All projects on the Internet differ greatly from each other in design, purpose, structure, variety of content and other parameters. To create them, you can use narrowly focused CMS or multifunctional engines. One of the convenient products that open up great opportunities for the developer is the InstantCMS website engine. Below we will consider it in more detail.

Features of InstantCMS
This platform has extensive capabilities due to additional modules. If desired, you can assemble a powerful tool for developing projects of high complexity. Extensions are installed via the admin panel.

Choosing InstantCMS for yourself, you need to understand that the system does not offer amenities, in the form of a variety of assemblies, bundled hosting or lightning-fast help from the creators of the product. The user must download the software himself, select a set of extensions in accordance with the goals set, configure and understand the functionality. It is a kind of flexible tool for creating various projects. Those who have not previously encountered development may have difficulties getting to know and further operating the system.

Among the free CMS for the site, Instant is in the top ten. This indicates its high popularity among users. It is difficult to count the exact number of projects built on the basis of the engine, but this figure exceeds one thousand.

Unlike many analogues, InstantCMS offers many solutions for launching social networks, forums and other projects designed for communication. The creators of the site celebrate this moment and are proud of their achievements. Additionally, it is important to note the resistance to high loads. In combination with good hosting, you can achieve trouble-free operation with high traffic.

Engine Security
Security parameters are very important for any Internet resource. Competitors, automated programs, detractors and many other negative factors can pose a threat to the project. Therefore, the site must be protected. As practice shows, there are not many cases of hacking this engine. This is due to the regular release of updates that eliminate vulnerabilities. InstantCMS is not a new development. It has been in existence for more than ten years, and during this time the creators have significantly improved the reliability of their product by eliminating the main errors. In addition, there are a number of plugins designed to make the Internet resource inaccessible to intruders and malicious software. These include:

File Scanner – plugin regularly monitors changes in system files and folders. If the file has been changed or deleted, the administrator will immediately know about it. In the settings, you can exclude files that do not need to be scanned. The check is started manually or according to a schedule.
qCaptcha and reCAPTCHA are the verification code that is offered in the question–answer format. Numbers, words are indicated as answers, or a graphic image is selected. It all depends on the settings. The extension avoids automatic registrations, comments, and so on.
Checking the phone number during registration is a unique solution for identifying new users. In most cases, SMS verification is used, but you have to pay for messages. This plugin offers a free alternative. When registering, the user receives a phone number to call. The call is free for both the administrator and the new user.

CMS for the site offers other useful extensions that increase the level of protection. However, you need to remember that an easy password from the admin panel, hosting or database is the main loophole. Therefore, a lot depends on the administrator.

Development services
If the administrator wants to use the services of third-party developers, he will not have to look for a candidate for a long time. The official page contains a list of freelancers specializing in Instant. The profile of each of them shows the rating, the list of services performed and the status of workload. This information allows you to quickly find a free contractor and agree on the execution of the order. Specialists are ready to create a unique template, configure it, perform search engine optimization, fill pages with content, develop modules and correct existing errors.

Hosting Requirements
The choice of hosting largely depends on the complexity of the project and its attendance. If we are talking about a new project, then you can choose the cheapest tariff and increase it as needed. It should be noted right away that InstantCMS does not require large resources. The minimum requirements are as follows:

PHP 5,5;
Apache web server with the rewrite module activated;
MySQL, not lower than the fifth version.
For highly loaded sites, you will need a dedicated server that will ensure stable operation with thousands of visitors.

Site options on InstantCMS
The main feature of the presented engine is the ability to create completely different projects. Using additional plugins, you can develop high-quality projects of the following orientation:

Information portal – large projects with a large number of reviews, news and other information materials. The subject of such resources can be any. The structure consists of numerous menu items and catalogs with publications.
Social network – pages designed for communication, adding profiles to friends and sharing information. One of the most complex resources combining powerful functionality. A number of modules are provided for the implementation of such projects. Among them are "EmojiOne", "Notifications about friends' events" and so on.
The forum is an online resource with many topics for discussion created by registered visitors. Messages are displayed as comments under the main entry. The forum can be upgraded using plugins responsible for the profile structure, expanding the number of emoticons and the appearance of comments.
A business card is one of the simplest resources that consists of a single page. It contains a brief description of the company, its services and contact details. Such a resource can be created even by a user who does not have special skills.
Shop – InstantCMS offers a variety of tools for trading various goods. These include shopping cart, filters, payment systems, catalogs, comparative characteristics, discounts and much more. The main modules for creating a trading platform are InstantShop and UCart.
Pricing policy of the engine
The content management system is distributed free of charge. You can get it on the official page. Two versions are available for download. It is recommended to choose the second one, as it is more advanced and actively supported by developers. After downloading, you can donate an arbitrary amount for the development of the project, but this is a voluntary decision of each webmaster.

The financial costs of using the Instant site engine are reduced to paying for hosting services, as well as purchasing modules and templates. With a complete lack of skills in the field of site construction, you will have to additionally pay for the services of specialists. It is difficult to calculate the final price tag. A lot depends on the tasks and wishes of the administrator.

InstantCMS Functions
The possibilities of the engine are very diverse. It is not possible to list all the functionality, but we will note the frequently used tools:

1. Formation of the main menu. The main navigation element can contain any number of tabs. They are added through the admin panel. For each link, there are settings in which you can mark groups of users who can see and use the tab. It will not be available to other visitors.

2. Types of content. The system allows you to create different types of content with a huge number of settings. As a result, the material acquires distinctive features. For each type of content, you can enable comments, rating, set a list of fields and configure access for user groups.

3. Adding widgets. With the help of the built-in tool, it is possible to form the structure of pages with the mouse. The administrator can choose the location of the menu, add various blocks, determine the location of articles, photos, comments and other elements on the pages of the site. Quite a convenient option, but it will take time to get used to it.

Templates
The choice of templates for InstantCMS is limited. You can get acquainted with the assortment without leaving the admin panel. To do this, there is a separate menu item with additions. All topics are paid, and their cost is in the region of two thousand rubles.

If you need to get a unique design, then it is recommended to contact third-party developers. For a reasonable fee, they will create a custom-made template. This solution will make the site more expressive and recognizable. At the same time, there is a risk that the contractor will provide a low-quality product that will provoke errors during use. It is necessary to take a responsible approach to choosing a specialist who will perform the layout.

CMS modules
Currently, CMS for the site allows you to install about 500 additional modules. These are extensions that add certain functionality. The number of modules increases every year, but not all of them are of high quality. Before installing, it is recommended to study the description, the number of downloads and user reviews.

All plugins are divided into sections. This allows you to quickly find the necessary software and install it. There are 26 sections in total, including video, admin, commerce, communication, security and much more. A large number of modules makes it possible to create projects of high complexity with modern functions.

Control Panel
The administrator console does not cause serious complaints. Considering that the site engine is assembled by Russian specialists, you will not have to spend time on translation. The tabs of the main menu are organically located at the top of the admin panel and are accompanied by graphic icons. There are eight main sections in total:

Content. Here you can view and edit all the articles, announcements, photos and other materials published on the pages.
Types of content. This section allows you to create and configure new types of materials. For example, an article, a note, a review, a photo album, and so on.
Menu. The tab speaks for itself. The administrator is given the opportunity to manage the links of the main and additional menus. You can delete or add tabs, as well as configure access rights to them for user groups.
Widgets and pages. A unique tool that easily changes the structure of pages.
Components. The section contains previously installed modules. They can be configured and deleted if necessary.
Catalog of add-ons. This is a kind of built-in store with plugins and templates. They can be installed without leaving the admin panel. It is worth noting that some extensions are paid.
Users. Information about registered users, including email address, IP address, personal rating and registration date.
Settings. In this tab, the parameters of mail, caching, security, and so on are regulated.

In addition to the main menu, there is a child block in the control panel, which appears on the left side of the screen when switching to one of the main sections.

Advantages of InstantCMS
During a detailed review, the InstantCMS site engine revealed many positive aspects. They attract the majority of Russian developers. Among the main advantages can be noted:

a wide range of modules for solving various tasks;
optimization for mobile devices;
free download of the full version of the engine;
the ability to create websites for different purposes;
low system requirements;
russified interface;
a large number of reference materials and specialists who can solve any problem;
a decent level of security.
Professional users will also appreciate the open source code and the possibility of integrating third-party services.

Disadvantages of InstantCMS
Given that the platform does not occupy a leading position in the ranking, it has a number of drawbacks. The main ones are:

a modest selection of templates and they are all paid;
some modules have a high cost;
lack of technical support;
there is little statistical information in the admin panel.
At the initial stage, many users complained about errors in the source code, but now most of them have been eliminated.

Conclusion
The InstantCMS engine has been around for more than ten years, but during that time it has not reached perfection. The project is gradually developing, increasing the number of modules and the audience of users. The system is of the greatest interest to developers of sites designed for communication and dating. One of the main advantages that make it possible to stand out among competitors is a free license. However, do not forget that you will have to pay for a high-quality template and additional modules.