We work with varying platforms depending on the requirements of each site, but there are some common qualities which we’ve found to be expedient. Open-source software is unparalleled in its potential for developing very stable code very quickly, and content management systems are indespensible for building sites which are both scalable and maintainable—once built, a CMS-based site can be updated easily through a web browser without any special software or skills. The following are some of the frameworks we frequently rely on:
WordPress allows building websites with remarkable speed. Originally developed as a blog platform, its database-driven structure and plugin extensibility have made it a standby in numerous design shops, and it is frequently our first choice as a code base for websites.
Drupal is an extremely robust framework geared towards community sites and other applications involving user-generated content. When a great deal of interactivity is called for, we often find Drupal to be the most suitable platform.
jQuery is a software library written in JavaScript which provides (among other things) animations and other eye candy which Flash has often been used for in the past. Unlike Flash, however, jQuery code is executed directly by the web browser, which allows it to integrate seamlessly with the rest of the site.
