Overview
What is ExpressionEngine?
ExpressionEngine is a content management system from EllisLab in 2002, a successor to pMachine Pro, a blogging system, which is written in object-oriented PHP and uses MySQL for data storage. ExpressionEngine is their flagship Content Delivery Platform.
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Website development that's simplified and streamlined
ExpressionEngine. One CMS to rule them all!
Solid, more flexible alternative to WordPress
ExpressionEngine - the CMS of Choice
Great For Novices
EE Above the Rest for Client UX.
ExpressionEngine, Affordable Comercial CMS
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ExpressionEngine: A CMS Worth Checking Out
ExpressionEngine is dream of any developer.
ExpressionEngine can do it all... For a price.
Satdaya is a creative services firm that includes web development among our services. We recommend and use ExpressionEngine to our clients …
Free yourself from convoluted CMS markup with ExpressionEngine
Powerhouse CMS great for ecommerce and large sites
Popular Features
- Role-based user permissions (33)10.0100%
- Code quality / cleanliness (32)10.0100%
- Admin section (32)10.0100%
- Availability / breadth of extensions (32)8.080%
Reviewer Pros & Cons
Pricing
License
$299.00
Entry-level set up fee?
- No setup fee
Offerings
- Free Trial
- Free/Freemium Version
- Premium Consulting/Integration Services
Product Demos
Entry Analytics EEDPX Demo
EE Harbor's Transcribe Add-on Demo
ExpressionEngine Demo of a Staff Section
ExpressionEngine demo door Keesâ„¢ Internetbureau
DevDemon's Channel Forms add-on for ExpressionEngine
Solspace's Calendar Add-on for ExpressionEngine
Features
Security
This component helps a company minimize the security risks by controlling access to the software and its data, and encouraging best practices among users.
- 10Role-based user permissions(33) Ratings
Permissions to perform actions or access or modify data are assigned to roles, which are then assigned to users, reducing complexity of administration.
Platform & Infrastructure
Features related to platform-wide settings and structure, such as permissions, languages, integrations, customizations, etc.
- 9API(24) Ratings
An API (application programming interface) provides a standard programming interface for connecting third-party systems to the software for data creation, access, updating and/or deletion.
- 8Internationalization / multi-language(21) Ratings
The software supports multiple languages, countries, currencies, etc.
Web Content Creation
Features that support the creation of website content.
- 10WYSIWYG editor(30) Ratings
What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get editing tool allows users to build pages without writing code.
- 10Code quality / cleanliness(32) Ratings
Code generated by WYSIWYG editor is clean and validates according to W3C standards.
- 10Admin section(32) Ratings
The admin page is easy to navigate and use.
- 8Page templates(28) Ratings
The CMS has standard webpage templates or types of web pages (e.g. homepage, article page, interior page, blog page, etc.); users can also build custom templates.
- 7Library of website themes(11) Ratings
A library of website frameworks or themes is available as a starting point for building a website.
- 9Mobile optimization / responsive design(15) Ratings
The CMS helps users build webpages that work well on mobile devices – whether m-dot pages or responsively designed pages.
- 9Publishing workflow(25) Ratings
The software allows users to set up a custom workflow for updating the website, including approval processes.
- 6Form generator(18) Ratings
Users can build website forms for visitors to fill out.
Web Content Management
Features for managing website content
- 10Content taxonomy(25) Ratings
Users can create multiple levels and types of content categories including tags.
- 10SEO support(25) Ratings
The CMS helps users create the right website infrastructure (pagination, page headers, titles, meta tags, url structure, etc.) to increase the site’s visibility in search engine results.
- 10Bulk management(27) Ratings
Users can change an attribute on a group of documents or sites all at once through features such as global search and replace, making bulk changes easier.
- 8Availability / breadth of extensions(32) Ratings
There is a broad library of extensions, plug-ins, modules or add-ons that allow users to easily customize their websites without building custom code.
- 9Community / comment management(30) Ratings
Users can put post/page comments through an approval process, auto-approve commenters based on their email addresses, block commenters by IP address, delete comments, etc.
Product Details
- About
- Tech Details
- FAQs
What is ExpressionEngine?
With CodeIgniter, an agile, open-source framework, web professionals can use ExpressionEngine to build websites and applications. The software is meant to be useful for companies of any size and private individuals as well, and to that end it is highly customizable, and implementation may vary. Like many content management systems, various add-ons will determine what the system does, though the core features are somewhat broader than similarly classed free offerings. The Multiple Site Manager allows a user to create and manage multiple sites from a single ExpressionEngine installation. Nexcess (a partner) provides a hosting environment for an ExpressionEngine-powered website.
ExpressionEngine Video
ExpressionEngine Technical Details
Deployment Types | Software as a Service (SaaS), Cloud, or Web-Based |
---|---|
Operating Systems | Unspecified |
Mobile Application | No |
Frequently Asked Questions
Comparisons
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Reviews and Ratings
(86)Community Insights
- Pros
- Cons
- Recommendations
Reliable Performance: Many users have praised the product for its reliable performance. Several reviewers mentioned that the product consistently meets their expectations and performs well in various scenarios. Ease of Use: The ease of use is a common pro mentioned by several customers. Users appreciate how intuitive and user-friendly the product is, making it easy to navigate and operate without any hassle or confusion. Great Customer Support: Some users have expressed their satisfaction with the great customer support provided by the company. They have found the support team to be responsive, helpful, and efficient in resolving any issues or inquiries they had.
Cons:
- Quality Issues: Some users have experienced quality issues with the product, including defects and malfunctions. Several reviewers have mentioned receiving damaged items or products that broke shortly after purchase.
- Lack of Customer Support: Many customers have expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of responsive customer support. Several users have reported difficulties in contacting the company for assistance or resolving issues related to their purchase.
- Limited Features/Functionality: Some users feel that the product lacks certain features or functionalities they expected. Reviewers have mentioned specific features missing from the product, such as advanced customization options or compatibility with other devices, which have impacted their overall experience.
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ExpressionEngine is recommended by many users as a great and promising update in the CMS market. It is praised for being free, open-source, and supported by a helpful developer community. Users suggest exploring extensions in the market to enhance its capabilities.
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Improvement is needed in areas such as help and support, as well as managing SEO. Those concerned about security should consider alternative solutions. Reading the developer documentation thoroughly is advised, along with using EE Harbor extensions.
3.ExpressionEngine is suitable for creating different channels and effectively managing website content. It is favored by confident HTML and PHP developers seeking customization options. The platform is considered user-friendly and secure, with the ability to handle large data or databases through proper caching.
While some express concerns about the direction and progress of ExpressionEngine, many still regard it as a leading commercial offering. It is advised to carefully consider project requirements and customization needs when choosing between ExpressionEngine and other CMS platforms like WordPress or Drupal. The value of the EE support plan and the helpfulness of the community are also mentioned as factors to consider for web agencies.
Attribute Ratings
Reviews
(1-3 of 3)ExpressionEngine is dream of any developer.
- We noticed extensive capabilities in the area of user management. The application allows for multiple administrators so that work can be spread out through multiple resources at a company rather than bottlenecking with the web developer.
- ExpressionEngine has gained a significant following through its high level of customization and ease of use. The interface is straightforward and offers easy access to both front-end and back-end editing. Because this CMS software is open source, you get the best of both worlds. You can add to your website’s functionality through the use of PHP, which means the functionality you desire from a website is easily within reach. For the non-technical user, you can simply work on your site from a simple front-end interface with a simple navigation.
- For functionality and flexibility, ExpressionEngine content management system software is a versatile option for operations large and small. It has obviously extended its reach to many professional websites, which is evidenced on the front page of their product site.
- ExpressionEngine has a thriving community base filled with veteran CMS users who can help you with questions through the community forum. For the programming-savvy individual, you have access to a developer portal complete with documentation, forums and tips for increasing your knowledge of the software.
- Very powerful CMS. Expressionengine can be thought of as a database, where you create your collections and tables and define all sorts of fields for them. Then you can gather the information in this collections any way you want and show it on front-end or at the backend.
- EE very easy to setup. For a site that is based on eCommerce/ Articles / News this CMS is excellent.
- Plugin, Module installation should be with ease. Upload as zip - install.
- Multisite function should be included with purchase and not be as separate module and restriction to 3 sites - it should be infinite.
- WYSIWYG editor
- 90%9.0
- Code quality / cleanliness
- 90%9.0
- Admin section
- 90%9.0
- Page templates
- 100%10.0
- Library of website themes
- 10%1.0
- Mobile optimization / responsive design
- 90%9.0
- Publishing workflow
- 90%9.0
- Form generator
- 10%1.0
- Content taxonomy
- 90%9.0
- SEO support
- 100%10.0
- Bulk management
- 90%9.0
- Availability / breadth of extensions
- 80%8.0
- Community / comment management
- 100%10.0
- API
- 50%5.0
- Internationalization / multi-language
- 50%5.0
- Role-based user permissions
- 90%9.0
- If you’re not completely sold on the software itself, then you can visit their website to see a comprehensive showcase of popular websites that were created using this content management system software.
- SEO friendly URLs are one of the best features of EE.
- Reports
- Websites
- Data Collecting
- Creating Reports for management with CSV , PDF and XLS outputs
- Conferences
- Product Features
- Product Usability
- Product Reputation
- Prior Experience with the Product
- Vendor implemented
- Implemented in-house
- Window servers are a bit tricky to implement. Please don't try to run Expression Engine on Windows. Yes, it's possible to run it on Windows, and self torchering individuals might even enjoy it. Still, Expression Engine is developed on and for the LAMP stack. Just get Linux!
- Creating channels and assigning channel fields are as easy as it can be.
- eCommerce modules can be a pain in the afternoon.
- ExpressionEngine has no preconceived ideas about how your content should look or what code is generated.
- A robust template engine makes integrating designs and content a breeze.
- The control panel can be customized to control what content managers have access to.
- The upgrade process can be tedious if your site uses more than a couple of add-ons.
- Back ups must be managed manually or by a third party system/add-on.
Also, you will need a developer and/or someone very familiar with content management systems to install and configure the software. There is nothing like the "WordPress famous 5 minute install" that will give you visible results very quickly.
- WYSIWYG editor
- 60%6.0
- Code quality / cleanliness
- 90%9.0
- Admin section
- 90%9.0
- Page templates
- 90%9.0
- Mobile optimization / responsive design
- N/AN/A
- Availability / breadth of extensions
- 90%9.0
- Community / comment management
- 70%7.0
- API
- N/AN/A
- Internationalization / multi-language
- N/AN/A
- Role-based user permissions
- 80%8.0
- Quicker turnaround for new features and/or micro-sites.
- Quicker content updates now that managers can update their own content.
- WordPress,Joomla!,Mambo
- Central content repository.
- Content update workflow and approvals.
- Professional services company
- Discovery/Strategy: to gather information about our needs and form a plan of action.
- Information Architecture: Develop a Site-Map.
- Homepage Wireframe/Design
- Interior Wireframe/Design
- Front-End Development: Coding the design.
- Back-End Development: Installing and configuring software.
- Quality Control: Review the site in a test environment to ensure all features and content was in place and functional.
- Launch: Migrate site from test servers to live servers.
- Gathering updated and/or accurate content from internal departments.
- Communication with the service provider had to be scheduled and was often difficult to feel like we were on the same page.
- The service provider was reluctant to give super-admin access to the control panel.
- Login
- User management
- Templating
- Upgrades, if many add-ons are installed
Expression of Awesomeness with ExpressionEngine
- Control Panel customization. With the ability to install addons in mere minutes to help with tweaking the UI for the user, it removes much of the learning curve so even those not versed with a CMS can learn quickly.
- Flexibility. Not just for blogs! EE has the power to run full-featured blogs without a blink or make short work of forum websites, but that power can be used for any number of situations easily (simple pages, product lines, listings, etc.)
- Extendability. For those developers that like to get their hands deep into PHP coding, EE allows for easy extension of classes and creation of your own custom modules to do tasks that the core system doesn't already do.
- Community. If you don't opt for the official support (which is very good in my experience), there is a community of users that are available to answer questions you may have. There is also a great repository of add-ons (both free and commercial) to help you customize your project easily.
- Documentation. Some of the documentation on the website lacks clear information. However, support and community make up for this if you can afford to wait for an answer.
- Development speed has increased over previous "free" products. EE's install/config time has saved me on avg 4-7 hours of time over other free products, making the cost of the commercial license a non-issue.
- By using the same system throughout the company, EE makes maintenance on sites simpler and more efficient - even when working with another developer's work.
- custom websites
- nline data applications
- informational websites
- commerce websites
- school websites complete with online bookstore
- nline communities
- large questionnaires
- custom websites
- large questionnaires
- ecommerce sites
- Implemented in-house
- developers learning system terminology
- developers learning and template syntax
- finding add-ons to do very specific tasks
- installation, configuration
- Setting up categories and the fields to use for pages, listings/entries
- custom control panel layouts for the end-user
- installation of add-ons
- creation of custom add-ons (advanced developers)
- template system and features
- some 3rd party add-ons add a level of complexity that takes time to get into due to things like template parse order if you aren't aware of it
- template parse errors are sometimes too vague to translate directly (default PHP warnings/errors)