Open-source CMS software – Drupal is an ideal choice for publishing your content on your website. It is extremely convenient and allows a range of customization. Drupal’s latest initiative is named as Drupal 7. Drupal can only be upgraded between two consequent versions. Suppose, you want to upgrade your Drupal 5 version to Drupal 7, you must upgrade it to Drupal 6 version first. Upgrading Drupal can be performed both manually and through cPanel.

Creating backup of files and database is a must

Before upgrading to the latest version of Drupal, it is firmly advisable to keep a backup of the existing database as well as the CMS files, core and non-core, just in case a roll-back is called for. Creating a backup can be done by downloading the files through your preferred File Transfer Protocol (FTP) client into your computer’s hard drive. The intact Drupal installation can also be zipped and saved in the form of a tar file. Make sure that no change is made to the site at this point such as adding new files or content, modifying the existing content, etc.

Maintenance Mode

While you make changes to your site, make sure it is not available for public viewing. You need to make your site momentarily unavailable to visitors by activating the maintenance mode.

Removing extra modules

If you want to avoid unnecessary troubles while upgrading from Drupal 6 to 7, uninstall the excess themes and modules. A clean database is essential for this process. This is because the lesser number of themes and modules you use; the easier will be the process of upgradation. Set a default Drupal theme, keep the modules that are indispensable and remove the rest.

Download the latest version of Drupal

Downloading the most recent version should be done preferably from the official Drupal website. This can be done either through your FTP client or through Secure Shell network protocol. This should be then extracted into a subfolder. Uploading the new version to your website can be accomplished by creating a folder in your site’s public_html directory. The archived file can then be extorted through cPanel or with programs like tar, zip and the likewise, whichever is supported by your computer’s operating system. The downloaded package contains a file named UPGRADE.txt in its root directory. This file must be read carefully before attempting upgrade. After uploading the new version, essential files and folders from the older version must be copied here. Gaining access to those will not be a problem now since the backup has been created at the very beginning. Erase existing files, if any, in the new folder. The default folder in the new site must be edited to ensure successful upgradation of the contents. This can be done manually or with the help of editors such as CODE or HTML.

Reinstalling themes and modules

Now, the removed themes and modules can be downloaded and installed again. The functionality of the modules must be verified to guarantee its smooth running. While choosing a module you must opt for a version that is well suited to your Drupal latest version. A module can be uploaded to your Drupal 7 website either manually or via the Drupal user interface. Themes can be downloaded from Drupal official theme webpage. These should now be extracted in the themes subfolder. This can be done either through cPanel or through your FTP client. Ones the theme files are uploaded; they can be viewed under ‘Appearance’ in the Drupal Admin Area and you can enable the theme of your choice.

Now, load your site in a different browser to check whether it is working properly. In case, there are no issues then you can rest assure that you are done!

ValueCoders is a leading outsource web development company provides Druapal web development services with the help of talented Drupal developers.

Joomla 2.5 is all set to change the rules of the content management systems. It has gone through a lot of change since version 1.6 and 1.7 and perhaps this is why they have decided to up the version numbering too. These robust changes make publishing content and managing the website easier. There has been a lot of efforts made by Joomla community on making the CMS installation and updates management process simple and user-friendly. Let us take a look at some of the advanced features in Joomla 2.5.

• Smart Search: The new version of Joomla has a search engine built in its core. Though this search engine is disabled by default, one can easily enable it by turning on the plugin and then making it accessible via a module. This advanced search engine comes in with complete auto-completion and stemming, making it faster and more versatile as compared to the earlier version of the search.

• Offline Mode During Installation: In the earlier version, Joomla site would go online as soon as it was installed. This would allow unauthorized users to get a view of the half-baked website. Now with Joomla 2.5, you can install the CMS in an offline mode and allow users to view it only when you wish to. You can tweak the settings in Site > Global Configuration.

• Update Notification: You won’t have to browse through the module websites to know when an update for your extension is available. You will now be automatically notified when an extension update is available right in your control panel. The graphical extension allows the developer to know when an update is available or if the subscription to an extension has expired.

• New Database Support: Joomla 2.5 supports a range of databases other than MySQL and MySQLi. It also allows different drivers to be written that will support different versions of SQL databases. The range of databases that Joomla 2.5 supports include MySQL, MySQLi, Oracle, SQL Server 2008 and SQL Azure.

• Captcha is now a Core Module: All of us know the significance of Captcha in preventing spam messages and registration in any website. In the new version, Captcha has been included as a core module inside Global Configuration where you can define the access level. This relieves you from the burden of installing a new module or plugin.

• Custom Logo during Maintenance: In the previous versions, Joomla logo appears on the homepage when the website is offline for maintenance. The new version allows you to upload a custom logo during maintenance and write a custom message for your visitors.

• Improvement in SEO: There has been remarkable improvement on the SEO front. Joomla 2.5 gives you much more control over SEO factors as a part of the core coding. You can change the page title and page headers for the articles separately. The search engines can also see the language and country code in the cases where the Joomla language pack uses a different code. You can enable this under Extensions > Plugin Manager > System- Language Code.

• Database Version Check: This feature allows you to check that database scheme version is up-to-date. This is a very important feature and its importance will keep growing as the Joomla extensions and plugins evolve.

All these improvements in Joomla 2.5 have made it a content management system to reckon with. To get the best out of Joomla development, you need to hire the services of a Joomla development company that has expertise in designing custom Joomla websites.

If you have a shop don’t you make sure that the window has items that can capture and enthrall the attention of the by-passers who are effectively your prospective customers? Similarly, a website that is your window to the competitive and extremely lucrative world of Internet marketing needs to be well ‘dressed up’ so that it can attract the maximum number of users. Developing a website can be a tricky affair, something that surely cannot happen overnight. The decision pertaining to what should be included in the site and what should be avoided needs to be taken after a careful market survey and deep understanding of the medium.

Often we tend to go overboard with our ideas. There is so much that can be done with technology today that it is quite natural to want to include a lot of things in the site. But this is one temptation that you need to resist at all cost. Going overboard with the website design can be disastrous- you can have a site that is extremely heavy, where navigation is a major issue, multimedia elements take forever to load and so much more. In light of these threats, let us look at 5 mistakes you should avoid while developing a website:

1. Complicated Navigation: Easy navigation is the key to developing a successful website. Your aim should always be to facilitate the users visiting the site and not making it harder. Do not overdo the links and cross link too many pages. Only link related pages together that can influence the user to dig deeper into the site. Rely on breadcrumb navigation as it will prepare a path for the user to navigate easily.

2. Overdoing the Content and Multimedia: Let’s get it straight, no one likes reading too much. It is as simple as that. Users do not have the time neither the patience to scroll through a lot of content, so do not indulge in overwriting. Similarly too many video links, images that may not necessarily add to your website should be avoided at all cost. Crisp content can speak volumes and so can less video. It’s all about effectiveness and quality and not really quantity.

3. Slow Loading Time: When you go overboard with your content and multimedia, you automatically run the risk of making your website slow. Since we have been repeatedly speaking about patience, here again you cannot afford to test users’ patience. A slow loading website will immediately make the user click the close button without hesitation. Using plugins that cache files to local computers is one way you can increase the loading time of your website, the other being economical with the content.

4. Excessive and Obtrusive Advertising: Imagine having to continuously battle pop-ups to reach a desired page. Pop-ups and continuous ads can irritate users to no end. While designing the page, keep a designated section for the ads to quietly appear. It should happen in such a manner that it doesn’t obstruct the user in any way. Only put ads that are related to your website as this lends credibility to your site.

5. Ignoring Security Issues: Since most of the website we are talking about nowadays are dynamic, addressing security threats becomes essential. It becomes all the more important when you are developing an ecommerce website where payment gateways need to be secured. Always double-check the physical security of the hosting server, back-up data, power back-up etc. Moreover if you are dealing with sensitive consumer-related data, it is advisable that you get an expert to handle this area.

Gone are the days when people accessed the internet through computers. With the advancement in technology, mobile phones have taken the place of computers. Be it accessing emails or watching movies, people have started doing it over their smart phones rather than using their laptops or computers. So, you got to gear up and optimize your presence on the smart apps and mobile phones too. The usability is what that matters the most when it comes to a mobile website. Enhancing the usability of your mobile website will help you to reap great profits out of your online business. Here are the top 4 secrets to increase the usability of your website on mobile devices.

Keep it Simple

You can never draw a conclusion on the type of users who will be accessing your website over phone. It is important to keep your mobile design very user-friendly. The design and usability of your website should fit and please both a babe in the woods and a computer geek. There are lots of things that you can do to improve the usability of your website like keeping navigation simple, avoiding unwanted pop-ups, limiting the number of menu items, giving a meaningful title for menu items and much more. You can also provide a help tool that will guide your customers on using your website over mobile devices. Using a single column layout design for your website is also another great way to simplify the usability of your website. For example, a computer geek may know how to close a pop-up window, however, a naive user may have a hard time closing a pop-up. The naive user may get stuck on seeing the pop-up and simply close your website. So, it is highly important to keep your website simpler and easier.

Keep Graphics to the Minimum

A website cluttered with images might take a longer time to load. So, keep your graphics to minimal. Even if you have a standard website with too many graphics, make sure to provide your mobile users with an alternative website with lesser graphics, but similar features. This way, it will be easier for users to access your website over phone even while the mobile speed is very slow. Otherwise, they may end up having issues in download. This doesn’t mean you got to remove all the images on your website. You can continue to have images on your website, but keep it less and keep it free of animations and videos.

Use Vibrant Colors

Color Combination plays a key role in the usability of mobile websites. A website with dull colors might sound boring to the users. If you want to highlight a product or service, then you can grab the attention of the customers by highlighting it with bright and vibrant colors. Believe it or not, using the right set of colors can keep the users tied to your mobile website. You don’t have to squeeze your brain out to decide on the right colors. Rather, you could simply observe other popular mobile websites to get a hang of the best possible color combinations for your mobile website.

Test your Website

No matter what changes or enhancements you carry out on your website, make sure to test it on a cellular network before implementation. Figure out the time taken by the network to launch your website. If it takes too longer to load, then its time to go back and redesign your website. Also, put yourself in user’s shoes and test the mobile website in the user’s perspective. If there are errors and page display issues, fix it right away. A series of tests is important to make your mobile website a success.

Put these tips into action and win a special place for your website on the mobile world!

If the word dynamic is to be explained to anyone, he should be given an insight on web development. Web designing and development process is something truly dynamic and ever-changing in every possible way. Change is the only constant that web developers believe in and rightly so. Stagnation can never bring innovation and innovation is the only thing that can really attract the people in today’s world. 2011-2012 has been an exciting year for web development. Old trends are replaced by the new ones, technologies are improved and the market definitely got bigger and better. Now, accessing the Internet doesn’t only happen from a desktop or mobile, but tablets with their innovation have literally swept the market.

Web developers have to keep multiple platforms in mind while designing anything today. A desktop compatible website can no longer ensure that it will reach a wide section of the market. Moreover, Internet users expect and demand dynamic, user-friendly yet highly informative websites that can prove to be useful. Let us take a sneak peek into what are the trends that we should be watching out for the coming times:

• HTML5 and CSS3: Without a markup language and a style sheet language no website can be developed. Thus, the first trend we will talk about is advancement in the markup language and the style sheet language. With HTML5, now we can incorporate multimedia without relying on Flash. CSS3, however, allows the developers to create modules or separate documents, each defining new capabilities for a page. By mixing HTML5 and CSS3, the web developers are easily getting breathtaking yet simple designs for websites.

• Use of Simple Color Schemes: Going over the top, designs no longer appeal the users. A truly successful website developer is the one who knows a lot about color composition, color mixing and understands how colors can define the vision of a business. Simple color schemes are also appealing as they are easy to view and make navigation hassle-free.

• Parallax Scrolling: Parallax comes from the Greek word parallaxis which means alteration. The parallax scrolling technique in web designing gives a 3D effect to certain layers of a site making images move around the website in different speed. This variation in speed creates a 3D illusion showing a sense of depth. Though this technique has been around for quite sometime, but the developers have taken it seriously now.

• Fluid and Responsive Designs: As we have already seen, few people access websites via desktops today. Thus to cater to the people browsing through mobile devices, tablets, etc., another trend that has become a mainstay of the industry is fluid and responsive designs. A responsive website is the one that fits perfect to the screen size of the device and accommodates all the details about the websites accordingly. Viewing becomes easy and navigation becomes smooth.

• Easy Navigation Methods for Touchscreen-oriented Devices: Website navigation through a touchscreen-oriented device can be difficult and thus website developers need to make it easy. While making a fluid web design, developers have to remember that websites should be easily navigable. This is one trend that is fast getting acceptance.

Since, there is constant change and development in website development world, developers need to be on their toes to make hay while the sun shines. If you are planning to get a website designed keeping in mind the above trends, it is essential that you get in touch with a developer who upgrades his knowledge regularly and has the above trends at his fingertips. Moreover, look for a developer who can also foresee future trends.

Web development and outsourcing services go hand in hand. There is a lot each takes from the other and also gives back. In fact, it will not be wrong to say that today we have so many types of websites with so many designs and themes only because businesses hire the services of offshore outsourcing firms. With the fast changing market, businesses have to look for better, newer, cost effective solutions that prove advantageous for them.

Stationing a full-time in-house web development team can be worrisome in many ways- another reason why businesses prefer outsourcing. When you know there is easy help available in some corner of the world, as a shrewd business person you would always want to capitalize on it. It is true that there are a few issues with outsourcing like any other business deal, but overall it is a great business proposition.

Advantages of Outsourcing Services

• One of the primary reasons why businesses go for outsourcing is cost cutting. In countries like India, Philippines, etc. labor is quite affordable and that is the reason why outsourcing firms can quote low prices while getting clients.

• Though they may quote less, one thing that such firms do not compromise on is their knowledge and expertise. Web developers stationed in these offshore outsourcing firms have a firm grip on the technology used and are well aware of the ways to make a website robust, user-friendly and attractive.

• Another thing that offshore web development companies lay stress on is infrastructure. They make sure that they have the latest technology to work with and their computers are upgraded to the best possible configuration. The reason is simple: only when you have a state of the art infrastructure, you can offer competitive services.

• These companies have always been known for their immediate customer service. They do not keep their clients waiting during the project or even after delivering the project. While inking the deal, you will be guaranteed of after sales services.

• Offshore outsourcing firms also offer several additional services such as search engine optimization, social media optimization, search engine marketing, etc. These are equally important to make a website successful in today’s competitive world.

Disadvantages of Outsourcing Services

• One of the prime concerns of offshore outsourcing is that you are not left with much control over the web development project. Once you explain what you want, a firm located in a geographically distant place will fulfill your demands. However, there are chances that the website may not be to your complete liking.

• You may also have to deal with problems of quality. The final look of a website may be awesome, something that can leave you impressed. But when you start using the website, you may encounter several technical issues that were a result of poor quality check.

• Since an offshore firm works with several companies at the same time, you can hardly expect 100% attention for your project. As a result, delays and inaccuracies may sweep into the project putting a dent on your plans.

• If the agreement is not properly read and understood, you can easily be taken for a ride. Hidden costs that were not mentioned in the agreement can suddenly come up. Additionally you may have to deal with legal issues too.

• Miscommunication has many times spoilt excellent ideas and it is very much possible with you too. Cultural differences, different work environments can all result in spoiling the project. Moreover, when you are dealing with an outsourcing company, you are heavily dependent on them which pull your business plans down in many ways.

There is fierce competition in the online world as most businesses are trying to take leverage of the Internet in marketing their products and services. In such an environment, the technology used to develop websites becomes crucial. Open source development has become popular among most businesses, thanks to the ease and cost advantage that the open source content management systems offer. PHP or Hypertext processor plays a vital role in this as this scripting language forms the backbone of most open source CMS solutions. Businesses hire PHP programmers to get highly customized websites developed to attract their potential customers. Let us take a look at some of the real-time effects of PHP web development in your business.

• Dynamic Websites - PHP is very effective tool when it comes to creating dynamic web pages or applications. It is a server-side scripting language that allows you to create dynamic web pages with ease in comparison to other technologies that involve many complexities. PHP is also being increasingly used for client-side GUI applications and command-line scripting. What makes this special is the fact that PHP can be easily used on majority of web servers, platforms and operating systems. It is compatible with all kinds of database management systems, thus making it popular among web developers.

• Cost-Effective – You only need to incur cost to hire PHP developer as this technology comes to you absolutely free. It can easily be downloaded and installed, saving your hundreds of dollars in web development cost. You will have access to the source code which allows you to easily custom design and develop a website to meet the niche requirements of your business. It can be used to work on a variety of websites ranging from corporate websites to blogs and even eCommerce stores.

• Narrow Learning Curve – One doesn’t need to have knowledge of rocket science to learn PHP. Compared to other programming languages such as C, C++, ASP or ASP.net, it is much easy to learn which explains its immense popularity in today’s world of web development. The development process in PHP is fast and reliable, thus helps you reduce the time required to launch a business website. This often gives you a great competitive edge in the market.

• Enhanced Performance – Being a server-side scripting language, the websites developed in PHP are easily recognized by the web browser which results in fast loading of the website and pleases the visitors too. There is minimal requirement of additional plug-ins to run a PHP website, as all the functions can be exclusively executed through the server.

• Community Support – PHP developers have a strong and active community, which serves as a great help for your business website. You can easily get your queries resolved by the developers having sound knowledge about the platform. These communities also serve as a great medium to know the latest developments in PHP and help your website become better and gain the edge over your rivals.

With so many advantages packed into a single platform, you won’t need to look elsewhere when it comes to developing a business website which fulfills your needs as well as that of your customers. You need to be extremely choosy when you hire PHP developers for your project. Always hire the services of a reputed web development company instead of a freelancer, as they offer better quality of work and high-end support services. It is important for you to take a look at their project record and see the kind of projects they have handled till date; this helps you make worthy decisions.

Hypertext Processor or better known as PHP is a server-side scripting language used in creating dynamic web pages. It is being widely used in the web development industry these days and is the building block for popular content management systems such as WordPress, Drupal and Joomla. PHP helps in making websites much more interactive and informative, thus adding to the brand value of the business easily. Most businesses around the world prefer to outsource their PHP projects to web developers in India, as they offer high quality results at competitive prices. Let us do an in-depth study on the advantages that Indian PHP developers offer to their clients around the globe.

• Expertise – PHP is a skill based programming language and developers in India have developed their grip over it by working on varied projects. They have sound knowledge of command line interface to create dynamic applications easily. They keep themselves updated on the latest developments in the technology and implement the standard practices while designing the website. They offer you highly customized websites which matches the exact demands of your business and help you stay ahead of the competition.

• Cost Advantage – One of the primary reasons for India becoming the global hub of outsource is the cost advantage that it offers to its clients. You can hire PHP developers in India at a fraction of the money you would spend anywhere else in the world without compromising the quality of development. Indian firms also offer you the opportunity of hiring developers on a flexible basis such as hourly, monthly or dedicated hiring which leads to the best value for money for the clients.

• Turnaround Time – In business ‘Time is Money’ and Indian developers use their expertise to deliver projects in the shortest possible time. From concept to delivery, they use highly methodical approach which helps them save time at every stage such as design, development and testing. You will be regularly updated on the status of your project and not have to waste time getting reply from their end. This helps you save precious time and focus on the core areas of your business.

• Contract Agreement – It is important that you get a favorable agreement when you outsource your PHP development project. Web developers in India offers you such agreement where penalty clauses are clearly mentioned which safeguards your interest in case the project isn’t delivered on time or doesn’t match your requirements. This is another sign of professionalism as only the best of developers would offer you such contracts.

• Support Services – As in the case of any other form of web development, support services are a crucial factor when it comes to PHP development as well. Indian firms offers methodical support services where the client queries and their problems are solved in the shortest possible time. Clients can approach the web development company over email, chat or phone call with most of them offering 24×7 support services to their customers. They also carry out regular maintenance work on your website to keep it in sync with the present market requirements.

All these advantages put together in a single package, which is unmatched in the world. This makes Indian web developers a prized community in the web development world. However, it is also equally important for you to be very choosy when you hire PHP developers from India as there are thousands of firms which offer these services. You need to carry out a comprehensive research on the background of the company and discuss the scope of your project at length before you ink the deal with them.

Web development is highly in demand today as websites can literally turnaround a business. With the help of a website, you can easily market your business, sell your products and services and in general increase the revenue of your business. To get a good-looking website, businesses are relying on outsourcing services. With the help of great developers, offshore outsourcing companies are offering services that are the best in the market and come at enviable rates. To get websites designed by such companies, you have the advantage of only getting the latest technology incorporated into your site. Moreover, if you have very less knowledge of web development, you don’t need to worry as the firm will take care of all the nitty-gritty, leaving you free to sort out the other issues of your business.

• Technical Excellence: The offshore outsourcing units have made their name primarily because they update their knowledge frequently. It is indisputable that they have the know-how on all the prominent technological advances that are making news. From PHP to advanced markup languages and trending content management systems, they make sure that they know it all. If a particular CMS is to be used for a web development project, they can easily advice you whether it is the right choice or not and how it can be optimally used.

• Great Work Culture: Commitment and adhering to deadlines are two things that have made outsource web development earn its name. You can blindly depend on them to deliver the project on time as they understand your urgency. Depending upon your requirements and the time you can spare, the firm will go about planning the project.

• 24X7 Assistance: While the work on the project is under way, you can be assured that you will get 24X7 assistance. Whether it is a query or a suggestion, you will always find a person lending an ear. Moreover, even after the project is completed you can get in touch with them and get them to solve any issue with the site in a jiffy.

• Cost Advantage: Outsourcing services are really light on the pocket. If you are a startup company, you will have a budget constraint and thus will have to look for cost-effective solutions. Web development services from an outsourcing firm in such cases are the best option. Without compromising on the quality, you can get the work done in the cheapest rates possible.

• After Sales Support: Many times, you may feel that the website can be improved in many ways. Right from the theme to the plugins used, a lot can be changed in the site. An outsourcing company usually is ready to make these changes without much ado. Thus, you don’t need to look for new developers to make such changes.

• Additional Services: Apart from web development, these companies also specialize in several additional services that only help improve your website. Thus, with the same company you can get search engine optimization, search engine marketing, viral marketing services, etc.

• Fresh Outlook: The companies we are talking about are usually filled with young developers who have innovative ideas of web development. Working in an environment that favors their creative bent of mind, these developers can add value to your website in ways that you wouldn’t have thought was possible.

• Subject Matter Experts: Whether you want an e-commerce store developed or a social networking site or an informative yet dynamic website about your business, getting a subject matter expert is always beneficial. Most of the outsourcing services we are talking about, hire subject matter experts who have niche understanding of their field.