Starting Your Module

Choose a Name for Your Module

Choosing a name for your module is important, as this is the main way that your module will be known throughout the PostNuke community. The name should be related to the functionality that the module provides, but also be specific enough to be able to discern it from separate modules that might offer similar functionality.

Module names are case-sensitive.

Decide on the Type of Your Module

There are two broad types of module available in PostNuke. Item modules are modules which contain their own content and operate on that content, whereas utility modules are modules which contain additional information or functionality for the content of other modules. Examples of item modules are news, FAQ, and downloads. Examples of utility modules are comments, ratings, and global index. Utility modules can either work in the same way as item modules, or they can operate through the use of hooks, which allow module functions to be acted upon without being explicitly called by other modules. Hooks are normally used for items that are not part of a piece of content but directly related to it.

Register Your Module Name

Registering your module is not compulsory, but it is a very good idea. By registering your module you can ensure that no other official PostNuke module will take the name that you have chosen for your module. Two modules with the same name will not operate correctly on a single PostNuke site, so it is beneficial to both yourself and the PostNuke community in general to have a unique name.