Choosing an engine for a future web project is quite difficult, since it is not at first glance that you can understand the significant differences between the different options. It is difficult for a non-professional to immediately identify the functionality that cannot be implemented using one or another CMS. You shouldn’t rely on the opinion of someone from the outside either, since in this case personal preferences most often play a role. So, some work exclusively with Joomla or Drupal, others consider them “kindergarten”. In any case, if you need to determine the website engine, then it is better to leave this choice to the specialist who will develop it.
Under no circumstances should you agree to a “homemade” engine unless you write it yourself and have sufficient qualifications. A web project without a CMS is also not a good idea. If you need to do such work personally, then care and prudence are required. It’s a shame to miscalculate this point at the beginning of the project, and in the future to run into the impossibility of implementing a certain function. The information will certainly be useful to novice developers of electronic resources.
Price issue
For developers, the important question is what engine the site is on - paid or not. The following conclusion can be drawn: you can create a good level electronic resource for free. You need to spend money on a CMS only when the free version options are not enough to implement the project. But many novice information businessmen or webmasters succumb to the persuasion of salespeople who look very convincing. The methods of luring include the following suggestions:
- Expanded functional range. This is the only reason why you should agree to such an offer. The rest is just an attempt to play on human trust.
- Search engines are more inclined towards sites with a paid CMS. They classify others as suspicious and list them last in searches. This is actually a myth.
- All reputable companies work only with paid products.
- The closed code of paid engines and the lack of proper security in others.
- To determine the website engine, you do not need to focus solely on the final cost of the project. The main criterion should be the possibility of implementing ideas.
WordPress
To decide which engine the site will work on, it is worth understanding the features of each option. First on the list of preferred CMS is WordPress, as it is the simplest product. Content management systems are widely used due to their ease of use. Downloading and working with it is absolutely free.
This engine is popular among both developers and users of electronic resources. The advantages of WordPress include good manageability, optimization and a wide variety of plugin options.
In order to learn how to create websites, WordPress is just right. No special knowledge is required to work with the system. Using this CMS, simple information portals, blogs and even online stores are developed.
Experienced specialists give the following advice - before developing any functionality, you should look for it in finished form, which will greatly facilitate the work.
In terms of search engine optimization, WordPress is the best choice.
Drupal
This CMS, like the previous one, works free of charge. The system includes a huge number of software modules. Thanks to it, you can learn how to independently create pages that will have a variety of parameters. The engine has a large number of options, the settings include detailed functions. Drupal is a little more complex than WordPress, but you don't have to be a programmer to work with this CMS. In terms of SEO optimization parameters, Drupal is at a good level.
Many corporate electronic resources run on this engine. Developing an online store website engine with this CMS will be quite simple, and even interesting. The system is also suitable for demonstrating a wide assortment with a large number of items.
Joomla
If you ask developers of various projects which is better, many will point to Joomla, on the basis of which eBay, Orange and IKEA were created. Since the system has a wide range of add-ons, it can be used to implement almost any project - from business cards to information portals. Moreover, this can be done simply and in a short time.
But this engine is not flexible, it is difficult to go beyond the provided plugins. SEO experts criticize this CMS for its excessive redundancy and information content. But with the right approach, a site with such an engine can be well perceived by search engines.
Bitrix
The Bitrix engine underlies many commercial projects. Its advantage is its good relationship with the 1C configuration. In addition, the system includes several ready-made developments for various types of electronic resources.
Implementing a project using Bitrix will cost more than with previous options. A license for the most affordable version of this engine costs about twenty-five thousand rubles. All architectural solutions using this database have a high cost. Any specialist will require a higher fee for working on this CMS compared to other systems.
The engine requires a huge amount of resources, it is very slow, and security also leaves much to be desired. Duplication of pages and information is allowed.
But all aspects of SEO promotion are included in the options of the content management system, which can independently analyze search queries, key density, entry and entry points, and server response headers.
Although the engine is quite profitable and profitable, the high price, resource intensity and complexity of the work scare off developers.
Industrial espionage
How can you find out the website engine of your favorite online resource? There are situations when someone else's development is taken as a basis, and not your own ideas. Perhaps, having accidentally seen a portal, store or blog, a person realizes that he has found a worthy development.
You can understand how to find out the site engine using the following methods:
- View the HTML code of the required page in the browser. After the word content the name of the platform is indicated.
- View the login address to the administrative panel.
- Analysis of the structure of the robots.txt file. These can be folders, files and file addresses.
- Use of online services.
- Installing a special browser add-on.
If you use any of these methods, the question of how to find out the site engine will not cause difficulties.
Change CMS
Developers who are not satisfied with the ability to implement the necessary functions are trying to transfer the site to another engine. But the likelihood of losing positions stops many from such innovations. The problem can be easily solved. If possible, you should leave the old URLs or use a 301 redirect. If you need to change the engine of a resource with a large volume, then it would be useful to use the “404 error”. Text, headings and mega tags should be left unchanged.
The transfer process is no less labor-intensive than the creation of a new platform itself. When performing this action, you need to be extremely careful to maintain your position in the search results.
Which engine should you choose for an online store? This is the question most aspiring entrepreneurs ask. There are so many platforms that it can sometimes be quite difficult to navigate. This review will look at the best CMS. The user will be able to choose the most suitable engine for his web resource.
The best CMS systems
Most companies offer websites on platforms that are more familiar and easier for them to work with. Often these engines do not meet customer requirements. In order not to encounter platform limitations, you need to know the best CMS for creating a website. Choosing the right engine ensures the success of the web resource. There are 2 categories of platforms: commercial and free products.
The first type of engines was created with the aim of making a profit from the sales of licenses and add-ons. These systems lead in quality of work and popularity. Almost all useful modules are paid. Beginning entrepreneurs cannot always afford to purchase the best CMS on a commercial basis. Free engines were created for them.
System "1C-Bitrix"
This platform is the best CMS for an online store. Why did she get so popular? The engine works with an extensive 1C database. If desired, the user can set up bonus programs for buyers and specify different rates for legal entities. The platform is used to create large portals, information resources, as well as other services.
Websites made on this CMS stand out among other websites due to the quality of their work, a large number of additional modules, reliable protection against hacker attacks, and the ability to share rights between several administrators. The system requires considerable investment. Therefore, it is recommended to use the 1C-Bitrix platform exclusively for creating large projects.
Magento
This system is the best CMS for an online store among free products. More than 150 thousand websites on the Internet have been created using this engine. The platform is provided in three editions. The community edition is free. The admin panel is very convenient.
If desired, you can differentiate user rights. Interface in Russian. Answers to your questions can be found in the developer community. The user has access to options for generating detailed reports and adding discount coupons. The client can work with the 1C database.
Products are imported into Yandex.Market. There are various product filters. If desired, you can send advertising messages to customers and connect social networks. The developers offer clients to create an affiliate program for their online store. An administrator can manage multiple projects from one account.
Disadvantages of Magento
The disadvantages include the lack of integration with Russian payment systems and delivery services. This problem can be solved by installing paid modules and editing existing ones. When launching an online store, you will need to use the services of an experienced programmer.
The engine consumes a large amount of server resources. The platform should only be used to create large online stores. Modules useful for e-commerce are paid. Some of them are greatly overpriced.
Joomla
The platform ranks third in the ranking. The product is distinguished by its quality. If a user is looking for the best CMS engine, then he should pay attention to Joomla. The client can expand the extensive toolkit with the help of additional modules and plugins. High security of working with the service is ensured.
The user has access to options for connecting multi-level authorization for administrators and dividing the rights of moderators. Changing the appearance of the site is carried out by using a ready-made template from an extensive catalog. If desired, you can create a custom layout. Many clients believe that this is the best CMS for a store because it allows you to customize many elements. Websites based on this engine have a flexible structure.
Additional components for Joomla
Developers are constantly releasing updates. Initially, the platform was created for corporate web resources, blogs, and business card pages. Now the engine works with online stores and social platforms. To add products to the site, you need to download an additional component. The most common scripts are VirtueMart and JoomShopping.
If necessary, additional modules are installed. Using VirtueMart, the user can integrate the site with the 1C database, connect popular payment systems, and configure the import/export of products. The additional component is suitable for launching small and medium-sized online stores. VirtueMart is not used when creating large portals, since it does not have the necessary functions and a proper security system.
Drupal
This platform is aimed at complex websites and professional programmers. Working with the software requires experience and appropriate training. The system synchronizes with partner sites. The user can choose short addresses, use template themes, and create web resources with similar elements (a single user base). Multi-language translation function available.
The engine is suitable for large online stores and communities. In other cases, the costs will not be justified. To use the platform, you must install Ubercart. This additional component is practically no different from the VirtueMart script. The best free CMS Magento and Joomla took first place in the ranking only because they are slightly more common and less difficult to learn and customize than Drupal.
MODX
This platform can run on almost all servers and interact with different browsers. The software is distributed under a license. The engine is used to create websites of various types. The platform is also an application development environment. It is not demanding on server resources.
Installing and configuring the engine is not difficult. Disadvantages include low prevalence in the CIS countries and the lack of necessary functions to launch a full-fledged online store in these territories. Many users indicate that when working with the engine, problems arise with the security of web resources.
OpenCart
Commercial or absolutely free CMS - which is better? The OpenCart platform is an example of how free software can exceed customers' wildest expectations. This engine is the most suitable solution for small projects. The platform is easy to install and configure. The engine is not demanding on server resources.
Using a huge number of modules, you can add almost any required functionality to your online store. Developers from the Russian-speaking community will help resolve any issues that may arise. If desired, you can use the built-in module installer. Initially, the platform was not focused on the CIS market. Now you can find assemblies with additional functionality.
The developers have updated payment and delivery methods and added various filters. The most popular assemblies include ocStore and MaxyStore. The client can always create his own version from the necessary add-ons. The user has access to the function of specifying keywords and meta tags for each product separately. Disadvantages include system freezes when there is a large number of products, as well as the high cost of many modules.
PrestaShop
The developers created this platform in 2007. The engine is suitable for small and medium-sized online stores. Just like OpenCart, the PrestaShop platform has impressive functionality. To work with Russian payment systems, you will have to add additional modules. The engine is absolutely not demanding on server resources.
In 2011, PrestaShop was voted the best free e-commerce platform. Unlike OpenCart, the engine does not have official developer support. Therefore, there are not as many additional modules as users would like. The basic version of the platform uses more resources than OpenCart. The cost of additional modules is much lower than in Magento.
UMI.CMS
The platform features a responsive design and cost-effectiveness. The client can choose the language to work with, set template themes, and track statistical information such as data based on the average bill.
WordPress
Continuing the topic of “the best CMS”, we should mention this engine. The platform is simple, understandable, but at the same time functional. No technical knowledge is required to operate the engine. Even professionals will be satisfied with the simple interface. Answers to your questions can be found in the instructions.
The platform was created for blogs, news resources and other portals where you need to quickly add information. Plugins to expand functionality can be purchased at an affordable price. The developers offer more than 10 additional components for creating an online store using the WordPress engine. The most popular is the WooCommerce plugin. It is very difficult to launch a full-fledged online store based on it.
You can add no more than 100 product cards that do not require updating. The platform is easy to learn. The system is suitable for beginners who have a blog on a WordPress website. Among the shortcomings, it should be noted the lack of integration with 1C, Russian payment systems and delivery services. After installing the plugin, a conflict with the template may occur.
NetCat
The platform provides the opportunity in a mobile version. Responsive design supported. The best CMS should have good functionality for search engine promotion and website integration with useful services. This engine meets all the requirements. The interface is intuitive.
The platform works with the 1C database and electronic payment systems. When working with the platform, there is no need to use complex technological solutions. The interface can be divided into two: for users and developers.
HostCMS
The engine is not demanding on hosting and servers. This platform is the best CMS for SEO. The user has options for creating short page addresses, specifying meta tags, etc. The engine works great with web resources with high traffic. The platform works with the 1C system.
The license cost is 6 thousand rubles. The client receives a fairly functional platform with the ability to expand functionality by installing additional modules.
CS-Cart
When choosing the best CMS, many users note the advantages of this engine. Software creators offer clients a wide range of tools. The platform is distinguished by its convenient organization of Internet marketing, good form of working with orders, SEO optimization of resources, integration with 1C and the Yandex.Market service. The user has access to options for creating adaptive design and simply adding material.
Amiro.CMS
This platform is called universal. The engine is suitable for creating professional resources of varying levels of complexity. The developers offer more than 60 additional modules that expand functionality. The user can launch a high-quality website of almost any type.
LPgenerator
An online web page generator is a great solution for beginners and experts. Using the engine, you can create a business card website or a small store. Some users simply add materials to present a product/service. Clients can take advantage of a convenient editor, as well as hundreds of templates in LPStore.
The user has options for connecting a new domain and synchronizing the site with useful services. If desired, the layouts can be redone. The developers also provide tools for SEO optimization.
The question of choosing an engine for a website is very similar to the question of choosing a car (if this is familiar to you). Because the choice is very large, and what is best specifically for you cannot be said until you try several engines. Once the choice has been made, the CMS is almost never changed. This is due to the fact that changing a site’s engine is quite a difficult task (I mean maintaining SEO, functionality, design and other features). Most often, it is easier to create a new website from scratch on a different engine than to transfer it.
Site engine(eng. CMS) is a special set of files (scripts) that are needed to simplify work with the site, as well as to create functionality for the site (send a message, place an order, sorting, search, etc.). To put it even more simply, the engine is an intermediate link between the final result (the output of a website page) and content. You can read a more detailed definition.
In principle, the site can have no engine at all. Such sites are called "static". They simply consist of a collection of ".html" files. Unlike a static site, the engine does not contain ready-made files. Every time a specific URL is accessed (for example, site/primer-cms.html), the page is generated anew. That is, with each request, the database is accessed, data is retrieved, a page is created using a template, etc. All this slows down the speed of the site, but this slowdown is not at all critical.
1. Does the site need an engine at all?
Of course, I would not recommend learning HTML in order to create a simple website, since it will take up your time, and the created website is unlikely to impress anyone. This is due to the fact that creating a website requires a certain amount of experience, which a novice webmaster does not have.
The choice of engine depends entirely on the purpose for which the site is being built. A business card website does not need an engine, and if you have an online store, then you cannot do without an engine. Each engine focuses on a specific website theme. There are universal engines, that is, those on which you can do anything, but in the end everything works crookedly.
A site without an engine has the advantage that it is basically impossible to hack, since there is simply nothing to hack. Such sites are very robust and load very quickly.
2. Paid vs free engines
Many people divide website engines into paid and free. Well, that's how it is. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each and which one should you choose?
2.1. Pros and cons of paid CMS
2.2. Pros and cons of free CMS
I would focus on free engines because of their popularity, and also that you can do anything in them. However, I would not recommend making modifications yourself. The chance of making some serious mistake is very high. It’s better to find a programmer who knows this engine and give him tasks.
3. Review of popular engines
We will consider only the most popular and common engines. Naturally, there are many more of them. I recommend using popular CMS because, as a rule, they contain fewer bugs, there is more information on them and it is easier to find programmers for improvements.
3.1. Engines for blog/website business cards and all occasions
1.Wordpress
A super engine that can also be called a real designer. Very popular in Russia. Most sites work on it. There are a bunch of add-ons for it that allow you to do anything you want with this engine. Its popularity is due to the openness of the code and the fact that everything is free. Of the minuses: it is undesirable to create a super huge portal on such a site, since WordPress is not optimized for a large number of users.
2. DLE
Paid engine (though its price is only 2000-3000 rubles). In terms of working inside the engine, everything is very convenient. There are also a lot of modules and all sorts of bonuses. The code is noticeably more difficult to debug and understand. If it were free, then it’s not a fact that WordPress was in first place. DLE is often hacked and can basically be used for free.
3. Joomla
Beginners often make small websites using this engine. Pros: free, lots of information. Cons: not optimized for website promotion at all. At the same time, making it “optimized” is quite problematic, since the code is very unpleasant and complex.
4. Drupal
Just a good engine. Not very popular and because of this it may be difficult to find various add-ons. The engine is very secure and safe.
3.2. Engines for online stores
There are a lot of different engine options for online stores. It's difficult to choose the best one among this whole bunch. I will list the most popular
- Bitrix;
- PrestaShop;
- ImageCMS Shop;
- osCommerce;
- Magento;
- ShopCMS;
In addition, you can create an online store using blog engines. This will be the link:
- WordPress+eCommerce;
- WordPress+eShop;
- WordPress+WooCommerce;
- WordPress+Quick Shop;
- Joomla+ VirtueMart;
- Drupal+Ubercart;
Is it worth doing? It depends on what the goals are. If you plan to have a very good online store with wide functionality, then you should choose specialized online store engines. And if you just need to post a couple of dozen products with prices, then you can use a Wordpress or other link.
In the video we will review the best CMS engines for 2017. These content management systems are in the TOP 5 around the world; they are used to develop a huge number of sites from business cards to huge portals and services.
We will conduct comparative characteristics of their functionality, determine the strengths and weaknesses of each engine and summarize their overall rating.
A CMS review video will help a novice programmer or customer decide which system is ideal for him, and it will also be useful to understand their differences. After all, the success of the future site depends on the right choice of CMS, and the correctly selected engine functionality will ensure convenient and simple development of the resource.
From the contents of the article, you will be able to objectively select a suitable content management system, both for a developer who plans to connect his future career with programming, and for a customer who wants to optimally choose a platform for his business processes. Well, if you already have a website on one of the CMS, then you will find out whether your choice was correct, and so, let’s go...
In order to choose for ourselves the engine that will optimally solve our problems, first of all we will sort by popularity. Let's look at three popular services that provide such statistics and select five top CMS systems for further comparison.
1 - CMS Magazine Service
1 service CMS Magazine resource offers a complete list of popular CMS in Russia. They can be sorted by TCI, total TCI, but we are more interested in the number of works completed on a particular CMS.
So, in the Russian Runet, 1C-Bitrix is leading by quite a large margin. In addition, please note that the figure is quite large.
The service collects statistics based on data from the Web development market of the CMS Magazine service; in principle, there is no point in considering it since this resource was examined in more detail before.
2 service Ruward:Track
Let's move on to the next popular service Ruward:Track, 12 years of experience and more than 600 projects. This major rating of control systems is recognized as reliable by the majority of developers.
It collects analytics not only on CMS systems, but also has a rating of other indicators. The rating results are presented for June 2015, of course they are already a bit old, but I will leave links under the videos of these services, perhaps you will watch and these indicators will be different, but now we are focusing on them.
There are also statistics on popular and free CMS systems, and this is correct, since a large share of popularity is still played by its accessibility to the end consumer.
Of the free CMSs, the leaders are WordPress and Joomla, which have broken away from most engines, while the development trend of WordPress is obvious, but if we take the Russian Runet, Bitrix breaks out into the first positions.
Let's use SEO-AUDITOR - this is the largest data collector using installed counters on sites such as Yandex.Metrica, LiveInternet, [email protected], Hotlog and a number of other services.
We go down to the statistics of CMS systems, here we see a report for January 2016. which is fresher in relation to Track. Let's select five top CMS.
In principle, the statistics are similar, WordPress is the leader almost everywhere, and this is not surprising given its popularity not only in the Russian RuNet, but also abroad. Then comes 1C-Bitrix, Joomla, Drupal and ends the list with MODx of the top five CMS.
In 2015, MODx was still the market leader, but in 2016 Drupal overtook it.
To summarize, we have identified two main leaders - WordPress and 1C-Bitrix, as well as the other three - Joomla, Drupal and MODx, but how easy are these platforms to use, satisfy basic consumer requirements, and most importantly are they safe, read on...
Engine characteristics
MODx Content Management System
This system has two versions, Evolution and Revolution, a more modern one, it serves as a good base for creating different types of store sites, portals, corporate sites, and blogs. This content management system is strongly tied to layout. In the Revolution version, the developer can emphasize the object-oriented approach.
The MODx system is free and quite flexible because you can implement a large number of modules into it.
The CMS itself is developing in a decentralized manner. Of course, there is a command center, kernel programmers and all that, but the main thing in any CMS is extensions, and here they are written by users.
MODx does not sell its addons through the official website or repository. All extensions are free, and on the one hand, this is good, but on the other hand, there is no normal support, documentation, and no one guarantees the quality of the extensions.
As a result, we have a powerful, popular system in which few people write add-ons professionally, do not guarantee their support, and updates are not supported by the developers. In general, if you decide to install solutions, it is at your own peril and risk.
The security of ModX Revolution is much better than compared to the same joomla. When installing it, we can use the Advanced package to change the entire folder structure, even access to the admin panel; as a result, it is much more difficult for a potential hacker to determine what kind of CMS it is. It also has many security settings, which helps protect it from hacking.
And yet it is complex in its administration; placing an image gallery on a page, displaying a menu using Wayfinder, or creating a “category blog” using getResources is not so easy to do. In order to understand how to create templates using chunks, or call snippets, the average user will need a lot of time and effort.
It is not demanding on service resources, unlike Bitrix or Joomla, and this is its absolute advantage.
Content management system Drupal
Drupal- is a powerful open source CMS system. It makes developing complex websites much easier than writing them from scratch. The engine is very flexible and scalable.
There are so many settings in the system itself that you can get confused. Developers have a great opportunity to create different types of content and display a variety of fields from numeric parameters to video. Easily move blocks of content and the ability to create page templates, change tabs, and all this with an easy click of the mouse.
Many modules have been written for Drupal; you can create various types of projects from blogs and personal pages to social networks and corporate sites, huge portals.
A well-thought-out and flexible architecture in the engine makes it possible to expand existing functionality and integrate with third-party services.
Drupal is several times more complex than Joomla and MODx; for inexperienced developers it can be a difficult and complex system to understand. The engine is aimed at professional developers, for this reason there are few bugs in it.
Support from developers is carried out, as in MODx, the engine is developed in a decentralized manner. There is also a command center for programmers and all that, but extensions are written separately.
The main advantage of Drupal is that it is free. Therefore, you don’t have to rack your brains over choosing an assembly that suits your financial capabilities. You can always scale your project to suit your business needs.
The CMS itself requires a lot of resources, but what we mean by the word A LOT, if earlier the hardware on which Drupat was installed was considered high and expensive, now it is almost the minimum configuration of a Web service and today is the standard of most hosting services.
Joomla content management system
Platform Joomla is universal. Using it, you can create both a small forum and a huge store. During the installation of the engine, all functionality is installed without any bells and whistles, which is very convenient for creating small websites.
For this content management system, many ready-made extensions have been implemented, most of which are distributed free of charge, but there are also paid extensions. The variety of templates, modules and add-ons is an absolute plus that every novice developer will appreciate.
There is no technical support service for the developers of the platform itself; the CMS is developed by the user community.
Many people claim that joomla has security problems. I won’t deny it, but there is also the fact that users sometimes endanger their projects by installing dubious extensions on the site, which are not clear who wrote them and where they were taken from. This point needs to be taken into account. On the other hand, the engine developers could have envisaged how it was done in 1C-Bitrix. The solution is published on an official source, and it would be checked by the platform developers.
A simple site administration panel and many useful functionality can be implemented with two mouse clicks - this is definitely a plus. With an integrated approach, this engine is easier to master than Drupal and MODx, but still requires preliminary study, like any CMS in principle.
The main PLUS is that it is free, does not contain closed components and is distributed as open source. The only limitation is that you cannot change the joomla copyright and change the distribution license. However, you can simply hide this “Powered by Joomla” inscription.
Well, still, one cannot note a minus in terms of its “gluttony” in relation to northern resources (server load and RAM consumption). But if you approach the settings wisely, you can close this gap.
The popularity of Joomla is due to its many advantages, which in turn are confirmed by thousands of users. The system allows you to implement any projects and does not require highly specialized professional knowledge.
Content management system 1C-Bitrix
1C-Bitrix– suitable for almost any project; it can be used to implement both a one-page website and a large Internet portal.
The product architecture implements the MVC principle, separating logic from presentation. The structure is managed through information blocks, they are comparable to a database, each information block is a kind of box that we can customize exactly for the information we want to store in it. The entire visual part is located separately, which gives flexibility in managing the site design.
There are additional extensions, both free and paid. All extensions are located in the Marketplace store. By purchasing a solution, we receive developer support and feedback.
Bitrix technical support quickly solves problems, there is documentation and training material on managing the engine for both the user and the developer. Bitrix has its own community of developers, forums, blogs, where they will help solve certain problems.
A high degree of protection for the platform itself is ensured by a built-in proactive protection module; it includes two-step authorization, session protection, IP restrictions, and many additional features that will prevent the site from being hacked just like that.
Sections and pages of the site have a clear structure, implemented on the principle of folders and files, just like on a computer. Thanks to Hermitage technology, it is possible to edit pages and change site settings directly through the visual part of the site, without going into the administrative section, which greatly simplifies its administration.
Probably the most important disadvantage of this CMS is its cost, which is quite not a cheap pleasure; each edition has its own price, but the functionality is correspondingly wider. It is advisable to renew the license annually in order to receive current updates and more features.
The engine itself is resource-intensive, requires certain server settings, and it all depends on how large and visited your project will be, since compared to other engines when running similar projects, the server must be order of magnitude more powerful.
WordPress Content Management System
WordPress– this CMS was designed for creating blogs. Later, the content management system became easy to update and maintain. The system is very convenient to use from the point of view of connecting the backend and frontend, however, we do not recommend using WordPress to create online stores, because this is not the intended use of this system.
Modular programming helps to implement different site page designs, both for categories and individual posts. If you compare it with other competitors, Joomla is less flexible, and Drupal requires more in-depth programming knowledge. The flexibility of WordPress is a definite plus.
Due to the popularity of WordPress, it has formed a fairly large community and, as a result, a huge number of free and paid plugins have been developed, and there are many themes to expand the out-of-the-box functionality. Which is an indisputable advantage for a person starting to work with this engine.
In case of any difficulties or gaps in its development, there is a huge amount of materials, blogs, forums on the Internet where they will quickly help you, but the minus is that this CMS does not have a developer support service, and it’s understandable why, because it is free and this is its most important advantage among paid engines.
To introduce its popularity, WordPress is the target of constant attacks, both by hackers and spammers. They can not only clog the comments, but also infect the site with viruses. At the moment, this problem has been significantly solved, but security sometimes still suffers.
A clear and convenient interface, for the end user who is developing a website on this platform it is easier to understand the admin panel than on the same drupal or joomla. It is enough to know the main points of system management and there will be no problems with publishing posts, this is an obvious plus. According to analysts, this is the secret to the popularity of this CMS.
WordPress is completely free and open source. We can modify the engine, make our own changes to its structure, and this will not violate its license.
This engine is not demanding on the server and its technical characteristics. For trouble-free, stable operation, any server that has MySQL and support for several PHP modules is suitable, and any modern hosting will handle it without any problems, even free ones. Let's give it a plus, but don't forget that installing a large number of plugins will cause a load on the server, as a result of which the provider can simply turn off hosting for your site.
I would like to add that a competent approach and subject-based training are important in any business. It won’t work just to use this or that engine without mastering the basics. Any project is a kind of huge work, and here I talked about just one of the stages. And it is far from the most important. What is more important is the ability to use this tool correctly.
Let's sum it up
Remember that there are no ideal web development systems; the main thing that needs to be paid attention to is the trend of their development, and from this, therefore, the system will be improved both for developers and strive to make the life of the customer themselves easier.
And we can end here. The remaining engines that are not included in the top 5 are less popular or significantly limited in functionality. I see no point in talking about them. Of course, my opinion may be overly subjective, so you should choose an engine based on your preferences and practical experience. I wish you not to make a mistake in this!
In the comments, write what CMS you have and whether it completely satisfies you. If you liked the video, share it on social networks, give it a thumbs up, Denis was with you, see you soon.
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A site engine (a site content management system) is a special scripting software that allows you to work with databases and site content in a semi-automatic mode. Expandable with additional modules, divided by functionality and purpose.
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What is a site engine
The dream of every young inventor is a universal one, such as Lego. Having a huge stock of parts, we collect from it everything that is needed. We leave the excess in the box and give our craft exactly the look that is required. And most importantly, we can always make adjustments to the invention.
The analogy with the engine is obvious - the CMS is the universal set of blocks for building the website of your dreams. Every person is not required to be fluent in web programming languages, administer databases, and constantly monitor the security of their resource. All technical support responsibilities are assumed by your virtual assistant - the content management system. All you need is a beautiful idea and content for the pages
Which engine is better to choose for a website?
First, make sure that you need a CMS. Let's look at the main advantages and differences between content management systems and a self-written engine implementation
Pros of CMS:
- Creating a website does not require programming skills. All you need is a clear understanding of the finished product and its operating system
- Editing a resource involves setting up individual plugins, like blocks in a children's designer. There are no difficulties even in quite specific tasks. At the moment, a huge number of extensions have been created for popular CMSs.
- Easily edit the design of the entire site from the control panel
- If you know HTML/CSS at a primitive level, it is possible to create your own design patterns
Pros of a custom engine:
- Full control over ongoing processes
- Additional authority over competitors in terms of unique and inimitable website implementation
- Using non-standard functions that are not available by default in content management systems
- Absence of typical vulnerabilities of popular CMS engines
What is the result: CMS or self-written system
If you own a business, representing the interests of a large organization, want to implement absolutely unique functionality on your website or create something fundamentally new, the choice falls on a custom engine.
In the case where the site is filled with a standard set of modules, you do not have the skills and experience of web programming, or the budget for long-term hiring of a development team, of course, it is worth considering installing a CMS
How to choose a CMS
Let's say we decide on the need to use a CMS. In this case, you need to conduct a market analysis to identify the most convenient system for your purposes. A list of important comparative characteristics is given below. Before choosing a CMS, make sure that it fully meets these parameters:
- Easy and intuitive control. Everyday activities don't have to be difficult.
- Possibility of adjusting individual design parameters. The site can be easily customized using your own style sheets. If you know CSS, but cannot apply alternative parameters to blocks, then this is definitely a disadvantage in the design flexibility of the project.
- Availability of the plugins you need. Make sure that the plugins that your project will need in the future are written for this system. Otherwise, you will have to hire a web developer to design extensions individually
- SEO. The CMS itself must configure all search properties and functions to improve the ranking of the site.
- Safety. One of the most important aspects, especially if your project is aimed at working with important personal information of users. Every day, information security specialists find hundreds of vulnerabilities even in popular web engines. Study articles on protecting your engine from hacking and update the kernel regularly.
- Availability of a responsive community and technical support in Russian.
- Specialists in the labor market who are ready to service this CMS.
- Price. There are both free and paid content management systems. Each niche has its absolute leaders, and one cannot say that one CMS is better than another. Clarify your tasks for the project and its budget, based on this, choose a convenient engine
The best engines for websites
Free engines
When choosing an engine, first of all pay attention to open-source solutions. Often, free projects offer good opportunities for personal websites and small online stores. Let's look at the rating of free CMS.
WordPress
Since its appearance in the role of blogs, CMS has shown itself to be a universal tool and the simplest engine for a website. Business owners, from small projects to huge commercial portals, work under WordPress, which is a guarantee of the company’s high responsibility to its clients.
Features and Benefits:
- The most popular CMS on the Internet. More than half of the users preferred it - a record figure for a web script
- High level of responsibility of engine developers to clients in security matters. All vulnerabilities are closed very quickly
- The most extensive collection of plugins and extensions. Catalogs, stores, galleries, forums - almost everything is available under WordPress.
- Built-in WYSIWYG editor. No experience with HTML markup required. Everything is created in real time.
- Perhaps, one of the few CMSs where all source files of the site, including PHP and CSS, can be adjusted directly in the control panel.
- A record high number of developer vacancies for this CMS, a sufficient number of Russian-language forums and tutorials.
- Best suited for news blogs that require constant addition of new posts.
Much less popular, but quite convenient CMS for people who are accustomed to combining individual parameters with automatic configuration. User-friendly interface and advanced developer tools.
Features and Benefits:
- Recognized as one of the most extensible engines for web development.
- Regular updates and Russian documentation.
- Laconic, pleasant design and an equally convenient control panel.
- Access control protocols such as LDAP or OpenID.
- Simplified installation for beginners.
- Pre-installation on a large number of shared hostings.
- Easier than Drupal, but more flexible and complex in functionality than WordPess.
- Best suited for social platforms and e-commerce.
Classic web development engine. The ability to create a truly complex website, a huge selection of tools for writing your own modules. This CMS will not be an easy build for a beginner, but it will completely satisfy the programmer.
Features and Benefits:
- Special modules VIEWS and CCK make it possible to define your own data types and display them on the screen.
Organize content by levels and categories using Taxonomy. - Hook support.
- Full customization of the system.
- A huge selection of modules with individual configuration for flexible adjustment to the needs of each project.
- Targeted at professional developers for whom writing their own modules and editing source codes is commonplace.
- Best suited for organizing complex portals.
OpenCart
Even though the system is designed exclusively for e-commerce and online stores, we cannot help but mention it in the review, since the CMS copes with its task perfectly.
Features and Benefits:
- High data processing speed, optimized scripts.
- Own reporting system.
- Built-in navigation, purchase history.
- Support for a large number of payment systems, multi-currency.
- Best suited for creating a working online store with built-in reporting in the shortest possible time.
Paid engines
In addition to free engines, there are paid CMS implementations that have their own unspoken leaders and outsiders. Let's look at the most popular engines.
1C-Bitrix
The most popular paid content management system on the RuNet. A company with a large number of clients and partners both in Russia and abroad. CMS integrates with other 1C solutions.
Features and Benefits:
- A huge community of developers, constant development of the system.
- When purchasing, you know what you are giving your money for. All purchased modules are clearly described on the website.
- Market of ready-made extensions. It is not necessary to write your own module; it is enough to buy its implementation in the official store.
- Instant technical support for any questions.
A reliable guarantor of resource security from the 1C company.
DLE (DataLife Engine)
Russian development for creating various media: from business cards to blogs. Provided under a mixed license: open source for a paid license.
Features and Benefits:
- The most important advantage is open-source for purchasing a license. You can edit the source code, make any adjustments, and still not lose technical support.
- Easy integration of your own design templates, the ability to edit individual page patterns.
- Built-in support for media content: galleries, news feeds.
- Active use of AJAX technology. This improves usability for clients and reduces the load on your server.
Many call it the most pleasant CMS for effortless website editing. Light edits take a few minutes, but major changes will require some fiddling.
Features and Benefits:
- The main feature of the engine: edit-in-place. To edit content, it is not necessary to access the administrative panel. It is possible to make minor edits directly on the site.
- No less pleasant control panel. All elements are interactive, blocks move around the screen, and pages load using AJAX.
- Integration with the Metabar browser plugin.
- A unique feature for CMS is a built-in version control and storage system. You can always rollback project changes.
- Search Engine Optimization.
- Automatic generation of CNC links, redirection in case of error in URL typing.
- Fully compatible with banking gateways such as Yandex.Money and Robokassa. Support for 1C systems.
What is the difference between paid and free CMS
The main advantage of paid CMS is that the developer company guarantees your service throughout the entire period of operation.
Organizations that sell licenses for money value their reputation very much and try to make using their software easier and more comfortable. For businesses and online stores, technical support services and guarantees of quickly closing vulnerabilities will be very useful.
For news sites and blogs, on the contrary, it does not always make sense to buy an expensive license when there are free implementations that are absolutely not inferior in functionality to the modules.
Custom website engine
A logical question arises: is it necessary to use popular and well-known templates if you can create your own website from scratch. It is worth remembering that when you start making a custom engine, you will encounter the following problems
- A huge amount of work from the BACKEND site.
- Spending money and time on unique technological solutions and their optimization.
- The constant emergence of new 0-day vulnerabilities in the site’s code, threatening the project’s reputation.
- Dependence on the original development team for further changes to modules.
However, it should be noted that a self-written implementation of the site’s core allows the resource to acquire a set of advantages over its competitors:
- The resource is not subject to regular attacks on CMS modules, popular exploits and injections.
- You get absolute control over every script. You know how and what works, you see all the internal aspects of the project.
- The ability to implement the necessary functionality immediately, without modifying existing CMS modules.
