# DW Templates vs. PHP includes

**URL:** <https://forum.kirupa.com/t/dw-templates-vs-php-includes/280617>\
**Category:** web dev\
**Created:** [January 29, 2009, 2:14pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/dw-templates-vs-php-includes/280617 "2009-01-29T14:14:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![dru\_nasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dru\_nasty](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/dru_nasty)\
**Post date:** [January 29, 2009, 2:14pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/dw-templates-vs-php-includes/280617/1 "2009-01-29T14:14:26Z")

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I’d like to get peoples feedback on pros/cons using PHP Includes vs. Dreamweaver templates when developing “template” based sites.

I’m trying to develop a standard practice in-house at our company. Prior to me being here everything has been done using DW templates. I however prefer php and not even relying on any built in DW features.

So here’s a few off the top of my head:

PHP Pros  
• don’t need to upload the entire site when updating a template item  
• transfers easily to other developers (don’t need DW to edit things)

DW Pros  
• easily edit each pages’ meta data and titles (although php can do this with a little coding)  
• designers don’t need knowledge of PHP (IMO they should)  
• integrates well with Adobe Contribute if a client needs it  
• don’t need php installed on server (but really, what server nowadays doesn’t have it)

As far as pros/cons when working on same project with multiple designers I can’t say since we haven’t had much experience. But I can say, when i had to update a DW template that was on someone elses local that was quite a pain.

Hopefully this invokes some good feedback.