Symphony.

Anyone done the same project which require to develop website builder on the frontend, how do you go about it to ensure it incorporate well side-by-side with XSLT?

That's a very broad question, and I'm not even sure I know what you are asking.

Oh, something like wix (http://www.wix.com/) offer web builder in HTML5.

Yeah, I did something similar. It is possible, but it took me over 2,500 hours to finish version 1.0 (which is limited to a single design, but that is part of the concept in this case). The thing is: If you start something like this, it will kind of explode (conceptually) while you are working on it.

That's a lot of hours... =)

Yes, and I really need holidays. I did it in 15 months, but during that time I had to work for other clients/projects as well. So it has been a hard time (around 60 to 70 hours a week, no holidays, no weekends), but the result is really impressive. It's a very good web app, thanks to the basics provided by Symphony. It's running "licensed" websites (each one paying a small fee), around 120 at the moment. At the end of the year it should do at least 300 websites (created by a single Symphony installation). And there is more potential (from a marketing point of view), cause it's a niche product without any serious competitors.

When I am back from holidays, I may post more information here in the forum, because I'd like to say thank you to Symphony and the Symphony team. And I'd like to tell people that you can really think big with Symphony.

Yes, it has been a lot of hours. But, to tell you one example, I suddenly had to build my own customized email server. (Email accounts can be created in the frontend admin and are saved in Symphony; then they are established on the email server.) If you have never built an email server from scratch, it may take weeks (in my case). If you know how to do it, the server can probably be done on a single day. If you are an experienced extension developer (which I am not), you will probably build the extension on the second day. :-)

Another example: Editing is completely frontend-based. I built my own XSLT layer to generate frontend forms and validation using native Symphony events. Then I had to build my own frontend security layer based on Members and the system concept. As you see, there is a lot of things you wouldn't think of when you start it. But I am happy now. Just two small features are still missing…

Showcase? :)

I have never posted any website on the showcase! Too late to start that now. :-)

Ahh com'on, you're too modest!

ontopic: i make use of edit buttons on the front-end a lot, which open the back-end record when a user is logged in (in a pop-up)

That so good!

Seriously that sounds awesome. Any reason you're not sharing the link?

It's certainly "political correctness" ;)
(Checkout Michael's website and you'll understand.)

Oh please ignore my previous post, check my client's requirement which she need both features:

• Drag-and-drop widgets similar to Wordpress
• Ability to change website theme easily at the backend as similar to Wordpress

I believe we have discussed Symphony's CMS backend is solely for developers, however having both of these as an extension will be beneficial for both developers and designers. I'm lack of knowledge to develop these extensions, seriously, anyone consider making them?

Try Datasource Field.

I suggest that if you're not technically adept at creating Symphony extensions to achieve this, use Wordpress.

oh the requirements just got complicated. Michael-e, drop you an email.

@proyb2: Answered your email.

Nick is right. If you need many "out-of-the-box" features, you will have to stick to WordPress, Typo3 or similar stuff.

Quite true. Thanks!