The most commonly used content management systems are undoubtedly, Joomla, Drupal and WordPress. They are open-source software applications, or in simpler words, they are tools that basically manage a website’s editing needs. The different kinds of CMS available on market handle content in a very efficient and friendly way, and dismiss web owners from the need to hire professionals to manage their site for them. All common CMS systems have extensive API support and are SEO optimized. They enable people with no special technical skills to upload, edit, remove or create content that includes both text and rich media files such as images, videos, sliders and so forth.
There is no one ultimate answer to the question, which CMS is the best. In order to determine, which one to use, each person should thoroughly examine a few basic details that will help him or her decide which one can best suit his or hers specific needs and circumstances. Do I have any programming knowledge? How much larger do I plan the site to grow? Are there available themes that match my requirements or do I need to use custom design?
The Three Most Popular Content Management Systems
WordPress is certainly beating its competitors in numbers; it has the highest monthly searches, highest number of downloads, themes and plugins, highest number of Twitter followers and Facebook fans etc. However, this data does not necessarily mean WordPress is better for your particular requirements. View the short summaries below to decide, which CMS is the best for you.
Drupal
Drupal is a developer oriented, PHP-based application that allows a lot of creativity; it has an unlimited scalability and can be built to support specific assignments with no need of external extensions. It demands some basic skills for the installation and customizing procedures; nevertheless, it is highly flexible and, therefore, is great for large, complex, advanced websites that manage sensitive content. Drupal is a very powerful tool, which is able to organize complicated structures and complex content. It suits companies that can use in-house or third-party assistance to handle customization and difficult maintenance tasks.
Joomla!
One of Joomla merits is its ability to run various independent components simultaneously on the same page. Joomla demands a bit more knowledge for the installation process, but once customized and installed it is pretty simple to manage. Joomla is recommended for E-commerce sites and websites with a relatively complex functionality and has powerful social media features included. It implements a middle solution between WordPress and Drupal as far as flexibility and complexity.
WordPress
WordPress is great for blogs and small websites thanks to its simplicity and ease of use, including installation and customization procedures. It started as a blogging oriented platform, but the numerous plugins, themes and widgets that have been developed through the years made it suitable for many other objectives. WordPress requires no primary knowledge and has a terrific support, which make it perfect for simple websites and small businesses that do not have the resources to hire professionals.
WordPress, Joomla and Drupal naturally have many features, qualities and characteristics other than the ones listed in the above summaries. The article purpose was to emphasize the differences rather than the shared attributes. However, since they are all free of charge, open sources, you may try more than one before you reach a final conclusion. Consider your individual demands, budget, urgency, technical capabilities and future plans of expansion and decide which CMS is the best for you.
View the fantastic infographic created by Devious Media.
No Comments