If you are looking for a content management system then you could find yourself searching through thousands of websites looking for the one that’s right for you. Realistically though, there should only be three systems that should be in your consideration. Joomla, WordPress, and Drupal have become known as the big three companies when it comes to CMS, and the gap between them and their competitors is only getting wider.
Even if you have decided to save yourself a little time by choosing between these three systems, it’s still no easy task. A few years ago these systems had a few differences that made it a little easier to find one that suits your needs. Now, they are all more similar than ever in terms of the services they provide. This can make picking just one CMS a very difficult job.
Here we will take a look at the pros and cons between these three CMS providers, and try to ascertain which of the big three currently has the best system to use.
Joomla
In terms of CMS providers that are built for handling large websites, then Joomla leads the way. Their admin interface is one of the best in the business, as it combines a wide range of features and details without blinding the user with science. If you are planning on building a site that will have a lot of content, then this is the system you should go for without any questions. Their admin interface is built specifically for handling large amounts of data without the risk of you losing anything in the mix.
The only real downside to Joomla is the extra features available for sites. At the moment at least, there is little to offer in terms of making a website look more attractive, nor is it made easy to add additional features. Having said that, Joomla doesn’t make it impossible to make your website look better, it’s just something that you have to work on yourself.
As far as features are concerned, it is something that Joomla is working on. Users of the system are able to use the community where they can share their features and ideas with fellow users so then they can learn from each other. Some of the features can be a little tricky to maintain, but Joomla is making steady progress in this area as time goes on. Chances are, these problems will become a thing of the past very soon.
WordPress
It wasn’t that long ago that WordPress was seen as a system made exclusively for bloggers looking to own their own domain. Now, it has become much more than that. It has become a solid platform for many a user to start their website from scratch. The great thing about WordPress is that they have been able to expand without losing sight of what made them so appealing to users in the first place. People liked the fact they could set up a whole new website from scratch quickly and easily, and the system has been able to hang onto this selling point, while at the same time making it very appealing to professionals too.
WordPress does have a wide range of plugins available so then you can update the features on your site whenever you like. The downside to this is that the core system has to be updated on a regular basis. This can cause some of the plugins you are using to crash, and if any of them are key components, then it has the potential to destroy your site. This is why some businesses make sure that whoever is controlling their website has solid WordPress experience, so then if any updates come in they can quickly fix the problem.
For this reason, if you have a WordPress site, you need to keep a close eye on it for any updates. This is something that many users are willing to deal with, as long as they can make any changes that need to be made without any hassle. For people who are looking for a business website that will be moderated on a full-time basis, then this won’t be a problem then either. If you like the wide range of features that WordPress offers, then it is well worth using. As long as you keep a close eye on everything, then your site should look polished and very professional.
Drupal
Drupal is a system that was essentially built by experts for experts. It has made quite a good platform for developers who have been using a more similar system and are now looking to move on to something bigger and better. If that is the case, then Drupal could certainly be the way to go. All the little modules and features that it has available for websites make it a very powerful system where you can essentially do anything. It’s very difficult to find something that the Drupal system cannot do.
As a consequence, using the system can be a little difficult. If Drupal was as easy to use as WordPress, then Drupal would be the biggest CMS by far. For the moment, however, Drupal has a reputation of being for experts only, and they are finding it very difficult to shake this image. With each new version, the system is working hard and making it easier for users, but it’s still nowhere near as easy to use as WordPress. If you have been using a smaller system and now want to move on to something bigger, then Drupal would be a good move. It’s probably just not a good idea to make it your first port of call.
The great thing about these three systems is that they are constantly updating. All of the issues that we have seen above are being addressed right now, and it probably won’t be long before these CMS are as close to perfection as anyone can get. At the moment, however, considering that it is built for everything and is addressing its issues on a regular basis, Joomla has a slight edge over its competitors.
