There are many types of Content Management System (CMS) on the market, and they’re all designed to help people create their own websites without programming training. While some systems are targeted at buyers with some knowledge of coding, most are aimed at website owners looking to build and maintain sites with maximum ease.
While CMS platforms based on other programming languages and frameworks have their merits, the versatility, accessibility, and robust ecosystem of PHM CMS platforms make them the preferred choice for millions of websites worldwide. In essence, PHP CMS platforms leverage the power of PHP to democratize website creation, offering intuitive tools and templates that empower users to bring their digital visions to life.
As there is such a wide range of options, we’ll take a look at the main factors to consider when choosing from multiple CMS platforms below.
What’s a CMS?
CMS stands for Content Management System. It is a software application or platform that enables users to create, manage, and modify digital content without requiring advanced technical knowledge. CMS allows users to easily create and organize content such as text, images, videos, and documents, and publish it on websites or other digital platforms.
A CMS typically provides a user-friendly interface that allows content creators and editors to add, edit, and delete content using simple tools and templates. It separates the content from the presentation, making it easier to update and maintain the website’s design and structure.
CMS platforms often include features such as user management, workflow management, version control, and search functionality. They can be customized and extended with plugins and themes to meet specific requirements.
Choosing the Right CMS Platform for Your Website
When you’re planning to invest in a new CMS, it’s crucial that you know which features matter to you most. Getting the must-haves clear in your mind before you start browsing can make the process simpler.
User-Friendliness
The best CMS for you will be intuitive and include an interface that allows you to pick it up without in-depth knowledge of software engineering. It should be so easy for you to understand that you can place audio, text, pictures, and videos on webpages efficiently. A simple, smooth way to change things is important too, and self-explanatory tools can also be helpful.
Design Templates
A major advantage of PHP CMS platforms is the variety of design templates on offer. In some CMS software, you may find entire galleries of pre-made templates so that you don’t need to create them yourself from scratch. However, it will be helpful if you can customize them easily without needing any coding skills.
Data Portability
Unless you’re planning to stay with one host indefinitely, your CMS platform should incorporate tools for moving data in the future.
Optional Extras
There are many styles and types of websites online, suited to diverse budgets and goals. As a result, no one CMS platform will be the perfect fit for every website.
Still, add-ons and extensions offer a solution. These add to the fundamental feature sets included with CMS platforms, providing you with a more personalized experience and helping you get more out of your website.
User Support
A well-made CMS platform should be easy to use from the start. But you’ll still have questions from time to time. Some of the CMS platforms out there have big user communities, so you may be able to get all the support you need from fellow users on dedicated forums. It’s likely that they’ll be happy to help people facing a range of technical issues. In addition, the best CMS providers will offer their own support services (some may run 24 hours a day).
Costs
While a number of CMS platforms are available for free, you’ll need to pay a monthly fee for others. The free ones, though, will still offer templates and add-ons for a price. Your hosting services will incur some expense, too. Still, it’s easier and more cost-effective for beginners to launch their own websites than ever thanks to CMS platforms.
So, keep all of these points we’ve mentioned in mind and you should be able to start tracking down the perfect PHP-based content management system for your needs. Please find our TOP 10:
These CMS platforms make traditional development work a lot less of a chore for the developer. Dynamic web sites can swell up to include thousands of pages, and when they do it’s much easier to manage the process with the best PHP CMS platform as it can streamline development work in clever ways.
WordPress
WordPress is a widely used open-source content management system (CMS) that powers millions of websites around the world. It was initially developed as a blogging platform in 2003 but has evolved into a versatile CMS that can handle various types of websites, from blogs to e-commerce sites and corporate websites.
WordPress offers a user-friendly interface that allows users to create, edit, and publish content without requiring extensive technical knowledge. It provides a range of customizable themes and templates that control the website’s design and layout. Users can also enhance their websites with plugins, which are small software modules that add specific functionality.
WordPress supports a wide range of content types, including text, images, videos, and documents. It provides a built-in editor for creating and formatting content, and it allows users to schedule posts for automatic publishing. It also includes basic SEO features to optimize websites for search engines.
One of the key strengths of WordPress is its large and active community. There are thousands of free and premium themes and plugins available, allowing users to customize their websites according to their specific needs. The community also provides support, tutorials, and resources to help users get the most out of WordPress.
WordPress is written in PHP and uses a MySQL database to store content. It is highly scalable and can handle websites of all sizes, from small personal blogs to large enterprise sites with heavy traffic.
Details
- WordPress accounts for 76.4% of the CMS market
- It supports over 68 languages
- Plug-ins have been downloaded 1.48 billion times
- WordPress powers many government websites around the world
Pros
- Accessible platform
- Largest plugin and theme directories
- Very secure platform
- Integrated SEO features
- Availability of WP Toolkit extension for Plesk hosting platform
Cons
- Themes and plugins can require annoyingly frequent updates
- Open source can mean ‘more open to hackers’
- Customization requires a deep level of understanding
Joomla
Joomla is another one of the best PHP CMS platforms and it’s garnered a reputation for being good for portfolio and blogging websites. It may sit somewhat in the shadow of WordPress, but it still comes with enough high-quality features to create effective blogs and dynamic websites. It meshes well with a few versions of SQL, which means database integration should not be a problem.
This PHP CMS can integrate the site with its hosting provider in just one click and makes the creation of responsive websites a breeze. Its multitude of available designs and extensions make it easy to add extra features to any web apps that you may be designing. As one of the best PHP CMS platforms, Joomla has proved to be popular among big names that include eBay, Barnes & Noble, IKEA, and many others.
Details
- 6% of all websites rely on Joomla
- 2 million sites and counting
- One of the top three CMSs which offer free plug-ins and themes
- Supports over 64 languages
Pros
- Intuitive UI
- Highly adaptable front-end
- Regular security updates
- Well-suited to blogs and dynamic web apps
- Availability of Joomla extension for Plesk hosting platform
Cons
- Not as SEO enabled as some PHP CMSs
- Difficult for non-developers to add custom designs
- Not many modules for sale
- Some plug-ins not completely compatible without modification
Drupal
Drupal is an open-source PHP CMS that allows users to create and manage websites and web applications. It provides a flexible and powerful platform for building a wide range of websites, from personal blogs to complex enterprise-level applications. Drupal offers extensive customization options, scalability, and a strong community of developers and contributors.
While WordPress functionality can be extended further with plugins, Drupal refers to its add-ons as modules, although it already comes with many features and options.
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