Research Guides
When it comes to picking a platform to present your research, there are some questions one must consider. How will you develop your content? How will you host that content so others can access it? How will you ensure that your project is being supported throughout the duration of it's lifecycle (additionally, if need be, how will you make the process of sunsetting your project run smoothly)? For help with answering these questions and determining the right fit for your project, schedule an appointment with the Digital Scholarship Librarian. If you have an idea of what some of these answers are, below are a list of tools to help you accomplish those goals.
A content management system, or CMS, lets you log into a website and edit pages through a dashboard. This makes it simple for anyone to add or change content without needing technical skills. While a CMS is more convenient for frequent changes and quick setup, it needs regular security updates to maintain the site. A static site generator (SSG) creates a website out of files, such as HTML, CSS, and Markdown, without the presence of a database (like a CMS). This allows for your site to be deployed quickly and securely. This approach keeps costs low, but updating content usually requires some technical steps, like using the command line. Choosing between them depends on whether you would prefer to have the setup of a site be difficult to accomplish (static site) or the long term maintenance of a site (CMS).
WordPress
An easy-to-use web publishing platform originally designed around blogging that has now evolved with functionality as a robust content or learning management system, with many themes and plugins for extra functionality.
A content management system designed for the display of library, museum, archives, and scholarly collections and exhibitions.
Drupal CMS
CollectionBuilder is an open source framework for creating digital collection and exhibit websites that are driven by metadata and powered by modern static web technology. No knowledge of the command line is necessary to create a CollectionBuilder website.
Jekyll is a static site generator. It takes text written in your favorite markup language and uses layouts to create a static website. Knowledge of the command line and Markdown is required, and HTML/CSS is highly recommended if you want to customize the look and feel of your Jekyll site.
Quire
Quire is an open-source multiformat publishing tool designed for longevity, discoverability, and scholarship. Knowledge of the command line and Markdown is required, and HTML/CSS is highly recommended if you want to customize the look and feel of your Quire site.