Hello Developers,
I am working on a Guest Post Website where users can submit articles, and admins can review and approve them before publishing. I want to build this system using C# and ASP.NET (Core or MVC).
Features I Need:
? Users can submit articles (Title, Content, Author Bio, Tags, etc.)
? Admin can review, edit, approve, or reject articles
? Once approved, the article gets published on the website
? Email notifications for submission status updates
My Questions:
1?? What would be the best database schema for handling guest post submissions?
2?? Should I use Entity Framework (EF) Core or a custom SQL implementation?
3?? How can I implement an approval system where only admins can publish posts?
4?? Is there any open-source C# CMS that already provides a guest posting feature?
I would really appreciate any guidance, code examples, or best practices on this. Thanks in advance! ??

Sophia CarterPosted Mar 12, 2025, 10:58 AM
Hello! I'd be happy to assist you in building your Guest Post Submission System in C# using ASP.NET. Let's address your questions step by step:
1?? Database Schema: For handling guest post submissions, consider having tables like "Articles" (for storing article details), "Users" (for user information), and "Permissions" (to manage user roles like admin or regular user). These tables can have relationships to link users to their submitted articles.
2?? Entity Framework (EF) Core vs. Custom SQL: Using Entity Framework Core can simplify data access and provide an object-oriented approach to database operations. It offers migrations for managing database schema changes and LINQ queries for data retrieval. However, depending on the project complexity, a custom SQL implementation might offer more flexibility in certain scenarios.
3?? Approval System for Admins: You can implement this by adding a field like "IsApproved" in the "Articles" table. Only admins should have the privilege to change this status. When displaying articles, filter based on this field to show only approved articles.
4?? Open-Source C# CMS with Guest Posting Feature: There are CMS platforms like Umbraco and Orchard Core that support guest posting functionalities. While they may require customization to fit your exact needs, they can serve as a good starting point.
For code examples and best practices, you can create models for articles and users, use ASP.NET Identity for user authentication, and implement controllers for article submission/review. Utilize email services for notification purposes and consider implementing authorization to control access to admin features.
Feel free to ask more specific questions or request further details on any of these aspects. Good luck with your Guest Post Website development! ??
Mahesh ChandPosted Mar 13, 2025, 4:13 AM
As replied above, Umbraco and Orchard Core are two popular ASP.NET open source CMSs I've had experienced using them.