How to find the boilerplate script someone is using on their site?
July 9, 2010 3:44 PM Subscribe
How to find the boilerplate script someone is using on their site?
I have been browsing sites like flippa and I know most of the the sites arent custom coded, but rather boiler plate templates with underlying scripts.
How can I find out what script they are using to create the website?
The only tricky thing I have done is copyscape the TOU or privacy policy of the website in question (and because they dont change the copy) see the other sites that have been created using that same script.
For example,
flippa auction for filemo.com
copyscape search on their tos (shows all the sites built on the script)
Side/bonus question: How do I use github or google code to find projects/scripts that will fulfill these needs?
I have been browsing sites like flippa and I know most of the the sites arent custom coded, but rather boiler plate templates with underlying scripts.
How can I find out what script they are using to create the website?
The only tricky thing I have done is copyscape the TOU or privacy policy of the website in question (and because they dont change the copy) see the other sites that have been created using that same script.
For example,
flippa auction for filemo.com
copyscape search on their tos (shows all the sites built on the script)
Side/bonus question: How do I use github or google code to find projects/scripts that will fulfill these needs?
I'm sorry, I really don't understand what you're asking. Could you try rephrasing it? At first it sounds like you're asking about content management systems, but then you mention TOS agreements and privacy policies. Are you looking for public domain legal documents?
(Or, on preview, what sanko said. Are you familiar with web server technology?)
posted by The Winsome Parker Lewis at 3:54 PM on July 9, 2010
(Or, on preview, what sanko said. Are you familiar with web server technology?)
posted by The Winsome Parker Lewis at 3:54 PM on July 9, 2010
Response by poster: Sorry for the confusion, I should have been more specific.
How can I determine what CMS/script/code a website is using?
Is there a way to copy/paste the source code of the frontend html to see if it matches a specific CMS/script?
For example, I wanted to know what the underlying script the filemo.com website is using.The flippa seller explains in his offer that he purchased the script and modified it slightly for his own use.
posted by schindyguy at 3:58 PM on July 9, 2010
How can I determine what CMS/script/code a website is using?
Is there a way to copy/paste the source code of the frontend html to see if it matches a specific CMS/script?
For example, I wanted to know what the underlying script the filemo.com website is using.The flippa seller explains in his offer that he purchased the script and modified it slightly for his own use.
posted by schindyguy at 3:58 PM on July 9, 2010
Best answer: I don't think you're going to have much luck determining a CMS from source code apart from searching for the word "generator". Some CMSes will automatically identify themselves in a meta tag with that label.
Another technique would be to click around the site and observe the URLs of each page. Often a CMS will format them in recognizable ways that set it apart from other systems.
There's no guaranteed way to do it though. Typically the rule of thumb is that the backend is completely separate from the front-end, generated HTML and site content. TOS agreements and privacy policies aren't likely to have anything to do with the software running on the server. That's probably a red herring.
posted by The Winsome Parker Lewis at 4:03 PM on July 9, 2010 [2 favorites]
Another technique would be to click around the site and observe the URLs of each page. Often a CMS will format them in recognizable ways that set it apart from other systems.
There's no guaranteed way to do it though. Typically the rule of thumb is that the backend is completely separate from the front-end, generated HTML and site content. TOS agreements and privacy policies aren't likely to have anything to do with the software running on the server. That's probably a red herring.
posted by The Winsome Parker Lewis at 4:03 PM on July 9, 2010 [2 favorites]
As sanko says, there is no reliable way to tell what the back-end code is. Sometimes there will be clues, but these are easily eradicated or even falsified if a developer cares to do so. Why not just ask the site owner what their site's running?
posted by kindall at 4:04 PM on July 9, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by kindall at 4:04 PM on July 9, 2010 [1 favorite]
*I should've been more clear, when I say "source code" in the first sentence above, I'm talking about the HTML source viewable in your browser. Server-side CMSes have their own source code, obviously, that is invisible to clients in your position.
posted by The Winsome Parker Lewis at 4:04 PM on July 9, 2010
posted by The Winsome Parker Lewis at 4:04 PM on July 9, 2010
Response by poster: Thanks for the info
@kindall, he wont tell me because he is trying to sell the site. and im pretty sure he is a scammer setting up sites with the script, posting to flippa and selling them, and then starting over
But my bonus question could still use an answer: how do you search for a CMS/script through github or project boards like google code? what i am looking to do is find a search engine that I can type "file share hosting cms" and have it return results (and maybe even a demo of the script)----isnt that what github and google code , sourceforge has?
posted by schindyguy at 4:21 PM on July 9, 2010
@kindall, he wont tell me because he is trying to sell the site. and im pretty sure he is a scammer setting up sites with the script, posting to flippa and selling them, and then starting over
But my bonus question could still use an answer: how do you search for a CMS/script through github or project boards like google code? what i am looking to do is find a search engine that I can type "file share hosting cms" and have it return results (and maybe even a demo of the script)----isnt that what github and google code , sourceforge has?
posted by schindyguy at 4:21 PM on July 9, 2010
I recommend OpenSourceCMS, a try-before-you-buy site with dozens of CMSes running with free admin access available for whoever wants to take them for a test drive. They've got all the popular backends and plenty of ones you've never heard of, too.
posted by The Winsome Parker Lewis at 4:34 PM on July 9, 2010
posted by The Winsome Parker Lewis at 4:34 PM on July 9, 2010
There is also the Chrome Sniffer extension that detects some of the more popular CMSes.
posted by firefleet at 8:43 AM on July 10, 2010
posted by firefleet at 8:43 AM on July 10, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
There generally isn't any way to reliably determine from the HTML of a site what the back end is. It might be more helpful to search for a CMS or a CMS+plugins that will fulfill your needs.
posted by sanko at 3:53 PM on July 9, 2010