There are two major open source social networking platforms that are garnering much attention of late: BuddyPress and Elgg. Elgg 1.0 was released in August 2008. BuddyPress is currently in beta. Regular visitors to this blog have probably read many of my posts on Elgg. Recently, I posted some first impressions of BuddyPress as a user having created an account on BuddyPress’s test site.
I just finished a BuddyPress installation on my server, so I am now able to make more comparisons between the two platforms. The intent of this is not so much to decide which platform is superior, but to discuss the features, interfaces, and administration of each; thus, helping individuals decide which may be best suited for their purposes. Having looked both over, I believe that each may be best suited for different purposes.
Installation
Both Elgg and BuddyPress require the administrator to set up a mySQL database. The packages must be uploaded to a web server, and browser based installers are used to attach the database to the software and create the appropriate config files to make the programs work. They also require Mod Rewrite to be enabled on the server. Beyond that, there are several differences.
BuddyPress installation is fairly complex. First WordPressMu must be installed which is simply a matter of creating a database, uploading the software, and running the installer. (One caveat: WPMU is much easier to install in the root public_html directory.) The only thing out of the ordinary is the option to use subdomains (blog.mysite.com) 0r subdirectories (mysite.com/blog). The former is generally recommended and requires activating wildcard dns on your server. Next you need to ftp and install the BuddyPress plugins and themes to the appropriate directories.
Finally, one needs to install and integrate bbPress if one wants the forums to function. bbPress must be uploaded and it should share a database with WPMU. It took a lot of back and forth with the admin interfaces and tweaking the bbPress and WPMU config files to make the cookies work.
Elgg installation is very straight forward. The Elgg developers responded to early complaints about difficulties with installation and made it even less particular about server configuration. Create a database, upload the software, run the installer. It doesn’t matter whether it is installed in the root or a subdirectory.
Now this might sound like a slam dunk for Elgg, but the results of installation are not equal. Let’s start by looking at the front page. The resultant buddyPress looks like this:
Click to enlarge
BuddyPress presents the admin with a prompt to add widgets to the threee columns on the front page. Click on the add widget link and you arrive at a familiar WordPress Widget interface.
Click to enlarge
The front page is easily customized by adding widgets to the three columns and arraying them as desired. Elgg, on the other hand, has a front page that is initially simple and much more difficult to customize.
Click to enlarge
Customization of the front page is done using plugins (or hacking the core) which must be hand coded to render the desired results.
Default Features
Another area worth comparing is the default features with a standard installation of each package.
| Component | Elgg 1.x | BuddyPress |
| Blogs | X | X |
| Groups | X | X |
| Private Messages | X | X |
| Bookmarks | X | * |
| Friends | X | X |
| Profile | X | X |
| Files | X | |
| Pages | X | * |
| Wire/Messageboard | X | X |
| Forums | X | X |
* Features present in Blogs
The chart is really a rather superficial treatment, but serves to demonstrate that the two packages have similar feature sets. In spite of the similar set of tools, these tools are substantially different in many cases. Comparing these individual features will the subject of future blog posts.
Both Elgg and BuddyPress both require hand coding to create a good social networking plaform. BuddyPress currently requires a certain amount of coding in the installation process; whereas, Elgg requires coding to create something other than the spartan default main page. They have similar features, but the implementation is substantially different. Further comparision of components will yield more insight into the differences between the two platforms. In addition, the user and administrative interfaces represent other points of departure. Look for more posts comparing these two platforms in the near future. Feel free to visit my installation and create an account.
Related Posts
Tags: buddypress, open source, social network, wordpress, wordpressmu, WPMU
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Thanks Steve for a great start. My experience agrees with everything you have said. Eventually the wpmuy/bp/bbpress install should simplify and is very attractive from many viewpoints. It looks and feels great, and there should be many themes and plugins coming to enhance it even more. How robust and reliable is your install?
Elgg remains attractive. How difficult is it to code the changes in the home page and in the functionality that we might want? Is it solid and reliable? These are questions that are important to me. Hopefully you can give us insights in your future posts.
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Terry–
My install seems pretty solid–especially for a beta WPMU, beta BP, and alpha bbPress!
There is a new index.php override plugin at the Elgg community site. It looks more like the BuddyPress configuration, but is two column (and has a different color scheme). The code could easily be copied and pasted to move or delete elements. I’d think snippets of code for other modifications will show up soon.
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Admittingly, i’m a BuddyPress developer so I haven’t given Elgg much attention but i’m planning too. If nothing more than just to compare the two. I seriously think BuddyPress will do for social networks what WordPress did for blogs (and will do this by the end of 2009) but it’s going to take a few things – including an easy install – to make this happen.
I have no doubt more developers and support will jump on board for BuddyPress because of it’s WordPress background. From my standpoint right at this moment, Elgg might have a tougher time in this area.
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I don’t see this as one over another so much as two coexisting each best for different things.
One of my concerns with BuddyPress is that it is working on an engine that has been extended to make WPMU, then extended further to make BuddyPress; whereas, Elgg has been rebuilt from the ground up to do what it does.
No doubt though, that BuddyPress will benefit from its association with WordPress and its community. Further, I believe the WP core developers have done a much better job fostering and embracing its community.
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Thanks for trying out BuddyPress Steve. Your feedback will be quite useful for the project as you have an array of experience with other platforms.
Looking forward to the rest of the series.
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Thanks for weighing in Andy. Ultimately, I’m interested to see if BuddyPress could be used in a K12 school setting with the access and moderation control required by my (and many other) districts.
I’m going to look at both platforms feature for feature in the course of the next few weeks. I’ll be looking at components, user experience, support, and more.
Congratulationss on the upcoming release date!
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Hi, Steve. I’m the Content & Marketing Manager for a company that is building a BP based social networking tool intended for classrooms. We’re in the process now of signing up schools to take part in our pilot program.
It seems like you might be interested in building your own tool from scratch, but if you’re inclined to take part in our program, or want more info, please contact me at: scottd@wishb.com.
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Both elgg + buddypress are good CMS..but BP is in beta stage at the mo yet cos there’s no album & stats plugin.
Just like when elgg started out!
With BP you can use any wordpress theme as home page with the BP plugins of the bat !
elgg is good but lacks the wordpress maybe one day a bridge is created for it.
Steve, I am awaiting more updates !-
No doubt, both platforms have room for development and growth. I look forward to watching them mature.
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Frankly there a lot of things to ponder here. Buddpress/bbpress/WMu is way too “Hodge-Podge”. Relying on different streams of developers. I find this extremely “security risky”. IMHO.
Now if some the Elgg plugin developers can get their act together and not touch the core program to me that’s way more “security solid”.
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Well, some BuddyPress Devs have chimed in here. Perhaps they can respond to that.
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Elgg is ugly as sin, a pain to theme and has poor usability. But it’s stable and has all the features anyone would need.
BuddyPress is elegant, easy to theme and has stellar usability. But it’s still in development and it’s lacking a lot of features. I mean, the only thing you can do in a group is post a comment to the wire. No pages. No files. No pictures. No collaboration.
So I’d say… put up with Elgg if you need something right now… or… if you can… wait a year and go with BuddyPress. It will be the hands down winner in the end. Unless Elgg cleans up their interface and usability and makes theme development easier.
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Well Steve,
Since you published this article it looks like you’ve gone the BuddyPress route. One thing intrigues me though. How have you (if at all) modified the default ‘visibility’ of blog postings? I cannot image a K-12 school system being content with web-wide read access to their pupil’s blog content. I’m taking another look at Elgg – BuddyPress/WP MU – Mahara. The big deal for me is that the WP blogging engine is mature, powerful and yet easy to use and for me, and I think other educational establishments, the focus needs to be on student’s creation of quality content with social networking as a lever and catalyst to that content rather than the froth that gets generated on sites like Facebook.
Mark-
Actually, I haven’t gone any particular route. I am in somewhat of a holding pattern with a new superintendent and NYSED is starting to formulate a Tech Plan and hopefully some policies.
Once I have a sense of what is permissible, I intend to proceed. I have also gotten a bit weary of those who don’t (or won’t) get it within my district and have attempted to thwart attempts to work this technology into our school.
I have continued using WPMu for student Blogging in a walled garden setting.
The blogs can be password protected with WordPressMu and BuddyPress using the More Privacy Plugin.
I concur on the maturity of the WP platform and community, but Buddy Press has to juggle a lot of separate pieces to hold itself together. I see that bbPress has finally exited the alpha stage which is good.
I agree with your final point wholeheartedly.
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Pingback from Is ELGG an answer? on September 17, 2009 at 11:42 pm
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This is an old post I know, but just wanted to thank you for comparing these two Open Source solutions. I wonder if there’s an updated post about the same thing.
I’ve found many pages comparing other solutions such as Ning, Mingle, Dolphin and jCow, but only yours Buddypress and Elgg.
The hard-to-customize front page is putting me off Elgg. But I wonder if that’s changed in more recent editions.
Anyway, I think I am going to go with BuddyPress because I am familiar with WordPress – so customization shouldn’t be too much of a problem.
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