Chapter 9
Using Modules to Create a Site with a Blog and Forum
In This Chapter
- Using modules
- Building blogs
- Managing forums
- Moderating comments
A Drupal module is a plug-in program that extends Drupal's core functionality. Think of a module as an add-on application that allows Drupal to do more things; for example, the blog and forum we talk about in this chapter are modules. Drupal comes with a large number of modules preinstalled, but there are many more available online. As with new themes, new modules have to be downloaded, placed in a directory on your web server, and then enabled.
In this chapter, you take a close look at modules. You see how to build a site complete with a blog and a forum. Along the way, you discover how to upload and activate modules and where to find new ones.
Understanding Modules
You may not realize it, but you're already using modules. Drupal itself is composed of a set of modules, known as the Core modules. To see what we mean, log in as an administrator and choose Modules from the Dashboard menu bar (see Figure 9-1).
Modules preinstalled with Drupal are called Core modules. The two types of Core modules are
- Optional: These are modules you don't have to enable for Drupal to run, but they are also some of the most useful ones. A few of them are enabled by default (so your “option” is to turn them off or leave them on).
- Required: As you might guess, these modules have to be enabled for Drupal to run. They're the heart and soul of Drupal. You can't ...
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