Best practices for web template

[jacob]

I find myself building websites all the time and I am thinking I
should have a starting point template so I don't have to waste time re-
creating something I have already created in the past.

Just want to make sure I am doing it right. I am fluent in HTML,
XHTML, CSS, PHP and more and want to know what the best way to build a
starting point template is? Right now I have one index.php file that
links to an external css file and includes a head.php and scripts.php
file (head is for doctype, title, etc and scripts is all scripts)

Is this the best way to do it?

Also, I think I'd like to learn a php templating engine so I can make
my sites very easy to tweak in the future without having to re-create
all pages. Is this a good idea? I have been looking at Smarty.
Thoughts?

Also, I am looking for a SIMPLE CMS solution. As a developer I'd like
to define what fields, etc I'd like to use the CMS for and then have
it spit out PHP/mySQL code that I can put into the site and administer
the content from a user-accessible web portal. I have looked at
Drupal, Mamba, XOOPS, etc but they all look like whole-site solutions.
I really want a content/sections based solution.

Sorry for so many questions! Just looking for some feedback! Thanks!

 

[Chaddy2222]

I find myself building websites all the time and I am thinking I
should have a starting point template so I don't have to waste time re-
creating something I have already created in the past.

Just want to make sure I am doing it right. I am fluent in HTML,
XHTML, CSS, PHP and more and want to know what the best way to build a
starting point template is? Right now I have one index.php file that
links to an external css file and includes a head.php and scripts.php
file (head is for doctype, title, etc and scripts is all scripts)

Is this the best way to do it?

Also, I think I'd like to learn a php templating engine so I can make
my sites very easy to tweak in the future without having to re-create
all pages. Is this a good idea? I have been looking at Smarty.
Thoughts?

I use PHP includes for nav and footer content.

Also, I am looking for a SIMPLE CMS solution. As a developer I'd like
to define what fields, etc I'd like to use the CMS for and then have
it spit out PHP/mySQL code that I can put into the site and administer
the content from a user-accessible web portal. I have looked at
Drupal, Mamba, XOOPS, etc but they all look like whole-site solutions.
I really want a content/sections based solution.

Perhaps look at a blog type engion?.

Sorry for so many questions! Just looking for some feedback! Thanks!

Well, Wordpress is perhaps a good enough solution for the content
management stuff or you could just use PHP includes for that as
well.

 

[jacob]

I use PHP includes for nav and footer content.


Perhaps look at a blog type engion?.


Well, Wordpress is perhaps a good enough solution for the content
management stuff or you could just use PHP includes for that as
well.

The problem I have with Wordpress and Blog type apps is that the
interface it tied down so much, it's hard to make a custom site with
it.