Compare Tools to Create a Website
Looking to create a website? We have a few different tools for you to build a website - anything from a basic blog for a class assignment to a sophisticated department portal.
Challenge
There are a number of factors to consider when deciding what technologies to use to build your website:
- Who will contribute content to your site?
- How much and how frequently will you change the content or layout?
- What types of content or features will you include?
- Who should have access to your website?
Solutions
There are several technologies available for you from easier-to-use Google tools to more complex web hosting tools. For further consultation and help deciding which tool is best suited to meet your needs, please contact [email protected].
New Google Sites
The new Google Sites offers enhanced collaboration and better integration with Google Drive.
Recommended Resources
Effort Required
Key Considerations
- Template and layout designs automatically adjust for screen size
- Easily arrange content sections on each page
Drupal Lite
Drupal Lite is an alternative to the University’s Drupal Enterprise content management platform and offers a quicker and simpler website development solution.
Effort Required
Key Considerations
- Pre-built content types (such as Biographies, News/Blog)
- Pre-configured components (such as custom site footer, accordions, and callouts)
- What-you-see-is-what-you-get (“WYSIWYG”) editing
- Especially well suited for smaller and simpler websites
- Requires little to no prior web creation experience/skills
Drupal Enterprise
Drupal Enterprise, an open source content management platform, is the official content management system (CMS) of the University of Minnesota.
Effort Required
Key Considerations
- Full-featured website design with very few limitations
- Well suited for larger or more complex sites
- Highly customizable (with a learning curve)
- Offers both development and production environments