Blogging is still soaring in the Web 2.0 era and WordPress is easily the most popular engine on the market. This multipurpose blogging software is used for everything from personal diaries to business applications, helping many achieve online notoriety and even more bring in consistent revenue. Although WordPress is generally referred to as a weblog publishing tool, some are calling it a CMS. Do you agree? We don’t. And this article will explain why.
In order to determine whether WordPress is a CMS or not, you should first become acquainted with the three main types of content management systems, as outlined below.
Open-source Systems – Software packages like Drupal and Joomla that are becoming more popular for small to medium sized ventures.
Enterprise Systems - Proprietary solutions like Microsoft Content Server. This type of CMS is geared towards corporate users that require powerful business applications and frequent database interaction.
Home Grown Systems – These systems are developed in-house by webmasters who have specific requirements for content management.
When comparing the WordPress platform to the software in these classifications, it falls short as merely an over-hyped content delivery system. Though it has a tremendous following and a number of benefits, WordPress doesn’t have what it takes to be called a real CMS. In fact, it lacks several of the necessary protocols the average CMS provides as standard. This includes update features, security tools, user permissions and more complex content management functionality. When considering the all the capabilities it is missing, calling WordPress a CMS may be like unfairly moving it up in weight class.
Should WordPress be a CMS?
Perhaps the real issue should be whether or not WordPress needs to be more like a genuine CMS. While this software gives you a lot, there are limitations and thus disadvantages. Ask a fan of Mambo or PHP-Nuke and they will probably tell you that WordPress is highly inferior.
Despite the shortcomings, it still is a very efficient tool and rightly embraced by millions of users around the world. It can also be a nice alternative to some of the more complex and intimidating content management systems. For the most part, the user community is happy with the functionality and would probably prefer to keep things as they are. After all, turning the platform into a true CMS would tamper with a relatively clean code and possibly cause the software to lose some of its natural appeal. Besides, simplicity and ease of use are two of WordPress’ biggest advantages.
Conclusion
There is no denying the capabilities of WordPress. The overwhelming enthusiasm the community shares for this platform is certainly warranted. It is very cost effective and makes and ideal tool for small to medium sized operations and can even move up to a larger scale as well. Be that as it may, tagging WordPress as a content management system is not inherantly accurate. In order to earn that title, the software would require a major overhaul which would in turn, cause it to lose so much of the qualities that has made it so popular.
Is WordPress Really a CMS?
A Worthy CMS Battle: Joomla vs. WordPress
Joomla vs. WordPress has become one of the hottest topics around the web. In actuality, the comparisons aren’t all that fair because these platforms are designed with different purposes in mind. WordPress is more of a website engine based on the premise of installing the software, running it and publishing basic content in a fast and easy manner. Joomla is completely different, built for publishing and managing all types of content. This gives Joomla many capabilities WordPress lacks.
Distinguishing the Two
A good way to compare the two systems would be to look at the fundamental differences. With Joomla, you can place ten different menus on a web page in any position or style you like. Much of this can be done from scratch in a few easy clicks. Its functionality is ideal for multiple users who have their own roles on the site as well as the administrator who needs to control the whole operation with ease.
If it has to be a user-friendly publishing tool for simple content that only requires one administrator, WordPress is the way to go. This platform covers the blog scene with more efficiency, which is exactly what is designed to do. It is very useful for attracting search engine bots with features such as ping and tracks, tag capabilities, and optimized URLs. Though Joomla can be configured to produce clean URLs, it does take a little more work. The overall theory is that blogs are search engine friendly and WordPress makes up a good portion of the argument.
WordPress as a CMS
WordPress has many beneficial uses but the results aren’t always that good when using it for larger jobs. When the page count starts to add up in different categories, you may start to experience management issues Joomla on the other hand, is made to handle such jobs and does it with relative ease. If you’re looking to use WordPress for something that was created with a true content management system, you could be in for a rude awakening. This platform will support a couple of hundred pages and basic content but don’t expect more than that. Try to over do it and you could find yourself spending time on things that wouldn’t have been an issue with the proper software.
The Last Word
If your goals call for a blog or even a more interactive website, WordPress could be a viable option. This platform is highly regarded as the most streamlined publishing tool available, allowing you to get online fast with little to no technical knowledge. Joomla is better for managing a larger amount of more complex content. In the end, an expert user should be able to make the most of both solutions. With all the available plugins, WordPress can be extended to the point where you wouldn’t know the site was power by a blogging tool. If this platform can’t deliver the functionality you need, a genuine CMS such as Joomla makes a great choice. The key is knowing what you need to get the job done and making the right choice from the start.
