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Wordpress, Joomla or Drupal? Which One is Best for Your Requirement

Author: Nikki Singh
by Nikki Singh
Posted: Oct 21, 2017
joomla wordpress

Online, there's a plethora of content management systems (CMS) that the process of choosing one can become an overwhelming experience. The fact that the use of CMS varies from one web developer to another is not helping the matter. The thing is each CMS has its pros and cons. Which one should you use for your website?

Popular CMS for website development

When it comes to CMS, there are only three names developers themselves consider namely Drupal, Joomla and WordPress. These CMS platforms have been around since the early 2000s, and there are no clear rivals that can topple these three regarding practical usefulness. At least not in the near future.

Another great thing about these platforms is that they are entirely free to use, earning each an army of worshippers. For some, since they started using one platform, they stick to it because they know it will be updated anyway soon. Also, with all the support from the community, any issue you experience will be resolved easily.

Drupal vs. Joomla vs. WordPress

Why WordPress

Of all three, WordPress is the most popular. It's an open-source platform that people find complacent of using. And why not? Each update means using a CMS that is more comprehensive and more intuitive than the previous version as if it is not a CMS with the easiest-to-use interface. WordPress has lots of free themes and plugins too that you can use for various purposes.

Testing the CMS is also possible before you even commit to using it. Get the feel of its essential features by creating a subdomain, customizing the site and publishing a post. From there, you may gauge the extent of how it puts design and content at the front and center. Installation is also free.

Why Joomla

Some skeptics, on the other hand, would say that WordPress lacks the customization capabilities that Joomla possesses. They say that this system is more user-friendly, although others would point the steep learning curve of using Joomla. Among others, you need to learn how to assign plugins to modules and position these modules on various pages. It may even get more complicated if you require configuring layouts. All these things are not for beginners definitely.

What's good about Joomla is the possibility of using extensions to make the website more functional that are otherwise not available on WordPress. For example, if your site needs a slider, this can be quickly set up on the actual page itself as well as the timing and effects for each slide. You may also install and test Joomla to see for yourself.

Why Drupal

Although it is a CMS, Drupal has a niche of its own. It targets large websites who yearn for a full-time administrator of its own right out of the box. What WordPress and Joomla lack in terms of features are readily available in Drupal. Third-party solutions can also enhance these features.

However, the real challenge lies in learning how to operate and navigate the system. But like the first two, you can install and test Drupal first before you decide if this one has the perfect fit for your website needs.

Which one to choose?

Having said all the above, there are many factors at play when selecting a CMS. If your website is a big, multi-functional website, WordPress or even Joomla may only do injustice for it hence, choose Drupal. The same goes with if you have HTML or PHP coding background and the project requires collaborators. Drupal is the way to go.

On the other end of the spectrum, if you are going to work on a medium-scale website development project, Joomla or WordPress is your best bet. If the customization requirements are not available on WordPress, of course, you need to choose Joomla. However, if WordPress will suffice, then, by all means, pick WordPress instead.

Now, if your site will be run by a novice or creative with limited coding skills and comprehension, you should start with WordPress. When your site needed an upgrade in the future, you may choose to migrate to Joomla or Drupal. Although based on experience, initial Drupal and Joomla users would eventually migrate to WordPress.

A caveat

When choosing a CMS platform, consider this important factor: time. How much time are you willing to commit developing the website? What about maintaining it, that is if you will be the one to monitor the site? Please factor in the skill levels of those who will be using the CMS other than you.

Make an informed decision by listing down all the features (specifications in developers' lingo) and tools that you want your website to have. What is the purpose of your site in the first place? If you have the answers, it should be easy to determine if you require Drupal, Joomla or WordPress. Each platform, considering all the advantages and disadvantages discussed above, can be the best depending on the type of website you want to build.

The last thing to check is the technical support. As already mentioned, these are free open source CMS which means technical support will be hard to come by unless you can afford to hire a technical expert (especially if you are going to use Drupal). If you are going to operate the site by yourself, make sure there's an active community to back you up, or you will get stuck figuring out how to solve a particular problem.

Evidently, the answer to the question which CMS is the right for your website depends on specific factors that only you can address. Once you know what your requirements are, deciding which one among WordPress, Drupal and Joomla will be easier. It goes to show that there is no universal choice for the right CMS. What is right for one website may not necessarily be right for your site. Hence, choose wisely or suffer the consequences of failing to choose the best platform for your website in the end. It's your call.

About the Author

Nikki singh is one of the important confounders in fashion e-commerce portal called fashionbuzzer.com. She loves to talk and write about latest fashion. She handles all fashion trends and selection of clothing in fashionbuzzer.

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Author: Nikki Singh
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Nikki Singh

Member since: Jun 11, 2017
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