Which product should a newbie use to create a website?

[82011362]

I currently have a website with only a button so that clients can schedule time with me.  The button is from my scheduling company and the website was built from a template on Weebly and the button was embedded into the template.

I now want to add pages to the site with blog-style technical/mathematical entries.  I also want to add some text/about me to the main page with the button and also a sidebar there with info.  This new layout does not fit any Weebly template, but it is somewhat based on another webpage.

Which product should I choose to create this new webpage?  I know no html/css but I am not afraid of learning.

[BenPleysier]

Being a Dreamweaver forum, I would suggest Dreamweaver. Problem here is, that to create a decent blog-style, you will need to have an understanding of serverside code, like PHP, and of database structures and query language.

You could make use of third party extensions to Dreamweaver, like  DataBridge or you could use a web builder like WordPress. A product like Bubble would also do the job.

Personally, I would use https://wappler.io/, the Pro version will do all that is required. With Wappler, I have created Web Applications, similar to native Apps that are available in App stores, but without the extra expense and maintenance costs.

If your site is to remain simple, i.e. no database, the process will be a lot simpler by using Dreamweaver by itself. However, experience tells me that this is not the way to go.

[82011362]

Ho do I know if my site will use a database?

For now I am envisioning something static I think.  I think my description in my initial post is for a static site.

Eventually I might do the following through the site:

1. Sell self-published books in pdf or hardcover.

2. Offer a subscription service to access vids or technical modules or educational tools like multiple choice tests.

3. Add a "Donate" button.

I am more inclined to learn to code, but I don't want to dive too deep at first.

[Ben M]

If all you have done is embed a scheduling code on your web page, then I wouldn't jump directly into Dreamweaver because you could quickly become overwhelmed with the coding. Personally if you are thinking of doing bits of code here and there, then maybe learning a CMS like Wordpress or something you can host would be a better next step. You can do limited HTML and CSS with your posts, but for the overall theme and look there is plenty to choose from.  Otherwise, I would say look towards the Wix's of the world with their online builders and go forward in that direction.

[82011362]

What is the difference bewteen Wix or Weebly, for example, and Wordpress?  My concern is having enough control of the "theme".  On Weebly, for example, I can't adjust the width of a blog post once I pick a template/theme.

[Ben M]

Wix and Weebly are hosted solutions where you use their platform to host your content.  Wordpress, assuming the self-hosted version and not Wordpress.com, you would install the package on your server.  But even with a template in Wordpress, your width of your blog post would be what it would be.  To have a different template on each page of your site would be difficult to manage as your site grows because if you needed to make a change, you would have to update each individual page, defeating the purpose of using templates. Even if you use Wordpress, you would follow this same philosophy. You might have a few different templates for types of pages, but typically each type would have its own template.  

Control is all relative though. Wordpress, while written in PHP to execute HTML templates, is not for beginners to edit. Most of the time until you are well-versed in the CMS platform, you would likely want to go with a template, or possibly a framework like Genesis, Divi, or a builder like Beaver Builder or WP Bakery for a Wordpress installation.  If you are doing Wix, for example, then those features would be in their framework/page builder.  It's a matter of what you are more comfortable with.

[osgood_]

As has been mentioned probably the most suitable option for producing  'dynamic' websites (without much coding needed) would be Wordpress. The UI is all you really need to take some time learning and then you should be able to produce something using one of the numerous pre-built templates. Wordpress is beneficial in that it is open-source and transportable to any host that supports php, has a great eco system where you can get help and many, many videos are posted to Youtube for beginners.

[Nancy OShea]

Blogs are most definitely not static.  Blog posts are categorized by keywords, author, topic, date of post and other criteria to facilitate better searches.  You can't do any of that with static HTML pages. 

WordPress is probably your cheapest option.  And there are hundreds if not thousands of WP themes available because it's a very popular open source framework used by millions of sites.  WP themes, especially the premium ones, drive more than appearance.  They also add site functionality.  So choose your theme wisely.  Most hosting providers offer dedicated WordPress hosting plans with one button installation.

WordPress is not plug & play and walk away.  Data must be backed-up and the software, plugins & themes upgraded regularly for security reasons.  If you can't handle the technical side, hire a WP developer to help you.  Or just stick with a paid DIY site builder service like Wix, Squarespace or Webflow.  You pay more but they take care of the technical side for you.