Content management systems are applications that enable development and management of digital contents. It can be applied in both web content management and enterprise content management. WCM supports the control of websites and their contents. They handle tasks such as web publishing, formal management.
The open source content management systems (CMS) available include WordPress, Joomla, Drupal and Magento. Their use in web development eliminates the need for learning much knowledge in web coding. These systems are related in some ways. Moreover, they are also distinguishable. Below is a detailed comparison of the four content management systems.
Table of Contents
WordPress
WordPress is an open source and free website development platform. It is the most applied content management system technology. Over 75 million websites operate on this platform. More than 25 percent of all websites in the Internet are developed on this free and open-source CMS.
Initially, it had started a platform for blog creation. In fact, many successful and mostly accessed blogs nowadays were created on it. Today, the web creation tool enjoys more application in creating other websites for different purposes. Its e-commerce plugin has supported more than 30 percent of all online stores.
Why Use This Tool
1 . Easy to Use
One of the factors that boost the popularity of this website creation tool is its easy and intuitive platform. Creating a website using it involves a simplified process. Those without any knowledge of the platform require having an understanding of just a few skills to operate effectively.
2. It Has a Huge Plug-In Library
For all content management systems, it leads to the number of plug-ins, customisations and themes. These plug-ins are effective in many different ways. For instance, they facilitate web optimisation, subscription forms creation, website connection to other important search engine plugins.
3. Flexibility
It has a lot of flexibility – It allows development and operation of the online store, creates and hosts video related sites or even publishes a blog.
4. Community Support
It has brought many peoples together; it serves as a community support platform that helps people create sites and blogs freely. The users can help each other through its established support forum. The forum consists of many contributors.
5. Good Menu Management
Furthermore, it has great menu management. The menu allows various functionalities and it is also user-friendly. The preferable feature of the menu is the ease in the modification of the pages and categories involved.
6. It Has High Extensibility
The platform allows users to add more fields in the forms available to suit their needs. The user can even add more categories and descriptions in their blogs. It also allows the addition of labels to the sites developed.
7. Unlimited Templates
It comes with thousands of graphical templates necessary to change the outlook of a website or blog. Most of these templates are downloadable for free, but one can purchase the advanced ones at different fees.
Disadvantages
1. Modification
Most templates have interfaces that look alike. There is need to modify the templates to make them unique, good knowledge of CSS and HTML. The customisation requirements become a drawback for those without web development expertise.
2. Security Problems
Unlike other platforms, it is highly a target for hackers. PHP script used does not have a protection mechanism. The platform is a target of hacking. Therefore, the platform is not applicable to the development of sensitive websites like the online stores or important record management sites.
3. Speeds
Slow speed characterise the tool – The main reason for speed problems is that it has many codes that hold it in operations. Furthermore, the sluggish nature makes it not an option in development of high traffic and operative sites.
Joomla
It is an open source content management systems that is mostly used for web content publishing. The platform is a PHP development. The tool is free to install and use. Joomla enables creation of very powerful websites. It has been established as the best website builder. It has a great global community that brings together many developers. The tool is a friendly, multilingual and extendable platform.
Why Use the Joomla Tool
1. It Is a Free and Open Source
The use and implementation of the tool are free. It is possible because of volunteer support structure. Additionally, it is an open source in its entirety. Users can use and make changes to all parts of its platform.
The use of both PHP and MySQL makes it possible for developers to create many more extensions for the tool. Joomla enables creation of large reliable websites. E-commerces, government webs as well as schools’ portals are using this platform.
2. Easy to Install and Use
The tool can be downloaded and installed with ease. Also, the development of any site is possible through simple steps. There is no expertise needed in simplified installation and usage: a user adds, edits and erases content with ease on the tool.
3. Flexibility
It comes with thousands of extensions, which make its functionality and interactivity aspects unlimited. The tool is easily integrated with other sites such as social media. It makes it possible to create forms that can help in capturing the feedback of the customers as well as getting their relevant details.
4. SEO-Friendly
The tool comes with inbuilt SEO URLs that improves its accessibility. It allows the choice of preferred meta keywords. The user can also add SEO directly to boost visibility.
5. Security
It always releases security updates necessary to curb any security issues. The update comes when a version develops security problems. For this reason, the tool is considered secure.
6. Scalable
It can change to enable and sustain more traffic in the case of large websites. These modifications are aimed at making it able to allow more people to visit the site.
Limitations of using the Joomla platform
1. Additional Bills
Despite its freeness nature, the tool has some associated payments. Therefore, if you have it running continuously, there are a few bills you will need to pay. Additionally, it requires a number of plug-ins when loading various scripts. These plugins often come at a price.
2. Limited to Large Sites
It is not recommended for a small website. Its many, complicated menus have to be utilised to achieve the best results. Therefore, it would still involve a lot of time even in the creation of small sites.
3. Problematic on Content Transfer
It is normally associated with difficulties in content migration. Unlike other content management systems, migrating content to other platforms may involve risks of loss of some site content, SEO mechanisms set, page ranks and so on. Additionally, the process of migrating content from this tool requires programming expertise.
Drupal
It is another open source content management systems; it is offered freely. The tools are mostly fitted for web content and are a PHP based platform. Drupal is highly compatible with most databases including Oracle, MySQL as well as MS SQL server. It is one of the most preferred content management system when creating large websites. As a comprehensive tool in development it is more robust. The tool is third in the ranking of most used content management systems. Just like the other, Drupal is an open source platform that is freely downloadable. It is easy to install as well.
Advantages of using Drupal
1. More Advanced Functionalities
It has more advanced functionalities as compared to the other content management systems. They include tools for graphics modification, high-level menu controls as well as user controls. The functions enable advanced sites creation. It is the best for experts in web development.
2. User Collaboration
The tool allows the website to publish its content just like a blog. The ability enables user’s engagement in contributing to creation, publishing and control of the content for the site.
3. Progressive User Management
The tool allows system admin to create new accounts and set the user permissions. The permission can be set such that different users can have specific roles. The controls will enable the admin to delegate some duties such as a content addition to these users.
4. Powerful Platform
Compared to all the other platforms, it is the most powerful. Drupal hosts the most secure and large sites. Due to its reliable nature e-commerce site, builders may also prefer the tool for development.
5. Most Secure Content Management System
Its systems have not recorded any successful insecurity issue. However, there have been unsuccessful attempts. It offers frequent patches. It also secures the site from any exploits.
6. Inbuilt Themes
Unlike other content management systems which only uses downloadable themes, the tool comes with its inbuilt ones. It also has comes with many essential features required such as RSS feeds, system administration as well as layout customisation.
7. Offers Improved Performance
Pages developed using the tool have fast loading nature compared to the other three platforms. It usually needs less hosting setup making it less demanding for resources. However, the case is different when more plugins are added.
Disadvantages of using Drupal
Despite its scalability, it may turn to be sluggish. Unlike the other content management systems, in some cases, its many and advanced plugins require troubleshooting due to the tool becoming slow in operation.
The tool requires a lot of expertise to use – Normally, its best fitted for the advanced users. Inexperienced or untrained users will find it difficult to install and operate it. The users require being well trained in web development languages such as HTML, PHP, CSS and several others.
Magento
Magento is also an open-source platform, well known for its integration and customisation abilities. It enables easy management of pages, widgets, static blocks and polls. Magento has found the great application and uses in the creation of e-commerce websites and all other categories of online stores.
This PHP written tool’s first release came in 2008 and it has been updated constantly ever since. Most people have adopted its use in e-commerce development. Many claim that Magento has the best shopping cart remedy. Currently, over 200000 businesses that operate online are using the tool. The platform is available for both free and paid options. The paid versions come with more functionalities than the free version.
Why Use the Tool
1. Flexible Nature
The platform allows easy creation of any size of the website. It’s clear that the platform is the most preferred e-commerce site development. It’s highly flexible that developments of any e-commerce site are simplified no matter the categories it will involve. It comes with promotional tools that ease marketability.
2. Powerful Architecture
The good tool’s architecture enables customisation and scaling according to the users’ demands. It has a mechanism to control all possible development problems that may arise. The ability gives users an easy time in developing their sites.
3. Free and Easy to Use
The platform is not only an open source but entirely free. For those future businesses with little to invest, it provides a solution to allow them to easily build their sites, especially the online stores without any cost incurred. From free download and installation, the platform makes development easier.
4. Easy management of stock
Setting up custom offers, plans and inventory is possible. The platform is also more SEO-friendly than most of the other platforms. It offers auto-generation of sitemaps, eases meta-selection and integrates with various payment options such as PayPal easily. Managing and making changes is simplified. Furthermore, analysing its modules is simple to understand.
5. Numerous Features
The tool provides a lot of relevant features. All of them are well organised. Usually, the elements are simple and configurable nature. Moreover, there are also features that allow easy management of store items and selling abilities. The range of features eliminates the need to have any extensions to the platform. Additionally, it has other unique features that manage an email list, product comparison, and the store items. It’s also supportive of SEO ranking.
6. Fast Loading Pages
The platform offers fast loading of the stores. Typically, this is one of the most preferred tools that any user would admire. Fast loading means that the visitors can access the websites build on the platform as many times as they require faster. That translates to more sales.
Disadvantages of Using the Tool
1. Development Expertise
The advanced use of the platform requires a good understanding of object-oriented programs. For users without expertise, they may consider hiring specialised experts. Unfortunately, its based experts are not many.
2. Time-Consuming
The platform requires more time to develop a site. Its flexibility nature provided by its architecture makes the tool more complex than other content management systems. Furthermore, the developers take a lot of time to learn its operations than they would in other platforms.
Everybody can find its perfect CMS
In conclusion, the four content management systems are relevant in their ways. Different users may prefer different solution when it comes to content management systems. Their choice depends on various factors such as offered functionalities or their level of expertise in web programming. Typically, for those who need to create simple’s sites such as blogs or any other informative site, WordPress may be their best option.
When it comes to Joomla, large sites will be better developed on the platform. For the need of secure and large sites, Drupal can be a good option. Furthermore, for development of online businesses, Magento can be the best option. However, each platform comes with more choices of applicability. Users need to understand the features and the abilities of each CMS before starting with their site developments.
