This section is for people who use or look after an Exponential website but do not want to become technical: the office manager who updates the opening times, the volunteer who posts club news, the owner of a small business who pays for the site, the family member who keeps a photo page, the board member who must sign a hosting contract.
You will not find a command line here. Every page says what you do in your web browser, what somebody else does for you (a hosting company, a developer or a partner), and what to ask them for.
Note
The section starts with words, not with steps. Computers are confusing mostly because of the vocabulary. Read the glossary first, or keep it open in a second tab: every other page uses the same words in the same meaning.
Contents
- Exponential in plain words
- What you do, and what you never have to do
- Pick your starting point
- The groups of pages
- Your first hour
- Other sections that may fit you
Exponential in plain words
Exponential is the program that runs a website and lets people change it from a web browser. The things on the site, such as a page, a news article, a picture or a document, are called content items. They are arranged in a tree, like folders on a computer. You change them in the administration (some sites also have a simpler Editor), and visitors see them on the site (Getting started).
Three facts make life easier for a non-technical person:
- Nothing goes live by accident. You always work on a draft. The site keeps showing the old version until you press Send for publishing (Publishing, versions and the trash).
- Mistakes can be undone. Earlier versions are kept, and a removed item goes to the trash first, from where it can be put back (Undoing a mistake).
- The software costs nothing to license. Exponential is free software under the GNU General Public License. You pay for hosting and for people's time, never for a license (Licensing for buyers).
The longer version is What Exponential is, in plain words.
What you do, and what you never have to do
| You do this, in the browser | Somebody technical does this for you |
|---|---|
| Sign in, change text, add pictures and documents | Install Exponential on a server |
| Publish, hide, move and remove pages | Install updates and security fixes |
| Arrange a page with blocks, if your site uses Layouts | Make backups and test that they restore |
| Translate a page, if your site has more languages | Set up the domain name, e-mail and HTTPS |
| Decide who in your team may do what (if you are the administrator) | Change the design templates and add extensions |
Installing and updating Exponential normally uses a command line and a tool called Composer, on a server that meets the requirements (Requirements at a glance); a setup wizard in the browser finishes the installation once the files are there. That is why this section says plainly that installation is a job for a hosting company, a developer or a partner, and helps you pick one. Details are on What you never have to do.
Pick your starting point
| You are | Start with |
|---|---|
| Someone who just got an account and wants to change a page | Signing in for the first time, then Changing a page |
| Someone who does not have a site yet | Three ways to get a site |
| Someone who pays for a site and wants to know what to check | Monthly checklist for site owners |
| Someone who is stuck right now | Something looks wrong |
| Someone who meets words they do not know | The glossary and Words explained |
The groups of pages
| Group | What it answers |
|---|---|
| Words explained | The ideas behind the screens, one idea per page, without jargon |
| First steps | Short how-tos for the everyday jobs: change a page, add a picture, undo a mistake |
| Hosting choices | How to get a site running without doing the technical part yourself, and what to ask |
| When you are stuck | What an error means, who to tell and how to describe it |
| Checklists | Short lists to tick off: first day, before publishing, every month, when someone leaves |
The reading path puts all pages in a sensible order, and the FAQ answers the questions people ask most.
Your first hour
| Minutes | Do | Read |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 10 | Read the glossary once, quickly | Glossary |
| 10 to 20 | Sign in and look around without changing anything | Signing in, Finding your way around |
| 20 to 40 | Change one small thing on a test page and publish it | Changing a page |
| 40 to 50 | Go back to the earlier version, to see that you can | Undoing a mistake |
| 50 to 60 | Turn on two-step sign-in and sign out | Your password and two-step sign-in |
Other sections that may fit you
| Section | For |
|---|---|
| Editors and Getting started | Everyone who writes and publishes, with every button explained |
| User manual | "How do I ...?" answers, one question per page |
| Customers | Owners of a site who pay a host or partner |
| Individuals | Personal sites, portfolios, blogs, family and club sites |
| Local businesses | Shops, trades and practices with one location |
| Non-profits | Charities, foundations and volunteer groups |
Related pages
- Glossary for non-technical people
- Reading path
- FAQ
- What Exponential is, in plain words
- Free documentation: this page is free to copy, translate and improve under the GNU FDL 1.3.
Become an Exponential Partner. Partners share their information, provide funding, contribute back and develop the products with us, and that is how Exponential grows. A partner website and dashboard are planned for mid-2027: please become a partner today to speed up our growth rate and land new features faster. Start with Partners: start here and How to apply.