concrete5 uses the zend framework, so yes you can use it, you do not have to know how to develop for zend to develop for concrete5.

Thanks for the prompt reply!

Ok my next question is, if i have a site developed in Zend Framework, can i use Concrete 5 as the CMS?

In brief i am looking to use
Concrete5 as CMS Backend that control the data/information.

Zend Framework structure = Front end of site:
Model = access database
Controller = actions
Viewer = templates etc

Will this work?

I am looking for a CMS to integrate into my existing ZF project..

Also how customise-able is Concrete5? Let's say i need to add a new 'manager' within the CMS...for example 'Products Manager'?

Can someone please advise.

Thanks!

hrrmmm wellllll actually.. no.

concrete5 uses libraries from Zend, but its not built on top of the entire framework stack.

So no, you shouldn't be thinking of concrete5 as a backend CMS tool, really for anything.. the elegance of concrete5 comes from in-context editing, so hacking it to not do that is a bit of a miss.

However, if you are building applications with the Zend framework AND you want parts of your site to be easily managed with a CMS that sports nice in-context editing, they will play well in similar server spaces.

So this is the type of thing that Clear wireless is doing. The applicationy stuff like their billing system is build as a custom app in Zend. The CMSish stuff is built with concrete5 - all of it can run on the same array of servers happily.

Thanks Frz for your reply.

It make sense now.

Guess i can't have it both ways.

Do you have any suggestions on how i can achieve this.

I do not want to develop a CMS all the time.

In Concrete5, can we create new "Manager" to have custom functionality for the website though?

Thanks!

sure. you should explore building out your application from within concrete5. There's a model we have called Single Pages that will likely help with what you're doing. This how-to is a good place to start:

http://www.concrete5.org/documentation/how-tos/developers/build-a-s...

Best wishes,
(Pecked out on a mobile device...)
http://about.me/frz