Ask anyone why they chose WordPress and there is a strong chance that simplicity and ease of use will be in the list somewhere, but as more and more features are added the complexity grows. If simplicity is still your primary motivation, as it is mine, then it may be worth your while taking a gander at Habari. So I did.

Version 0.5 of Habari was released in July with a new interface. While WordPress 2.5’s admin update was an improvement Habari is on another level, but first things first.

Installation

WordPress has been famous for its simple installation but it’s amongst the last that still requires files to be manually edited. Habari comes with an installation routine that asks for the database information and even offers a choice of default plugins.

First Use

The first login to Habari comes with a full page explanation of what to do next. It explains the user interface and gives some tips for how to get right in.

There has clearly been a lot of thought given to the way Habari is used. Just looking at the sheer number of links in the Manage section of the WordPress admin screen makes me wonder how Habari can have so few and yet not be obviously missing anything that I want.

Posting

The most impressive thing for me is the post screen. It is empty until you ask to be shown more. Take a look at this:

This is quite a contrast to the WordPress post screen.

Depending on how much of WordPress’s functionality you actually use you might find some things missing, but if you just want to write and publish, well then it is ideal. It also has great integration with Flickr.

One of the best things about Habari at the moment, from a users point of view, is the lack of features. How it will change as extras are added remains to be seen but it shows a great deal of potential.

I will post more as I experiment with it. I plan on writing some test themes and plugins to explore the code side but what I know about it already makes me think I will enjoy the experience. For now it is probably enough to say “Watch out WordPress!”