If you want to add PHP functionality to your Web site, you don’t always have to start from scratch. Many open source scripts are already available for free download on the Internet. All you need is a Web hosting plan that supports PHP and in most cases MySQL for complete functionality.
Here’s a brief overview of some of the most popular open source PHP scripts you can install on your Web site. These scripts give you an interface that makes it easy to use advanced PHP applications.
Photo Galleries
Gallery2
Gallery is an online photo album script that lets you post and organize your photos and images on your Web site. It’s a great way to start online communities because you can create accounts that allow friends and family to upload and manage photos and post them directly on your Web site.
To use Gallery, you need a database and image libraries. This script supports ImageMagick, NetPBM, GD and GraphicsMagick for libraries and MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle , DB2 and Microsoft SQL Server for databases.
Coppermine
Another popular photo album script, Coppermine, gives you the ability to upload photos, arrange them into categories and more. It has full multimedia support. Like Gallery, it requires an image library and database. You may use GD or ImageMagick libraries and MySQL for the database.
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
WebERP
Looking for an inexpensive solution to help your business coordinate resources, information and activities? WebERP is an enterprise-wide system that helps you perform essential business functions such as billing and order fulfillment. According to the script’s official Web site, it’s best suited for wholesale and distribution businesses, and requires only a PDF reader and Web browser to use.
Content Management Systems (CMS)
Tikiwiki
Create a company intranet, portal or extranet with TikiWiki. This open source content management system offers a variety of internal uses such as a structured wiki, bug tracking system, collaboration platform, knowledge base, blogging system or forum. It requires MySQL as its database.
Joomla
Publish digital media and text with Joomla! This open source CMS is often found on Web sites containing news articles, manuals, sales guides and other published content. It requires MySQL and gives users the ability to edit, manage, search and publish content.
Survey Tools
LimeSurvey
Conduct and analyze your own surveys with LimeSurvey. This template-based survey tool lets you develop, publish and collect responses to surveys. LimeSurvey gives you the ability to survey an unlimited number of participants using different question types such as multiple choice, yes/no and fill in the blank.
Ecommerce
osCommerce
Sell online with osCommerce. This script gives you a catalog for the front end of your Web site and an administration tool that helps you manage the backend. You can add unlimited products, track contact customers and print invoice and packing slips with this open source ecommerce platform.
Forum
phpBB
Launch an Internet forum with phpBB. According to the script’s official Web site, it is used by millions of people across the Internet each day. Among its features are user preferences, moderation, search engine spider handling, private message system, statistics, permanent and temporary bans, permissions, anti-spam features, data management with MySQL and more.