A2B Site is a web site template (or site generator) for a web site/app including navigation, skinning, I8N, DB setup, login, and an admin section with user administration, settings, and a page editor. A foundation to build your web based apps on.
A2B Site (pronounced "a to-be site") makes it easier to create new sites/apps from scratch. It uses standard PHP, HTML, CSS, JS and has no dependencies to third-parties.
This software comes as a fully working basic web site. It has basic navigation, I8N, templating/skinning, 404 page, and initial/default configuration, so that you do not have to create all that from scratch.
Edition 2 comes with DB connectivity, a complete user management/login system and a very basic page editor too.
The software has a few simple yet efficient tools for error handling, exceptions, and debugging.
This is made for developers. Using this software you can get productive faster.
You may compare it to a foundation for a house with fixtures mounted for HVAC, plumbing, and electricity; you still have to build the house but the base is pretty much there. Some relatively sane choices have been made in order to enable as much flexibility as possible while not letting anything get too much in the way.
The software provides a starting point for developing small-to-medium sized web sites, embedded system UIs, or web based apps. Eg apps, product sites, games and promotions, information sites, mock-ups, intranet sites, presentation sites, personal homepages, etc.
While it may provide a starting point for your work it is really not aimed at sites with many levels and thousands of pages like portals, platforms, etc.
It is created so that it will also act nicely if used as a "plug-in site" on a larger site, eg as a special "feature" section.
With Edition 2 you don't even have to be a developer to get some pages published, although a little HTML knowledge will help.
The software comes in two editions:
(this edition has a number one at the start of the version name)
(this edition has a number two at the start of the version name)
The documentation is lightweight as this software is intended for use by developers with some coding experience. Hence you are expected to be able to read and understand the code. It is standard procedural PHP/HTML/JS/CSS, it is well formatted, and each function has a description of what it does (usually also code comments.)
Still, some things need to be explained, so: First, read this page. Then, consult the README file.
For Edition 1, the software does not support a database.
For Edition 2, the software requires a SQL type database and it comes with a few pre-configured database tables in a "*.sql" file ready for import into MySQL or MariaDB
Supported: MySQL, MariaDB, SQLite.
Default DB syntax is mySQLi procedural style. PDO is not used. SQL queries use prepared statements.
From version 2.0.1.8 and onwards the SQL syntax used in PHP versions below PHP 7.0 is no longer supported. The latest A2B Site versions with full support for PHP 5.* versions are 1.0.1.4 and 2.0.1.7.
The software supports the SQLite database. However, no SQLite database ships with the software, so consider this an extra option that will allow you more flexibility for your own projects.
This software is made for web developers, not end users. You are expected to have programming skills to use this software. Also, you are expected (actually required) to make edits and modifications to it, not to use it as it is.
This software does NOT depend on or include "frameworks" or third party includes of any kind. No jQuery, no Angular, no Google fonts or analytics, no Facebook, no cloud services, nothing of that sort. This software does not even require an internet connection to work.
Some reasonably sane choices has been made in the creation of this software. It is fairly robust, but it is still not a bank vault.
Points to consider:
Still, as security requirements tend to differ; if you plan to use this software "online" you should check and make sure that it will meet the security level you require. Do not blindly assume that this software automatically meets the security requirements for the software you consider building on top of it.
This software provides a basic set of elements that enables you to get productive faster. It does not do all your work for you.
... or
The demo version tends to be a few versions behind, so it does not represent all the latest features. This is a deliberate choice as very few updates target the user interface.
It is all very basic, which is exactly as it should be. Please note that the generated HTML source code is valid and well-formatted too.
For an example of a real and useful thing built with A2B Site see the Note App demo.
Note app is software for personal use, you can get it here
Please choose:
Download the zip file. Then unzip the files to a web folder/workspace, launch your editor and you are doing productive work already.
Of course you'll have to study the code a little the first couple of times in order to get familiar with it, but it is really not complicated. There's even a README file with extra information.
The software has two separate editions with separate version numbers. So far the terminology is "Edition 1" vs "Edition 2". These two editions are made for different purposes.
Any use of DERIVED software is ALLOWED. You do not have any rights for the original software.
DERIVED means that you have to change significant parts or build something entirely different, using A2B Site as a component or starting point only.
It is not enough to change a few variable names or a CSS skin only. You will have to actually create a significantly different product than A2B Site itself.
To that end you are allowed to use A2B Site as PART OF your software in modified form as well as in unmodified form. Just don't pretend that A2B Site is your software.
A2B site is copyrighted by the author. All Rights Reserved.
Due to this you can not claim authorship or copyright. You do not have any kind of ownership, authorship, or copyright rights. You may not pretend that this software is your creation. You may not sell or distribute this software "as is".
You are licensed to any use of DERIVED software, see "License"
There are no warranties. At all.
This software does not claim to be fit for any particular purpose and hence you should not use it unless you consider it to be fit for some purpose. The sole responsibility for such a decision rests on you.
As the software source code is 100% accessible and available you have the right, the possibility, and the obligation to check if the software is fit for your particular purpose before you use it. You can even let others do that check for you if you are not sufficiently technically competent. If the software is not fit for your purpose do not use it.
The authour of this software assumes no responsibility for any kind of damage, suffering, or loss connected to your use of this software. If you, or anybody else, should happen to suffer any kind of negative impact connected to your use of this software you have the full resposibility yourself, and you can make no legal claims against the author of this software and no request for compensation.
Before you put this software into any use you are free to examine every detail of the source code, and to evaluate if this is a suitable product for your purpose. You are encouraged to do so. If you think, feel, or suspect that there could be any risk of negative consequences from your use of this product, do not use it.