25+ Alternative & Open Source Database Engines

Almost every web developer has a favorite database that he/she feels comfortable working with as all the tricks & gimmicks are already experienced.

It can be one of the popular databases below:

• MySQL
• PostgreSQL
• MSSQL
• SQLite
• MS Access

or even simpler ones like XML, text, etc.

It is understandable why these databases are frequently used; they are well-documented, have a community behind them, integrated with most popular CMSs', easy-to-use, offered by most of the hosting companies ,etc..

But there are also many other databases which are getting popular day-by-day & may have advantages over what you're already using.

Here are 25+ open source alternative databases that you may consider using in your next project:

MongoDB

It is an open source, high-performance, scalable, schema-free & document-oriented (JSON-like data schemas) database.

There are ready to use drivers for most popular programming languages like PHP,Python, Perl, Ruby, JavaScript, C++ + more.

Hypertable

Hypertable is a high performance distributed data storage systemdesigned to support applications requiring maximum performance, scalability, and reliability.

It is modeled after Google's BigTable and mostly focuses on large-scale datasets.

Apache CouchDB

A document-oriented database that can be queried and indexed in a MapReduce fashion using JavaScript.

CouchDB offers a RESTful JSON API which can be accessed from any environment allowing HTTP requests

Neo4j

It is an embedded, disk-based, and fully transactional Java persistence engine that stores data structured in graphs rather than tables.

Neo4j offer a massive scalability. It can handle graphs of several billion nodes/relationships/properties on a single machine and can be scaled across multiple machines.

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CSS3 Framework With HTML5 Support: 52framework

52framework is a CSS framework which aims to provide an easy way to build websites using HTML5 & CSS3 while still supporting all modern browsers (including ie6).

It uses HTML5 tags like header, nav, section, article, footer or new input field types like url, email, etc. The framework also has a HTML5 compatible reset stylesheet.

52framework uses the new ::selection selector that enables you to customize the properties of selected text.

It can apply rounded corners for any block level element, text-shadow for text elements & more.
The framework also includes styles for creating grids: 16 column, 52 pixel based with 8 pixel gutter.
52framework is a user-contributed resource & you can easily send suggestions to improve it further.

Compatibility: All Major Browsers
Website: http://52framework.com/
Demo: http://52framework.com/demo

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Flexible Google Maps jQuery Plugin: gMap

gMap is a lightweight (2kb) jQuery plugin for easily integrating Google Maps into any website.
It can embed a map with a tiny function like:

$("#map").gMap();
and can be customized further with settings like:

• latitude/longitude
• default zoom level
• markers, their positions, info to display as a pop-up, custom marker images
• mapping controls on/off
• & more..

Requirements: jQuery
Compatibility: All Major Browsers
Website: http://gmap.nurtext.de/
Demo: http://gmap.nurtext.de/examples.html
Download: http://gmap.nurtext.de/download.html

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E-mail To SMS Providers List (Easiest Way To SMS-Enable Web Applications)

You remember Uptime Robot, a free website uptime monitoring service that we launched few weeks ago.
While building it, we're looking for a free & easy way for adding SMS support to the application which would notify users when their websites were down (and back up).

There are great APIs around but they are paid & we experienced that the best way to do this is using the e-mail to SMS gateways of mobile providers.

But we needed a list of providers that had support for e-mail to SMS.

After digging, we found several lists, realized that every provider has a different format where some requires a prefix & other can require a suffix, digit requirements differ, etc.

At the end we merged lists, removed invalid entries, added new ones with the help of Uptime Robot users & created a flexible MySQL table that included this data.

Now, we're sharing it (as SQL & CSV formats) at the Uptime Robot website so you can easily add SMS support to your web applications & won't lose the time we already did.

P.S. Note that there may still be some invalid entries that we couldn't get a feedback yet. If you think there are, please share them in comments, we'll updating them & always be sharing the latest version of the data.

Website: www.uptimerobot.com/sms.asp

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Attractive Forms With jQuery: Uniform

 Uniform is a jQuery plugin that enables you to control the look & feel of form elements(checkboxes, drop down menus, radio buttons & file upload inputs).

It is unobtrusive & works by hiding the original elements + replacing them with custom ones.

Uniform is very easy to use & can be set to convert every form element on the page or any specific ones.
The plugin has theming support & comes with a theme kit to quickly create unique forms.

Requirements: jQuery 1.3+
Compatibility: All Major Browsers (except IE6)
Website: http://pixelmatrixdesign.com/uniform/

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Free JavaScript WYSIWYG Editor: TinyEditor

TinyEditor is a lightweight (8kb) JavaScript WYSIWYG editor that is free to use in both personal & commercial projects.

It is a standalone script (does not require any JS frameworks) & converts any given textarea to an editor

The can be easily customized by updating the parameters (like removing some of the controls). And it is possible to style it via CSS:

TinyEditor can be resized, a starting content can be defined, set to generate HTML or XHTML code & more..

Requirements: No Requirements
Compatibility: All Major Browsers
Website: http://www.leigeber.com/2010/02/javascript-wysiwyg-e...
Demo: http://sandbox.leigeber.com/tinyeditor/
Download: http://forum.leigeber.com/index.php?app=downloads&sh...

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Instant Wizard-Like Forms With Formwizard

Formwizard is a jQuery plugin which can instantly convert your standard forms into wizard-like interfaces.

Once it is applied, users will be able to fill the form step-by-step (which is nice for big forms) & it becomes possible to show different steps according to the input values.

It only requires a few markup updates like wrapping every step with elements that hasid tags: "firstStep, "secondStep", etc & adding class tags: "step".

Formwizard also plays nice with the popular validation & form plugins that will help enabling client-side form validation & Ajaxed submissions.

Requirements: jQuery
Compatibility: All Major Browsers
Website: http://thecodemine.org/

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Open Source PHP-Based News Aggregator: Lilina

Lilina is an open source PHP application for aggregating feeds from a web-based interface.
It supports RSS, Atom & podcasts inside them. It is also possible to import/export feeds with an OPML file.

The application only requires PHP(5) to run & makes use of 2 built-in libraries: HTML Purifier and SimplePie.
Lilina has a plugin system for extending its capabilities & the look/feel can be customized with the theming support.

Requirements: PHP5
Website: http://getlilina.org/
Download: http://getlilina.org/download/

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A Set Of User Interface Design Elements

MediaLoot is presenting a free set of user interface elements that can help designing/prototyping faster.
It has 3 distinct styles: glossy, satin/light gradient, and one-color which the satin/light gradient set is available in 7 different colors.
The set comes in both .PNG & .PSD formats and includes items like:

• control buttons
• info boxes
• breadcrumbs
• forms
• scrollbars
• & more..

Website: http://medialoot.com/blog/freebie-massive-web-ui-but...

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MediaCore: Open Source Media Publishing Platform

MediaCore is an open source platform for publishing audio, video & podcasts which makes distributing media on any website so easy.

The platform supports many media formats like FLV, M4A or MP3 which can also be played via the integrated FlowPlayer.

It can pull media from any source (Youtube, Vimeo, Google Video, etc.) & a site-owner can publish media from the administrative interface or let users create the content via the upload interface.
MediaCore has RSS feed support for iTunes & Feedburner.

It can display the page views, comments or how many viewers “liked” a video to th eend users like Youtube.
And, a powerful admin panel helps controllingall the system from managing media to approving comments & much more.

The application is built with the TurboGears Python Framework and MooTools Javascript Framework.

Requirements: Python 2.5+, MySQL 5.0+
Website: http://getmediacohttp://getmediacore.com/re.com/
Demo: http://getmediacore.com/demo
Download: http://getmediacore.com/download

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Open Source Digital Asset Manager: Razuna

It generally becomes a problem for creative agencies to manage the project files (designs, mockups, contracts, etc.) created within years.

Razuna is an open source application for storing, categorizing & sharing digital assets easily.
It can manage files in every format (Word, Excel, PDF, images in all formats, videos, etc.).
The application has an advanced search & categorization system for locating the files quickly.

Razuna has an open API for integrating it with 3rd party softwares (there is a plugin for Wordpress integration), using data stored in websites, etc.

It is a multilingual application that also has an Adobe AIR-based desktop tool besides the web interface.
Razuna is totally based on open standards (J2EE/CFML/SQL/XML).

Requirements: Tomcat J2EE Server
Website: http://www.razuna.org/
Download: http://www.razuna.org/download
Via: http://twit88.com/blog/2010/01/24/open-source-digita...

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Tiny Content Management System: OneFileCMS

OneFileCMS is, just like it sounds, is a tiny content management system which is formed of one file (20.4kb).

It is a database-less PHP script that enables you to view/edit/delete/upload files & folders very quickly.

OneFileCMS is very ideal for anyone who updates their websites by editing the source of the files directly.
It is also a backend for anyone without the need of a FTP connection.

The application has a validated, semantic & commented markup. It is unobtrusive & can be re-branded with ease.

Requirements: Unix/Linux host/Apache, PHP5
Compatibility: All Major Browsers
Website: http://onefilecms.com/
Demo: http://php.opensourcecms.com/scripts/details.php?scr...
Download: http://onefilecms.com/download.php

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Free PHP User Management System: UserCake

Every web application that works member-based needs a functionality where visitors can register & manage their profiles.

UserCake is a free user management system, built with PHP/MySQL, which aims to be a foundation to ease creating the application.

UserCake is object-oriented, cleanly written, well commented, formatted & documented.

It offers the following functions:

• Login
• Register
• Lost password
• Update password
• Update user details
• Email templates (optional)
• Account activation (optional)
• User groups (Basic, id – group_name)

The system comes with frequently used member-page functions like isUserLoggedIn() or isGroupMember($id) which will help developing faster.

And, in means of security, UserCake uses salt along with a SHA1 hash.

Requirements: PHP 5+ & MYSQL or MYSQLi
Website: http://usercake.com/
Download: http://usercake.com/download.php

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9 Open Source Microblogging Applications

Microblogging, with the wide usage of Twitter, is a hot subject in today’s web.
Using few words & spending less effort compared to the standard blogging, it becomes possible to share knowledge, feelings, etc. And, it keeps users connected to other users with the simple yet powerful community features.

While there are very popular microblogging services like Twitter, Tumblr or Plurk, being a rival may not be (or may be) the best idea. However, in order to create something unique, a community for a closed group or a microblog for a single user, there are still huge opportunities.
Here are 9 open source microblogging applications to create your own:

StatusNet (PHP)

StatusNet (previously Laconica) is the engine which runs the popular microblogging site Identi.ca.
It is built with PHP/MySQL & offers a smooth usage as it is a widely used, mature application.
P.S. The source can be found here.

Yonkly (Asp.Net)

Yonkly is an Asp.Net-powered Twitter-clone for creating your own microblogging community network.
Besides the open source version, it has a hosted & an advanced standalone version.

JaikuEngine (Python)

Jaiku was the microblogging site of Google. However, they decided no longer to develop the code but make it open source under the name JaikuEngine.
Anyone can set up and run their own JaikuEngine instance on Google App Engine. Alo, there is an open source mobile client & frontend.

Floopo (PHP)

This free microblogging script is built with PHP & MySQL.
It functions very similar to Twitter & provides a powerful backend to manage the whole system.

Jisko (PHP)

Jisko is a PHP microblogging application that offers a Twitter-like API for developing it further.
Users can have their profile pages, message with each other easily & Jisko is compatible with mobile devices.

PageCookery (PHP)

PageCookery is a single-user microblog which can pull data from social networks like Flickr, last.fm, etc.
It offers an Ajaxed interface where users can comment to the entries easily.
P.S. The original page is Chinese. However, you can view the English version behind Google Translate.

EchoWaves (Ruby on Rails)

EchoWaves is a ready-to-use hosted application where the source code is offered for free.
It is a collaboration tool & a social network which is focused to conversations rather than the users.

P2 Wordpress Theme (PHP)

This is a Wordpress theme which can convert your blogging engine into a Twitter-like interface.
It has real-time updates where new posts & comments come in without reloading. There are also inline comments, posting from homepage & more.

Motion (Typepad – Python)

TypePad Motion enables publishers and marketers to create vibrant, branded communities that deepen loyalty and increase page views while giving you total control of your brand.
It is based on Pownce & MovableType Motion and built with Django.

Blurt.it (PHP – Added on 19 October 2009)

Blurt.it is a fresh microblogging application that requires PHP/MySQL to run.
Very similar to Twitter, users can easily connect with each other with open or private threads.

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CMS For Flash Websites: FlashMoto CMS

When we hear about a Flash CMS, there is mostly a prejudice that it may not be that functional.
FlashMoto CMS is a totally different one which is quite impressive & really works for managing Flash-based websites.
With the help of a good-looking & easy-to-use interface, a website is controlled just like a standard CMS but with the extras that Flash offers.

What does it offer in a snapshot?

Using FlashMoto CMS, it is possible to:

• add unlimited number of pages, update or delete them
• manage your website menu (with sub-menus)
• create image galleries & add-remove images to them
• create forms
• upload videos & music
• insert shapes or other Flash files

The content is created using a WYSIWYG editor. There is a media library where you can upload images, video or SWF files & use them in any part of the website with a few clicks.

It has a built-in gallery component for displaying a list of images and/or videos. This feature is specially useful for designers, photographers or anyone willing to present a portfolio.
Adding a standalone background music or embedding videos from popular services like Youtube, Vimeo is also a breeze.
Similar to HTML websites, websites created with FlashMoto CMS are indexable by search engines & every page has their own URLs + titles.
It also allows you to define the Google Analytics details & statistics of the website will be tracked (every page will tracked even it is a Flash website).

Like mentioned in the beginning, FlashMoto CMS is like a standard CMS, it controls websites that are prepared to fit the XML-based templating system it offers.
Any Flash developer can build new templates (a detailed documentation is provided) or there are FlashMoto CMS templates offered which are ready to go.
Besides all these features, there are much more like:

• various other built-in components like scroll bar, progress bar or paginator
• ability to upload custom fonts
• infoModule to display news
• & much more..

Conclusion

This Flash CMS is a very flexible & powerful product which is handy for:

• any designer that creates websites in Flash & wants to provide a backend to customers
• anyone willing to create a website easily & quickly using ready-to-go templates

It is possible to give it a try with the demo provided & better see how functional it can be.
P.S. This post is a sponsored review.

Requirements: PHP 5.2.1+, Zend Optimizer 3.3+
Website: http://www.flashmoto.com/
Demo: http://www.flashmoto.com/demo/

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Powerful Ruby on Rails CMS: Refinery

Refinery is a lightweight, modular & open source CMS application that is built with Ruby on Rails.
It has a slick user interface to manage a website where new pages (with unlimited sub-levels) or images can be added, contact inquiries can be managed, etc.

The application offers a permission-based multi-user environment where it is possible to define which users can access to which modules.

It logs almost every action that makes it possible to view the activies easily.
Refinery is not an all-features-included CMS but includes the most-used ones which makes it a simple-yet-powerful application.

Requirements: Ruby on Rails enabled hosting environment
Website: http://refinerycms.com/
Demo: http://demo.refinerycms.com/admin
Download: http://www.refinerycms.org/

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Powerful And Open Source CMS: Symphony

Symphony is a XSLT-powered open source CMS that is created with PHP & uses MySQL for storing data.

It offers a very flexible usage as the data, logic & templating layers are all independent, meaning that whatever you implement can be modified, added or removed with minimum effort.

When compared to other popular CMS applications, the biggest difference is the template engine used. It is XSLT-based which makes it possible to output much more than just web pages (dynamic CSS & JavaScript, PDFs, SVGs..).

Symphony has a light & elegant backend that helps you focus on your work with features like bulk editing, drag'n drop ordering of items & much more.

The application has a growing library of extensions (130+) which can help you improve the functionality it offers.

Requirements: PHP 5.2+, MySQL 4.1+, PHP's LibXML module with the XSLT extension enabled
Website: http://symphony-cms.com/
Download: http://symphony-cms.com/download/

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Powerful CMS For ASP.NET: Kentico CMS

Kentico CMS is a powerful, flexible & complete content management system that is built with ASP.NET.

It has various modules that make building any type of website possible from blogs to e-commerce or wikis to social networking.

The application comes with an easy-to-use WYSIWYG editor for creating/editing the content.
One of the unique features Kentico offers is the worklow management. It allows you to control the process of content creation & modifications by creating custom approval steps (like proofreading, editing, approval, etc.).

Kentico is multilingual & can manage multiple websites from the same administrator panel.
It has an API that allows you to script any Kentico CMS operation (like creating a new document, user or even the whole web site) which is great for integrations with any 3rd party software. On the other hand, with the modules integrated, there is almost no extra function needed. Here are all the modules it offers:

• Blogs
• Booking system
• Content Rating
• Content Staging
• E-commerce
• Event calendar
• Forums
• Friends
• Geomapping
• Groups
• Image Gallery
• Media Library
• Message Boards
• Messaging
• Newsletter
• On-line Forms
• Polls
• Reporting
• Taxonomy
• Wiki
• Web Farm Support
• Web Analytics

which simply show what the application is capable of.
And, these are not all it has. Kentico generates SEO-friendly URLs, has full-text search support, a powerful role-based security system & much more..

Besides the paid versions, it offers a limited free version which is ideal for smaller websites. The free edition have no time limitation & can be used even for commercial purposes with no additional cost. It can be downloaded from here.

Kentico CMS is reliable and stable product & I didn’t came to any bug. But if that occurs, the company promises to fix it within 7 working days, furthermore they plant a tree in the name of the client who finds the bug. You can read more about this interesting initiative here.

The product can be evaluated by downloading the TRIAL or FREE editions. Other way is to use the Virtual Lab service which allows you to test-drive Kentico CMS on-line, without installing anything on your local PC.

P.S. This post is a sponsored review.

Requirements: ASP.NET 2.0+ & MSSQL 2000/2005/2008 support
Compatibility: All Major Browsers
Website: http://www.kentico.com/
Demo: http://www.kentico.com/Demo.aspx
Download: http://www.kentico.com/Download.aspx

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Create Gallery-Themed Websites Using W-Script

W-Script is an open source application which is originally aimed at creating "wallpaper download websites".

But, it is a very ideal resource for building any gallery-themed or image-oriented website like CSS galleries, photo galleries ,etc.

The application is built with PHP-MySQL & it can handle large number of images.

Some features of W-Script:

• unlimited categories, subcategories
• visitors can submit images (and optionally register)
• images can be rated & commented
• advanced search
• auto-thumbnails in various sizes

It has a Smarty-based template engine which makes creating new templates pretty easy.
Also, W-Script can be extended with modules like tag clouds, color browser, user stats or anything custom.

Requirements: PHP & MySQL
Website: http://www.wallpaperscript.net/
Demo: http://www.wallspaper.net/

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Multi-Website CMS: jCore

jCore is a free, open source & multi-website CMS which is created specially for webmasters who maintain multiple websites.

It is built with PHP/ MySQL & has 2 parts:

• jCore server (main system which holds all the libraries and modules)
• jCore client (stripped version of the core system which uses the files from the server)

jCore has various great features like:

• multilanguage
• dynamic forms
• RSS feeds
• banner management
• member management
• SEO friendly links
• custom 404 error pages
• & more

The system can be extended with the modules support as there are already ready-to-use ones like photo gallery or contact form.

Requirements: PHP & MySQL
Website: http://jcore.net/
Demo: http://demo.jcore.net/
Download: http://jcore.net/downloads

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