CMS Heavy Customisations
 

So, I've installed vbulletin and got it up and running to the point where I could post new articles using the standard theme, logo etc.

However, I want to do some heavy customisations to the code. I'm use to working with and coding for wordpress which I can hack around using direct PHP and write addons for directly in PHP.

However, vBulletin has come as somewhat of a shock to me as it uses its own syntax for everything. (I guess they have a parser writtten in PHP for this? / why is it all curly brace stuff? Why not just include standard PHP variables and code? It looks easier and for coders like me I can jump straight in)?

I'm trying to really understand some terms and terminology.

From this post HERE the guy says put {vb:raw navbar} above {vb:raw header}.

But then again he suggest removing the hooks and hacking in the parts from the header into navbar.

However, I am at a loss where these "hooks" might be? How exactly do these hooks work? For example, is it just a replacement for the PHP command include / require? Can someone give me an example of where they might be used and why?

I am bit confused as to why vbulletin decided to write their own programming language when PHP is good enough. I want to use vB as its real powerful, but its annoying as hell to not be able to jump straight in.

An example in code or where to go looking myself would be great!

Thanks,

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