Six Feet Up is a leading provider of Plone development and hosting services. Because of this, our team is often asked "How do I get started using Plone"?
I spent some time talking with Clayton Parker, Lead Developer at Six Feet Up and contributing author to Practical Plone 3, about his recommended reading list for new Plone developers, end-users and Plone systems administrators. I came away from the discussion thinking that this information might be helpful to others besides myself, so here is the list:
Content editors and end-users:
Beginning Developers:
- Dive into Python (Free)
- If you haven't had any experience with Python yet, this book can help you get your feet wet. It was written in the era of Python2.4, so there will be a few new features you will be missing out on. Since Plone has only recently switched to Python 2.6, this shouldn't pose a problem.
- Practical Plone 3: A beginner's Guide to Building Powerful Websites
- This book teaches you how to develop a Plone site from front to back. Good general reference for those just starting out.
Intermediate Plone Developers:
Theming in Plone:
- Theming for Plone 3
- Although this is directed at Plone 3, most of the techniques you learn will be applicable to Plone 4 as well.
Systems Administration:
- Plone 3.3 Site Administration
- Once you've learned how to develop and theme your site, you will need some help deploying and maintaining it. This book covers the basics of Plone site deployment and administration.
Have you taken the plunge into using / developing / deploying websites in Plone? Any other books or other resources that helped you get started? What useful advice can you give others to help them?
