Content management systems are a popular means of publishing on the web because they provide a backend that does not require any specific HTML knowledge once the system is set up. This makes sites easy to update and maintain versus simply managing a site that is only HTML code. The three major CMS tools that are available are WordPress, Joomla and Drupal.

Each of these systems has their own advantages and disadvantages, which can make choosing between the three a difficult task. If you are unsure which CMS your website should employ, consider these aspects of all three.

1. WordPress

WordPress is by far the most widely used platform available for personal and business use. It has more themes and plugins available than both Drupal and Joomla combined and the installation process is also easier to understand for those who are new to performing actions with a database and other web information.

The dashboard for the CMS is easy to use and navigate and new posts, pages, categories and comments can be added and moderated with ease. WordPress also includes a detailed statistics plugin that will let you know how popular your pages and posts are, so you can market your blog or website according to what receives the most attention from your audience.

The only real downside of WordPress is because it is so widely used, there are often numerous security flaws that can be discovered between major releases. For this reason, WordPress must be kept up-to-date. While this is not a hassle from within the interface itself, sometimes updates can break plugins which can cause your site to stop functioning properly.

2. Joomla

Joomla is the newest of the three content management systems we offer, but despite this it offers very robust features that can help you expand and grow your business. The installation is a bit more complicated than WordPress since it is not as guided, but everything is clearly labeled so anyone with experience in web development will have no problem setting up the CMS.

The dashboard for Joomla is more similar to a web hosting dashboard than one of a CMS, since everything is set up in a series of icons that you can click on to perform actions. While this is vastly different from WordPress, managing posts, pages and comments is still easy to do. A statistics plugin is also available for Joomla, but it does not sit on the dashboard greeting you when you sign in so you will have to click a few times to see it.

Professional template development for Joomla is great as there are many companies that offer Joomla in their design services, but finding free Joomla templates can be a bit of a hassle. Since the service is not as widely used as WordPress, plugins for the system are also lacking. However, if you plan on having a custom theme designed, then Joomla can provide a solid foundation for your business.

3. Drupal

Drupal is an open-source project that has been developed since early 2005 and is designed from the bottom to the top to be a service that is easy to use and manage for day-to-day use. Installation of Drupal is on par with Joomla in terms of experience needed.

The dashboard is dead simple to use as well and even newbies to web interfaces will feel at home here. Plugin selection is not as varied as WordPress, but it there are more plugins available for Drupal than there are for Joomla. The only real area that Drupal lacks is the themes department, but custom designed themes from web design companies that support Drupal are available.

Compared to WordPress and Joomla, Drupal is a hybrid between the two. The installation is on par with Joomla but the dashboard is actually easier to use than WordPress. Plugins and themes are available if you know where to look.

If you have any questions about any of the three content management systems available, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Brain Host is a leading provider in all three content management systems and can help you with any questions or comments you may have concerning setting up your company website.