It's important to consider several factors:
First, you need to think about the availability of high-quality themes. For example, platforms like Joomla offer great templates like YOOtheme and RocketTheme, but it's worth seeking the opinions of experienced front-end developers who can provide insights on their quality and trends.
Second, consider the convenience of the admin panel for inexperienced users and content managers. Bitrix, NetCat, and Joomla are often praised for their user-friendly interfaces, while Drupal seems to receive some criticism. As for MODX, it would be helpful to gather information on its usability as well.
The entry threshold for developers is another important aspect to consider. It may be challenging to find good developers for MODX and Drupal, but Joomla offers the advantage of being accessible to freelancers. Bitrix and NetCat, being standard solutions, may not require a permanent programmer initially.
Community support is also crucial. Look for information on the communities and support available for Bitrix and NetCat since they are paid products. Joomla and Drupal both have active communities, with Drupal users expressing the need for more developers.
Extensions compatibility with the latest versions of the CMS should also be assessed. It would be helpful to research whether the CMS of your choice has a strong ecosystem of compatible addons.
Consider the convenience of support and updates as well. How frequently do issues arise during updates? How easy is it to make minor edits with the support available?
SEO optimization is an important consideration as well. Research how each CMS handles search engine optimization and whether it aligns with your needs.
Consider affiliate programs and customer search. Bitrix and NetCat have established programs, and an autumn promotion is currently running for NetCat. If you opt for a free CMS, you can explore opportunities to find customers abroad in the future, even though it may not be feasible at the moment.
Ultimately, starting with business cards, catalogs, and simple corporate websites and stores is recommended to establish a stable foundation for your studio. This will allow you to gain experience and resources before venturing into more advanced frameworks.
I encourage everyone to join the discussion and share their opinions, arguments, and personal experiences. If you were in my position, what CMS would you choose and why? Let's create a useful topic by exchanging valuable information and perspectives.
When choosing a content management system (CMS), it's important to consider the specific needs and goals of your project. Some factors you could consider include:
1. Theme Availability: Consider the availability and quality of themes and templates that align with your design preferences.
2. User-Friendliness: Evaluate the ease of use for inexperienced users and content managers. Look for CMSs with intuitive interfaces and user-friendly admin panels.
3. Developer Accessibility: Consider the availability of skilled developers for the CMS you choose. Some CMSs may have a larger pool of developers, making it easier to find qualified individuals.
4. Community Support: Look for active and supportive communities surrounding the CMS. These communities can provide assistance, resources, and updates for the CMS.
5. Extensions Compatibility: Research the availability and compatibility of extensions and add-ons that can enhance the functionality of the CMS.
6. Support and Updates: Assess the frequency of issues during updates and the availability of support for making edits or resolving problems.
7. SEO Optimization: Consider the CMS's capabilities in terms of search engine optimization to ensure your website can rank well on search engines.
8. Affiliate Programs and Customer Search: Look into any affiliate programs or opportunities to find customers if they align with your business strategy.
For a beginner studio, it is generally recommended to choose a CMS that is user-friendly, has a supportive community, and offers a good balance between simplicity and flexibility. Based on these criteria, Joomla can be a suitable choice.
Joomla is known for its user-friendly interface, making it easier for beginners to navigate and manage their websites. It also has a large and active community, which means you can find help and resources when needed. Additionally, Joomla offers a wide range of high-quality templates and extensions to customize your website according to your needs.
Another option to consider is WordPress, which is widely regarded as one of the most beginner-friendly CMSs. It has an intuitive interface, a vast selection of themes and plugins, and a large and supportive community. WordPress is also known for its ease of use and extensive dоcumentation, making it a popular choice among beginners.
Here are a few more popular CMS options to consider:
1. Drupal: Drupal is a highly flexible and powerful CMS that offers robust features and scalability. It provides advanced customization options and is suitable for larger, more complex websites. However, it has a steeper learning curve compared to other CMSs.
2. WordPress: WordPress is the most widely used CMS globally, known for its simplicity and user-friendliness. It offers a vast library of themes and plugins, making it easy to create various types of websites, from blogs to e-commerce sites. It also has a large and active community for support.
3. Magento: Magento is an open-source CMS specifically designed for e-commerce websites. It offers a range of features tailored for online stores, including product management, shopping cart functionality, and payment integration. Magento is scalable and can handle large catalogs, but it may be more complex to set up and manage compared to other CMSs.
4. Shopify: Shopify is a fully hosted CMS designed specifically for e-commerce businesses. It provides an all-in-one solution, handling hosting, security, and e-commerce functionality. Shopify is known for its simplicity and ease of use, making it a popular choice for small to medium-sized online stores.
more CMS options to consider:
1. Wix: Wix is a user-friendly website builder that offers drag-and-drop functionality and a wide range of pre-designed templates. It's a popular choice for small businesses and individuals who want to quickly create a professional-looking website without coding knowledge.
2. Squarespace: Squarespace is another user-friendly website builder that focuses on providing visually appealing templates and a seamless design experience. It offers a variety of features, such as e-commerce functionality and blogging capabilities, making it suitable for creative professionals and small businesses.
3. Ghost: Ghost is a CMS specifically designed for bloggers and content creators. It prioritizes simplicity, speed, and a distraction-free writing environment. Ghost offers various publishing and content management tools to help bloggers effectively manage their content and engage with their audience.
4. Concrete5: Concrete5 is a beginner-friendly CMS that emphasizes ease of use and simplicity. It offers a user-friendly interface with in-context editing, making it easy to manage and update your website content. Concrete5 also provides a range of add-ons and themes for customization.
few more CMS options for you to consider:
1. TYPO3: TYPO3 is a powerful open-source CMS known for its scalability and flexibility. It is suitable for larger websites or enterprise-level projects that require advanced customization and complex functionality. TYPO3 has a steep learning curve but offers extensive features and a strong community.
2. MODX: MODX is a flexible and customizable CMS with a focus on empowering developers. It allows for fine-grained control over the website's structure and content management. MODX is suitable for projects that require custom development and have specific requirements.
3. Craft CMS: Craft CMS is a modern and user-friendly CMS that offers flexibility and customization options while maintaining a user-friendly interface. It is known for its clean code and intuitive content management experience, making it suitable for small to medium-sized websites.
4. Umbraco: Umbraco is an open-source CMS built on the Microsoft .NET framework. It is flexible, extensible, and suitable for both small and large-scale projects. Umbraco offers a range of features and a user-friendly interface, making it popular among developers and content editors.
5. Contao: Contao (formerly known as TYPOlight) is a user-friendly CMS that focuses on accessibility and ease of use. It offers a range of features, including a responsive design, multi-language support, and customizable templates. Contao is suitable for small to medium-sized websites and has a growing community.
The most important thing missing in your topic is identifying your target audience.
For any cms, you can find developers, designers, typesetters, and staff.
Instead of choosing a CMS and then asking if you need a website on WP, it's better to first decide on your target audience and then ask which CMS is suitable for them.
Bitrix is suitable for medium-large white customers, regardless of whether they need a business card or a large website. Additionally, with the Bitrix affiliate program, you can earn up to 40% of the purchased CMS price almost immediately.
Netcat is suitable for small-to-medium white customers who want a "brand" but don't want to pay for Bitrix.
Jumla and WordPress are good options for one-time clients or clients who only need a website once.
Drupal is not really for clients; it's more for developers. In some cases, it's faster and cheaper to build a solution from scratch rather than using Drupal.
As for Modh, we don't have much information about it.
For a beginner studio, we would recommend choosing Bitrix and WP. Use WP to build a portfolio and Bitrix to establish a serious image. This way, you can cater to two different target audiences: medium-sized firms in your local city for Bitrix and small freelance customers for WP. However, if these audiences don't interest you, then you should consider other tools.
You asked a tough question, and everyone recommends the CMS they're used to. Personally, I've worked with Bitrix, Drupal, and a bit of Joomla. Here are my impressions:
1) Bitrix is great for setting up a store quickly. You can buy a Bitrix edition for 20k, create a template, and have a fully functional store with a user-friendly admin panel. It comes with lots of features and options, so you don't have to write much code. However, if you need custom functionality, things can get tricky. The dоcumentation is not comprehensive, with some functions lacking detailed descriptions. You may need to rely on trial and error, technical support, or Google.
2) I have limited experience with Joomla. I was given a Joomla website to work on, and I found it challenging because I wasn't familiar with it. Many plugins require payment, and the overall theme setup wasn't ideal (possibly due to my limited understanding). However, I managed to achieve my goals relatively quickly.
3) Drupal is my primary CMS, and I chose it after thorough research and based on recommendations from other developers. It offers a wealth of built-in functionality (unlike Joomla, where creating custom content types out of the box is not straightforward), excellent theming capabilities, and a wide range of plugins for added functionality. The dоcumentation is quite good as well. I can easily build a simple business card website on Drupal in a day. Contrary to what some say, I don't find WordPress faster, especially considering that most time is spent on the layout, which needs to be done regardless of the CMS. With a ready-made theme, I could probably create a regular business card website with blogs in 3-4 hours.
In conclusion, my answer was written over three years ago, so there may be updates or changes in these CMS platforms since then. It's always worth researching and staying updated on the latest developments.
Wix is an excellent and easy-to-use CMS that's ideal for new users and small business owners that want to build and manage content for a site without coding knowledge.