Creating a Basic PHP CMS


A Content Management System (CMS) allows you to manage and update the content of your website without the need for extensive coding. In this guide, we will create a basic PHP CMS to add, edit, and delete articles on a website.


Database Setup

To store articles, we need a database. You can use MySQL, PostgreSQL, or any other database system. Here's how to set up a MySQL database:

CREATE DATABASE cms_db;
USE cms_db;
CREATE TABLE articles (
 id INT AUTO_INCREMENT PRIMARY KEY,
 title VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL,
 content TEXT NOT NULL,
 created_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP
);

Creating the CMS

We'll create a simple CMS with the following features:

  • Add an article
  • Edit an article
  • Delete an article
  • List all articles


Folder Structure

Organize your project with a basic folder structure:

- cms/
 - index.php (Home page)
 - add.php (Add an article)
 - edit.php (Edit an article)
 - delete.php (Delete an article)
- includes/
 - db.php (Database connection)
 - functions.php (CRUD functions)

Code Implementation

Create PHP scripts for each functionality. You can use HTML forms for input and display data from the database.


Security Considerations

Basic security practices include:

  • Input validation to prevent SQL injection
  • Escape output data to prevent XSS attacks
  • Use prepared statements for database queries


Conclusion

You have created a basic PHP CMS to manage articles on your website. As your project evolves, consider adding user authentication, better organization, and additional features to enhance your CMS.