Site Builder FAQ

What Site Builder Is (and Isn't)

What is Site Builder?

Site Builder is IU’s new set of page templates and tools for creating IU-branded informational and marketing websites in the WCMS (Cascade CMS).

What is the WCMS?

The WCMS (or Cascade CMS) is IU’s web content management system. It provides a web form-like interface that allows contributors to create and edit content. Content entered into the WCMS is turned into web pages that can be published to SiteKube.

What’s the difference between the WCMS and Cascade CMS?

They’re the same product. Cascade CMS is a vended web content management product developed by Hannon Hill. The WCMS is IU’s specific setup/configuration of that vended product.

Is Site Builder replacing the current IU Web Framework?

Yes. Site Builder is the next-generation system for building IU websites and will gradually replace the existing IU Web Framework.

Is Site Builder replacing the WCMS/Cascade CMS?

No. Site Builder is a set of templates and tools designed for use in the WCMS. If you’ve used the WCMS or the IU Web Framework before, much of the process will feel familiar.

Is Site Builder replacing SiteKube?

No. Site Builder and SiteKube are different tools. Site Builder is a set of templates you use to build and publish your site. SiteKube is the hosting server where your published site is made available to the wider internet.

Can Site Builder publish to a non-SiteKube server?

Not currently. Site Builder pages are designed specifically to work on SiteKube.

What is PHP?

PHP is a programming language that lets a website do things like handle form submissions or pull in data from another source. PHP runs on SiteKube, which is the web server that hosts IU’s marketing and informational sites. Most people building pages won’t need to use PHP, but developers might use it for writing custom integrations.

Does Site Builder support languages other than PHP?

No. Site Builder only supports PHP for custom integrations. Since Site Builder publishes to SiteKube, PHP code written must comply with the requirements and restrictions of PHP on SiteKube.

Can Site Builder sites be published to AppKube?

Not currently.

Can Site Builder sites pull data from AppKube sites?

Yes. Site Builder allows developers to build integrations that pull in data from outside sources, including APIs or JSON files hosted on AppKube. Developer documentation for Site Builder is forthcoming.

Who Can Use Site Builder and Requirements

Who is Site Builder for?

Site Builder will be available at no cost to IU faculty and staff who create informational or marketing websites.

Do I need to know how to code to use Site Builder?

No. While familiarity with HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and PHP can be helpful, knowing how to code is not a requirement for creating pages with Site Builder. Content contributors enter content into pages using an interface similar to filling out a web form. Exception: If you want to create your own custom page types, content components, or integrations with other IU services, you’ll need a web developer.

Am I required to use Site Builder?

Site Builder will replace the IU Web Framework, which means support for the IU Web Framework will be discontinued in the future. At that point, to comply with IU policy, informational and marketing websites should migrate to Site Builder. We do not yet have a timeframe for discontinuing support, but ample notice will be provided when we do.

Training and Communication

Will documentation/training be available?

Yes. There will be a new documentation site, a Canvas course, office hours, a ChatGPT bot, and a demo "sandbox" site you can use to experiment with Site Builder.

How can I stay up to date on Site Builder announcements?

Join the site-builder-l mailing list. You might also join the Web Community of Practice, as the Site Builder team regularly shares updates during the monthly Teams meeting.

Will there be people who can help me with migration/building my site?

Yes. There will be UITS staff dedicated to helping units with limited resources/expertise. More information will be forthcoming about how units can request help.

Migration: Process, Timing, and What Moves

Will my current IU Web Framework site go away or be shut off?

No. There will be a long migration period—at least three years. While official support for and updates to the IU Web Framework will stop at the end of this migration period, there are currently no plans to disable or shut off sites.

Will there be automatic migration tools?

Yes. Tools will be available to help automate the migration of existing WCMS site content into Site Builder. Some manual work is unavoidable, especially if your site has custom integrations or site-specific page types, but the goal is to help give units a significant head start.

Is my site moving to a new server?

Site Builder sites are stored in a new WCMS space called “Builder”, separate from the existing "Sites" space (sites.wcms.iu.edu). It's otherwise the same experience, and most users won’t notice a difference. Like IU Web Framework sites, Site Builder sites will publish to SiteKube, IU's server for marketing and informational websites.

When can I start migrating my site?

More information is forthcoming on the migration and Web Framework end-of-life plan. However, you can get a head start by following the steps described on the Prepare Your Website for Migration to Site Builder page.

How long will it take to migrate my site?

It depends on your site's size, complexity, the number of customizations it has, and the web development resources your unit has available. More information about the migration process and support queue is forthcoming.

Is there any content that can't be migrated?

If your site is a basic IU Web Framework site, your content should migrate with a minimum of issues. If you have custom integrations, widgets, or page types, or if you’ve made adjustments to the Web Framework code, those would have to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Site Builder supports integrations, custom page types, and custom content components, but existing IU Web Framework code might have to be reworked to fit.

Do I need to redesign my site to move into Site Builder?

Not necessarily. You’ll be using new templates, so things may look a bit different. Likewise, content may need to be reorganized to fit the structure of Site Builder’s new page types. However, the goal is to bring over as much of your existing content as possible—not to rebuild everything from scratch.

Do I need to submit a website request form if I already have a website?

Yes. Even if you already have a website that you plan to recreate or migrate into Site Builder, you still need to submit a website request form. The request form helps the Site Builder team set up your site correctly and confirm important details such as ownership, support contacts, and publishing needs.

Will I lose any of my existing WCMS content?

No. Your current site will stay where it is until you choose to migrate it.

Can I migrate my site a little at a time?

The migration tools/process will allow you to work on migrating your site to Site Builder at your own pace. When you're ready, the Site Builder version of your site will replace your previous site wholesale—you won’t be able to migrate only "parts" of your site into Site Builder.

Design, Branding, and Rivet

Is Site Builder replacing Rivet?

No. They do different things. Rivet is IU’s design system—the raw HTML markup and CSS styles used across our websites, web applications, marketing emails, and other digital experiences. Site Builder uses Rivet under the hood to ensure sites look and behave consistently.

Do I need to know Rivet to use Site Builder?

No. All Rivet styles are built into the templates. You don’t need to write or edit Rivet code yourself.

The examples and screenshots of Site Builder look different from my current site. Is the look and feel of all IU websites changing?

Yes, over time. Site Builder uses the updated visual styles from the next version of Rivet, which was designed to align with IU's refreshed brand. Your current site won't change automatically, but new sites built in Site Builder will use the newer look and feel.

Custom Code and Technical Considerations

Will my custom code work on Site Builder?

It depends. Site Builder has a way to create custom page types and content components; more details on this are forthcoming. Likewise, Site Builder has mechanisms for including PHP code in a page similar to how it works in the current IU Web Framework.

Learning Curve and Authoring Experience

Will I have to learn a whole new system?

If you already have experience with the WCMS or IU Web Framework, much of what you'll see in Site Builder will be familiar. You'll mostly have to learn about the new page templates and content components that are available. These templates and components will be explained in the Site Builder documentation site, Canvas course, and ChatGPT bot.

Images, PDFs, Media, and Accessibility

Will my images, PDFs, videos, and documents migrate automatically?

The files themselves will move, but you may need to fix accessibility issues or update links.

Will I have to resize my existing images?

Yes. Site Builder has a new design, so you’ll need to resize and crop your existing visuals or choose new visuals. The documentation will describe the image sizes and aspect ratios needed for different content components.

Can I keep using PDFs on my site?

Yes, but remember: PDFs must be accessible. In most cases, a regular webpage is more accessible and easier to maintain.

Can I embed audio and video the same way as before?

Yes. Site Builder uses accessible players and supports transcripts, captions, and audio descriptions.

Workflow, Publishing, and Preparation

Will we still use the WCMS "test" and "production" publish options?

Yes. You can preview your work on SiteKube Test before pushing anything live.

What can I do right now to prepare?

Start by following the steps described on the Prepare Your Website for Migration to Site Builder page.

Will I be able to preview my Site Builder site before it replaces my current site?

Yes. You can build and test your new Site Builder site while your current site remains live.