Getting Started

This chapter is a general introduction to using Drupal from a non-develloper perspective. 

Using the site without logging in

If you want to look at the content of most Drupal websites you don't have to log into browse the content there. However it may be that some pages are restricted to users that have logged in. If you click on a link and at any point see. 

???? - access restricted

Then this is a sign that you may need to log in to see that particular content. Of course if the Drupal site you are looking at is a community or contains User Generated Content then you may wish to do more than browse you may want to  add your own content.

Registering and Login

The first step to creating your own content on a Drupal website, or doing some moderating is to get a user account. 

Different Drupal websites have different ways of checking that you are person with good intentions before they let you log in. This may involve having to fill in a 'Captcha' box where you have to enter a series of letters and numbers. Or you may have to wait until a website admin has approved your application for a user account before you can start to add content.

When you have registered and have been approved (if this is how the site is set up) then you are free to add content. 

Overview of adding content

When you have logged in the kind of content you can add will depend on what user permissions have been set for you. If you can't add the kind of content you want immediately, you may have to get in touch with the admins of the Drupal site to be able to make the most of it.