How it works
Your Sites Pro website uses the Drupal 9 open-source content management system (CMS) to power the back-end content database and user admin interface. The front-end theme that your users will see and interact with is created using Gatsby, an open-source static website generator based on the front-end development framework React.
Page layouts can be as complex or simple as you would like!
While the features and integrations below are included by default, please note that it is not essential to use them all. You can build more involved layouts to your liking, or stick with more basic pages. We offer additional user experience packages for those desiring more assistance.
What's Included
core functionality
- Header and footer – with Duke and site-specific branding
- Media library – for editors to manage and reuse uploaded media files
- Navigation
- Header navigation: Main, Utility, & Action menus
- Footer menu – one list of links with no customizable headings
- Persistent side navigation on interior pages
- Ability to create public pages that are "hidden" – i.e., not in the navigation
- Site search – using Solr search engine, which offers fast and accurate searching
- Taxonomy – primarily, site-wide tagging of content by "category" term for easy filtering and reuse
- User roles – for site admins to add/edit user accounts and manage users' editing access by content type
One of the things I love about the new site is the ability to use the same image file in multiple places at different dimensions/crops depending on usage case.
John Zhu, former Senior Director of Communications, The Graduate School
Content Types
A content type is a reusable set of data fields that are packaged into a "type" of content that can be used and displayed consistently throughout your site.
Our User Guide outlines the content types available within Sites Pro.
Content Blocks
Content blocks are pre-formatted building blocks that you can configure and arrange to customize your site's layout and content. Content blocks are available to use on the Page and Story content types.
Our User Guide outlines the content blocks available within Sites Pro.
Because the system has seamless integration with Scholars@Duke, Duke Calendar and Shibboleth, we didn’t have to waste time or money to develop these integrations from scratch with an outside vendor.
Also, the system has such a wide variety of page design elements, it was easy and fun to develop creative page layouts.
Carol Jackson, Digital Communications Strategist, Sanford School of Public Policy
Integrations
By default, the base build offers integrations with the following enterprise systems and third-party services. Sites affiliated with Duke University Health System must follow DUHS policies regarding analytics and social media use.
- Box
- Cvent
- Datawrapper
- DukeALERT bar
- Duke Event Calendar
- Duke Maps
- Duke Today
- Emma
- Google Calendar
- Google Maps
- IMLeagues
- Looker Studio (formerly Google Data Studio)
- Microsoft Bookings
- Microsoft Bookings with Me (formerly Personal Bookings)
- NetID (Shibboleth) login and access control
- Padlet
- Panopto
- Pathways
- Qualtrics
- Scholars@Duke
- Scribe
- SmugMug
- SoundCloud
- Tableau
- TimelineJS
- Vimeo
- Warpwire
- Web Analytics or Tag Management
- YouTube
Hosting & Maintenance
Sites Pro websites are hosted at OIT as part of your website package – with no additional web hosting fees or contracts. Security updates, hardware and software maintenance, and user support are also included in your subscription to the service, at no additional cost to you.