the alternate software program built off the original code are referred to as forks.
PHP Nuke was protected by the GNU General Public License when first released as a free software package. However, any versions of PHP Nuke after number 7.5 require the purchase of a license fee. Once an individual purchases the PHP Nuke software versions created after 7.5, the purchaser has the right to distribute the source code of the program to others without incurring a penalty or fee.
Any users of the PHP Nuke after the version number 5.6 must show a clear display of the copyright message when creating and presenting the source code. This criterion is a requirement followed by everyone in compliance with the GPL section 2(c).
In order for a person to use PHP Nuke the program must first be supported by a platform which supports the PHP extension. This is most often a web server. Programs known to support the PHP extension include the Apache HTTP server and SQL databases, which include SQL variations, ODBC, Interbase, Sybase and ADABAS.
Web designers implementing PHP Nuke will find the software works well as a content management program and is especially useful for creating community oriented websites. Users of the community website can be given access either from the server side or the client side. All users can then post or edit articles or information deemed newsworthy. In a presentation format familiar to most Internet users, the PHP Nuke program allows editors to choose user submitted content which once posted can be commented upon by other users.
PHP Nuke is easily customizable by add-ons or extensions. Additional elements web designers often incorporate into the web site include a news feed, messaging or chat components, forums, calendars and FAQs. Other elements are also easily integrated if a programmer desires to customize the web site for their web site users. Once the PHP Nuke web site is created and launched the site can be maintained or altered via the administrative user interface.
Elements of PHP Nuke that exist for implementation and personalization include advertising extensions, JavaScript or HTML, Flash, Avantgo, content and download modules, encyclopedia, FAQ and feedback, forums, journals, a member's list, news content and articles, private messages or chat features, a recommendation module, search features, statistical summaries, archive capabilities, submission portals, polls capability, viewable content displays arranged by most popular or viewed or downloaded, topic display elements, web links, personalized profile view settings and themes.
The PHP Nuke program is very friendly and accessible because of its software design and ability to accommodate multiple languages. The software is easily customizable via the themes module. Large scale changes of the program will require the web designer have some knowledge of HTML codes, CSS and PHP scripting.
Even though PHP Nuke is a fork of Thatware, many variations of PHP Nuke have also been created via forks of the source code development by additional users and developers. Other variations of the PHP Nuke source code include Clean Nuke, Dragonfly CMS, Nuke-Evolution Xtreme, PHPwebsite, PNC, Postnuke, RavenNuke CMS and XOOPS.
The operating system of the PHP Nuke program is considered to be cross platform. The most recent version that was released and is considered stable is version 8.2 on May 22, 2009.