Choosing a Content Management System

(CMS)

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Choosing a Content Management System (CMS)

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Date Document Description Created By:

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10/Oct/2013 <1.0> First draft Laraib Saad
Choosing a Content Management System (CMS)

Table of Contents

1. Introduction 4
1.1 Purpose 4
1.2 Content Management System 4
1.3 Choosing a Content Management System 4
1.4 Which CMS? How to Decide? 4
1.5 What matters most while deciding? 4
1.6 Custom Code VS Pre-Built CMS 4
1.7 What are your needs? 5
1.8 Comparison 5
1.9 Pre-Built Code (CMS): WordPress VS Joomla VS Drupal 6
1.10 Custom Code (PHP Frameworks): Yii vs CodeIgniter vs Zend vs Symfony 8
1.10.1 CodeIgniter 8
1.10.2 Zend 8
1.10.3 Yii 8
1.10.4 CakePHP 9
1.10.5 Symfony 9
1.11 Reference 10
Choosing a Content Management System (CMS)

Choosing a Content Management System (CMS)

Introduction

1.1 Purpose:
This Document describes the details of Content Management Systems. The purpose of this Document is to
help in choosing the right kind of CMS(s) each defined in a way making one easy to identify the needs
covered by the Many Content Management Systems.

1.2 Content Management System (CMS):

 A Content Management System is a computer software system for organizing and facilitating
collaborative creation of documents and other content.
 A content management system is frequently a web application used for managing websites and
web content.

 The core function and use of content management systems is to present information on websites
and CMS features vary widely.

 A CMS may serve as a central repository containing documents, movies, pictures, phone numbers
and scientific data.

 CMSs can be used for storing, controlling, revising, semantically enriching and publishing
documentation.

1.3 Choosing a Content Management System:

Choosing a CMS, or Content Management System is an important task for your web site development
project. In this post we weight out the pros and cons to doing a custom CMS, or using a popular third-
party pre-built CMS.

1.4 Which CMS? How to Decide?

There are a lot of things to consider when choosing a content management system (CMS). The first and
most important is if you are going to use a pre-built CMS (WordPress, Drupal, Expression Engine, etc) or
have a custom CMS built for your project. There are many benefits to both, and only by knowing your
needs can you really establish which one will work best for you. In this article we will explore three
considerations, and how they factor in your CMS decision.

1.5 What matters most while deciding?

Both Custom and Pre-Built Content Management Systems (CMS) offer similar programmatic benefits with
no real limitations, so for most businesses, budget is the key factor in deciding between the two. As we
explore the two approaches, what we are really establishing is which one will most likely get the job done
with a smaller budget based on your needs.

1.6 Custom Code VS Pre-Build:

Custom Code refers to hand coding which means writing /editing a source code like HTML, CSS, Java
Script, .Net, PHP etc. for whole program or a portion of it which is native coding.

On the other hand people use frameworks to support their programming code, framework is a universal,
reusable software platform to develop applications, products and solutions. It includes support programs,
compilers, code libraries, tool sets, and application programming interfaces (APIs).
Choosing a Content Management System (CMS)

Where as Pre-Build code / CMS refers to systems that provide procedures to manage workflow in a
collaborative environment having ready made libraries.

1.7 What are your needs?

 What is the time frame in which you are required to get the site up and running?
 What is your budget?
 Is a pre built CMS available out there which meets 80% of your requirements?
 What is most important aspect(s) for the site success - Time to market, user interface, usability, ease of
use, performance?
 Can the existing pre built content management system be customized?
 Who are the users who are going to be using the content management system and maintain your site?
 Do you have a technology preference?

1.8 Comparison:

Functionality Custom Code Pre – Build Code (CMS)

Customization Can be customize as much as you want Customization is limited

For Non-Developer not good for non-developers good for non-developers

Time time consuming time efficient

Precision it gives you exactly what you want it gives you what you want but
might have other un-necessary
stuff
Performance faster and reliable if its static OR not too performance is good but
much dynamic somewhat less if compared to a
static hand coded site
Changes not so good for frequent changes can handle frequent changes
easily

Support over time harder to support unless the original Everyone has a different style of
developer is on hand throughout the lifetime coding, and it can be hard for
of the site’s operation some developers to determine
the structure of others
Security high security - as hackers are writing scripts Security is at risk if you're
for popular CMSs, not custom CMSs dealing with highly confidential
data
Code cleaner code - sometimes a site may be so Un-necessary code - it may
simple and focused that you don’t need all contain un-necessary stuff that
the bells and whistles of WordPress or you never wanted in first place
Drupal, and the code can be cleaner and less
bloated
Documentation there may not be any well written a proper documentation can be
documentation on how to use it, make provided as the pre-build cms
changes, etc works in one way for everyone
Choosing a Content Management System (CMS)

IF THE CHOICE IS PRE-BUILD CODE (CMS) THEN HERE’S A COMPARISON OF KNOWN CMS AVAILABLE TO
CHOOSE FROM:

1.9 Pre-Build Code (CMS): Drupal vs Joomla vs WordPress

Drupal Joomla Wordpress

Homepage www.drupal.org www.joomla.org www.wordpress.org
About Drupal is a powerful, Joomla offers middle Wordpress began as an
developer-friendly tool ground between the innovative, easy-to-use
for building complex developer-oriented, blogging platform. With
sites. Like most extensive capabilities an ever-increasing
powerful tools, it of Drupal and user- repertoire of themes,
requires some expertise friendly but more plugins and widgets,
and experience to complex site this CMS is widely used
operate. development options for other website
than Wordpress offers formats also.
Example Sites Community Portal: Fast Social Networking: MTV Social Networking:
Company, Team Sugar Networks Quizilla PlayStation Blog

Education: Harvard News Publishing: CNN

University Political Ticker

Restaurant: IHOP Education/Research:

NASA Ames Research
Center

News Publishing: The

New York Observer

Installation Drupal Installation Drupal Installation Wordpress Installation

Forum Forum Forum
Ease of Use Drupal requires the Less complex than Technical experience is
most technical Drupal, more complex not necessary; it’s
expertise of the three than Wordpress. intuitive and easy to
CMSs. However, it also Relatively get a simple site set up
is capable of producing uncomplicated quickly. It’s easy to
the most advanced installation and setup. paste text from a
sites. With each With a relatively small Microsoft Word
release, it is becoming investment of effort document into a
easier to use. If you’re into understanding Wordpress site, but not
unable to commit to Joomla’s structure and into Joomla and Drupal
learning the software or terminology, you have sites.
can’t hire someone who the ability to create
knows it, it may not be fairly complex sites.
the best choice.
Features Known for its powerful Designed to perform as Ease of use is a key
taxonomy and ability to a community platform, benefit for experts and
tag, categorize and with strong social novices alike. It’s
Choosing a Content Management System (CMS)

organize complex networking features. powerful enough for

content. web developers or
designers to efficiently
build sites for clients;
then, with minimal
instruction, clients can
take over the site
management. Known
for an extensive
selection of themes.
Very user-friendly with
great support and
tutorials, making it
great for non-technical
users to quickly deploy
fairly simple sites.
Caching Plug-ins Pressflow: This is a JotCache offers page WP-SuperCache: The
downloadable version caching in the Joomla Super Cache plugin
of Drupal that comes 1.5 search framework, optimizes performance
bundled with popular resulting in fast page by generating static
enhancements in key downloads. Also html files from
areas, including provides control over database-driven
performance and what content is cached content for faster load
scalability and what is not. In times.
addition, page caching
is supported by the
System Cache Plugin
that comes with
Joomla.
Best Use Cases For complex, advanced Joomla allows you to Ideal for fairly simple
and versatile sites; for build a site with more web sites, such as
sites that require content and structure everyday blogging and
complex data flexibility than news sites; and anyone
organization; for Wordpress offers, but looking for an easy-to-
community platform still with fairly easy, manage site. Add-ons
sites with multiple intuitive usage. make it easy to expand
users; for online stores Supports E-commerce, the functionality of the
social networking and site
more.
Production Cost Very High High Low
Choosing a Content Management System (CMS)

IF THE CHOICE IS CUSTOM CODE (HAND WRITTEN CODE) THEN HERE’S A COMPARISON OF FRAMWORKS
AVAILABLE TO CHOOSE FROM:

1.10 Custom Code (PHP Frameworks): Yii vs CodeIgniter vs Zend vs CakePHP vs Symfony
PHP frameworks help you to write clean and reusable code. It follows the MVC pattern, ensuring a clear
separation of logic and presentation. But there is a much discussion all around because some prefer
performance, some prefer better documentation, some prefer amount of built-in functions etc.

Here are some pros and cons of using frameworks:

Pros

PHP frameworks can be used as a rapid application development method.

As each project is based on a similar structure, it allows for a faster development cycle.
Developers can easily jump from project to project without worrying too much about the structure of the
code.
The underlying code will change less often, resulting in a more stable site.

Cons

Some frameworks have a steep learning curve.

It can be difficult to find developers with experience of a particular framework.
Not all frameworks are bug free
Hackers can exploit weaknesses in frameworks.

Here is a Google Trend comparison chart showing popularity of different frameworks from 2013:

Figure: Yii vs CodeIgniter vs Zend vs Cakephp vs Symfony commparison Chart

 Choosing a Content Management System (CMS)

1.10.1 CodeIgniter:
Statistically, currently Codeigniter is one of the best php framework in the market. It’s a choice of most
of php developer. It’s relatively easy to learn. Feature wise, Codeigniter is powerful frameworks such as
Zend and Cake. Its major goal is to enable you to develop projects much faster than you could, by
providing a rich set of libraries for commonly needed tasks, as well as a simple interface and logical
structure to access these libraries. It is only suitable for small to medium level projects.

1.10.2 Zend Framework:

Statistically, Zend Framework comes equal to CodeIgniter. It’s a powerful PHP Framework which is more
secure, reliable and allows Web 2.0 applications & web services. It is used in building big applications.

1.10.3 Yii Framework:

Statistically, currently yii framework is the best php framework in the market. The main features that
makes Yii on 3rd spot is its features and a bit faster framework.

1.10.4 CakePHP:
Statistically, CakePHP comes on 4th spot. It’s a popular framework for web application development. It
comes with a lot of features: code generation, translations, database access, caching, validation,
authentication etc.

1.10.5 Symfony:
Statistically, Symfony comes on 5th spot. It has a good reputation; it is recommended if you have a bigger
project to do (more than a month to develop).

1.10.6 Features Supported by PHP Frameworks:

PHP PHP4 PHP5 MVC Multiple ORM DB Templates Caching Validation Ajax Auth. Modules EDP
Frameworks DB's Objects Module

Yii -

CodeIgniter - - - - -

Zend - - -

CakePHP - -

Symfony
- -
-

Table: Supported features in PHP Frameworks: Yii, CodeIgniter, Zend, CakePHP and Symfony
Choosing a Content Management System (CMS)

1.11 References:
 http://www.newnorth.com/custom-cms-vs-packaged-cms/
 http://www.sitepoint.com/forums/showthread.php?643367-CMS-vs-PHP-Framework-vs-Hand-coding
 http://cmswebsites.org/blog/hand-coding-vs-pre-built-cms/
 http://www.collegemediainnovation.org/blog/2009/09/guest-post-hand-coding-vs-cms-hand-coding-gives-essential-experience/
 http://futurictech.blogspot.com/2013/07/which-is-better-hand-coding-or-pre.html
 http://castroller.com/podcasts/TheChrisPirillo/3763044
 http://www.lunametrics.com/blog/2010/10/21/custom-cms/#sr=g&m=o&ct=-tmc&rf=1633178330.1381226729
 http://www.lockergnome.com/net/2011/10/24/which-is-better-hand-coding-or-pre-built-cms/
 http://www.sitepoint.com/forums/showthread.php?752224-CMS-or-code-it-your-self
 http://www.fdsc.net/index.php/Content-Management-System/custom-build-versus-pre-built-cms.html
 http://webrevisions.com/tutorials/php-framework-the-best-php-framework-for-2013/#.UlUWhFNeLZ5
 www.google.com/trends
 http://www.creativebloq.com/design/choose-right-php-framework-12122774