CakePHP

Zuluru is built on the CakePHP framework, an open-source rapid development PHP framework. This has a number of benefits for organizations considering deploying Zuluru.

Rapid Development

CakePHP supports JavaScript and Ajax, two core building blocks of user-friendly "Web 2.0" applications. Zuluru takes advantage of this to enhance the experience for the typical user, and to simplify administrative tasks.

CakePHP is a "model-view-controller" framework, meaning that applications like Zuluru are built using modern development techniques that lend themselves to rapid development and code re-use. CakePHP has an active developer community that is not only improving the framework, but building plug-in components and helpers, several of which are in use in Zuluru.

CakePHP comes with tools that inspect your database and build boiler-plate code for the common CRUD (create, read, update, delete) functions. These tools were used to very quickly build the core of Zuluru, and are regularly used when new features are added.

It is easier and faster than ever to add new features!

Database Independence

CakePHP supports a wide variety of databases, including MySQL, Microsoft SQL, Oracle, Sybase, PostgreSQL, or any ADO- or ODBC-compliant database. Well-designed CakePHP applications can run on any of these databases. (Note that Zuluru has currently only been tested on MySQL, but there should be few if any changes required to work on others.)

Whatever database you prefer, or are stuck with because of your web host, Zuluru should work for you!

Security

CakePHP is secured at the framework level against common attacks like SQL injection and cross-site scripting, meaning that all CakePHP applications (such as Zuluru) inherit this protection.

Zuluru has low-level immunity to attacks that exploit common coding errors or shortcuts.

View Customization

The look and feel of CakePHP applications is generated by a series of "view" templates. CakePHP comes with a feature called "theming", which allows you to selectively replace any of these views that you want, while using the default for anything that isn't replaced. This is done in a way that does not interfere with software updates, so you can customize those views that you need to change without worrying about those changes being lost when you upgrade to a newer version of Zuluru. Views that are often customized include parts of the overall "layout" which controls your logos, menu placement, etc.

Zuluru is built with customization in mind, allowing you to make changes at whatever level of granularity you need!

Internationalization

CakePHP includes tools for building sites that are available in multiple languages. The language to be displayed can be determined automatically from browser settings, or selected by the user. (Zuluru has not yet been translated into any language other than English, but this is on the road map, and much of the groundwork has already been laid, so this process will be relatively straight-forward.)