Professional DotNetNuke®5: Open Source Web Application Framework for ASP.NET

Chapter 6. Modules

Often, when a user who is familiar with web design uses DotNetNuke for the first time, the modular nature of the functionality can be confusing. Traditionally, web sites are composed of pages of HTML content with functionality built into each page. In this scenario, the modular unit of functionality is the page. The flexibility, and arguably the popularity, of DotNetNuke is in the ability to create dynamic and sometimes complex web sites without being a programmer. The learning curve is overcome once a user realizes that all content on a page is displayed through modules. Even static HTML is displayed through a module.

In Chapter 4, "Portal Administration," you learned to add a page to your portal and manage the settings of your page for different effects. This chapter builds upon what you learned about host, portal, and page administration by introducing you to the building blocks of DotNetNuke web sites: modules. You learn the general concept of a module and explore the options for managing modules. This chapter gives an introduction to the core modules in DotNetNuke and points Portal Administrators to resources for open source and third-party modules.

DotNetNuke Modules

A module is a reusable, pluggable piece of functionality used to display content or interactive functionality. This definition is similar to a traditional ASP.NET page, except that there can be multiple instances of a module type on a page. ASP.NET developers will relate modules to an ASCX user ...