“We’ve been hooked since the first project. They [Dialogs Professional Services] are a true partner that brings solutions to the table rather than limitations.”

— Jason O., Creative Professional

Amber Bean Coffee website is a fully functioning ecommerce website, but it is also available for backend tours.
Should I use Flash effects since it’s so costly to revise and iPhones can’t see it? We can update Flash content and easily swap graphics for iPhone/iPad browsers.

Technical details about Dialogs - how it works and how it's used.

If you are a developer, or have a highly technical understanding about how websites or mobile apps work, this is the information you’ve been looking for.

Dialogs streamlines the development of dynamic websites by providing built-in, configurable components that form the basis of most contemporary sites: site settings, HTML/CSS templates, and content Lists.

Dialogs can feed content to mobile apps by assembling content into one or more JSON or any other feed format delivered directly to the app or to a content delivery network.

Dialogs functionality can be extended by customization of templates (via PHP, javascript programming, and advanced SQL statements), page includes, and even modification to core Dialogs classes and functions, if desired.

Dialogs is not a frontend coding tool like Dreamweaver. Designers use tools like Dreamweaver to construct the HTML/CSS coding that later is skinned into Dialogs as page and list templates. Dialogs is also not a mobile app development tool. Apps are created outside of Dialogs, and Dialogs feeds dynamic or variable content to the app.

Here are some practical specifics about Dialogs:

  • Dialogs is a backend application development framework based on PHP and MySQL.
  • It is installed on a web server via browser from a simple installation script.
  • Dialogs separates content from design. Content is entered into and maintained in Dialogs Lists. Website designs (HTML/CSS/JS) are "skinned" into Dialogs Templates. App designs are held inside the app itself.
  • All Dialogs configuration and customization may be conducted via a browser-based control panel.
  • Page Templates and Automation scripts may also be maintained via FTP supporting the use of popular IDEs like Eclipse or Coda and keeping hard-core, "I prefer VI or eMACS, thank you" code monkeys happy.
  • It is built with three primary classes (with additional classes and functions) in an object-oriented programming style: class.db abstracts a variety of MySQL database interactions, class.user manages authentication and an item-level ACL, and class.page controls page rendering.
  • Dialogs securely prevents non-administrative users from injecting PHP or javascript code.
  • When you purchase Dialogs, you receive open source code that is thoroughly documented.
  • It features an n-tiered permissions system to limit users to specific content.
  • It leverages revision "roll-back" on virtually all database content to restore content to any previous state as needed.
  • Dialogs can be installed with a variety of plug-ins and additional development tools like the WYSIWYG plugin TinyMCE for text areas.
  • It features a unique, List-based content structure that facilitates use of the same content in different contexts.
  • Powerful debugging tools are built in.
  • Development support is extensive, including self-help for the experienced developer and fee-based professional assistance from Dialogs Professional Services.
  • It includes built-in components indispensable for building contemporary websites, web applications, and content management for mobile apps:
    • user management (group assignment, login/lost password management, customizable user profile, etc.)
    • forms management (dynamic backend forms based on developer-configured fields, backend database fields automatically configured based on custom designed frontend forms, etc.)
    • security (password-protected content, item-level permissions, encrypted content)
    • dynamic navigation (automatically displays moves, adds, or changes to content)
    • time-based content activation (turns content "on" and "off" at pre-set dates)
    • paging (manages the presentation of information spread across multiple pages)
    • outbound email (triggered by posted forms or daily processes, configured with mail-merge type templates)
    • blogs and forums (moderated or unmoderated user comments)
    • RSS feeds (for any Dialogs content)
    • ecommerce integration (catalog/cart setup, UPS/FedEx lookups, and checkout integration with Braintree, Google Checkout, etc.)
    • a report generator (configure saved reports for any List, view on-screen or .csv export)

Who develops in Dialogs?

Dialogs is THE back-end development framework for web and mobile app professionals.

Simple brochure websites may be deployed in Dialogs with simple configuration of installed components. If you can use Dreamweaver and can edit simple HTML directly, you can configure Dialogs.

Mobile app developers use Dialogs for content management. Apps for businesses commonly need dynamic or variable content (e.g., customer accounts and support, issues of app versions of magazines, collecting information and input from a network of app users, etc.)

Cutting edge websites will require skilled frontend coders and often PHP and javascript developers to extend base Dialogs functionality with simple script additions. Experienced developers will be able to rapidly understand how Dialogs works, how to leverage its power, and how to readily extend functionality when needed. Technical web developers with PHP and javascript expertise have built complex web applications leveraging Dialogs.