The 3 best CMS systems and their strengths

Our experience with content management systems

Every day, we at ithelps are confronted with the question and decision of which content management system is the best choice for which customer and their requirements. Thanks to the experience we have gained in countless website projects as a Joomla agency and WordPress agency, we know very quickly which one to use.

But if you don't know what a content management system is, how are you supposed to know which one is best suited for your web project? Or how the costs and market shares of the respective systems compare to each other?

This article and the following video answer these questions in a simple explanation. So read on and immerse yourself in the world of content management systems with me. I've deliberately kept the explanations short so that you can get a quick overview.

Video: CMS systems compared and explained simply - ideal for beginners

What is a content management system (CMS)?

Definition: A content management system (CMS, also known as a web content management system) is a user interface that allows you to easily create, edit or fill your website with content.

Web content management systems are a sub-area of the comprehensive enterprise CMS (enterprise content management).

Definition of Enterprise Content Management: Enterprise Content Management is the management of all data and information generated in an organisation.

Regardless of whether it is the display of images or the insertion of text content into the website, with CMS systems this is no problem even for inexperienced website operators.

A number of versions are available for this purpose. The most important text editors have a similar structure to the word processing programme Word and are therefore no great challenge even for laymen in the field of web development.

A classic relational database is usually used to save the data and content. Which database is used to save the content in a specific case is not part of my explanation, as this is revealed by looking at the system requirements in which the database is normally listed.

Which open source content management systems are available?

Everyone knows WordPress, some also know Joomla, Typo3 and Drupal. But then it gets narrow. Or have you ever heard of Concrete5, Redaxo or even Neos?

I have listed all open source CMS and linked to the provider page.

The first group contains the "established" ones. These have already proven themselves to users and have a more or less large community.

The second group shows those open source systems, some of which have already attracted attention in recent years, but have not yet established themselves.

Established open source content management systems

Concrete5, Contao, Contenido, Django-CMS, Drupal, ezPublish, ExpressionEngine, Hippo/Bloomreach, Joomla, Liferay, Magnolia, ModX, Open CMS, Papaya, Pimcore, Plone, ProcessWire, Redaxo, Scientific CMS, Typo3, Umbraco, WordPress

Open source content management systems not yet established

Apostrophe CMS, Bludit, Bolt, Cockpit, Directus, Gentics Mesh, Ghost CMS, Grav, Keystone, Neos, OctoberCMS, PageKit, Prime, Publii, Squidex, Strapi, Sulu, Superdesk, Wagtail

Content management systems and design

By definition, CMSs focus on the content of websites, their creation and management. Hence the term content management system or web content management system.

In addition to administration, however, the presentation of the content and the entire website is not neglected, as this has a significant influence on the user experience. Most CMS have so-called templates (definition: website design templates) that you can use for your website.

These templates help you to find a suitable design for your website. Such designs have the advantage that your site is already a finished interface in which you only have to fill in your content and do not have to deal with additional design issues.

However, adapting the design to your CD (corporate design) or your CI (corporate identity) is very easy to implement with a content management system. With just a few clicks and settings.

Is programming knowledge necessary for a content management system (CMS)? And if so, how much programming expertise do I need?

That's not so easy to answer. Whether and what programming knowledge you need always depends on the use and the chosen content management system.

In principle, however, no programming knowledge is required for a web content management system. Content (text, images and other content) is simply inserted using a WYSIWYG editor. You can think of such an editor as MS Words, for example: Type in text, insert images and other content, save - done.

However, if you need functions that are not covered to your satisfaction with plugins (function extensions), knowledge of programming can't hurt. Provided you have access to the source code.

There is not just one single content management system on the market, but a whole host of them. Some of them are open source systems, while the source code of other, paid systems is not accessible. Here is a short list of the best-known open source systems.

• WordPress
• Joomla!
• Typo3
• Drupal
• GetSimple
• Contao

Which content management system (CMS) is best suited to your website?

Now we come to the next important question: Which of these open source CMS is the right one for you?

The purpose is always the same: to bring content to your website. However, each CMS has very specific advantages and, depending on the requirements, is more or less suitable for building a web presence.

Some are more extensible, while others offer little room for manoeuvre in terms of extensibility.

To help you make the right choice, I have put together a short introduction to the most commonly used CMSs.

So let's waste no time and compare the top 3.

WordPress - the most widely used content management system

WordPress is one of the most popular CMS and blog systems and is characterised by the large number of plugins compared to other open source CMS systems.

To explain: Plugins are extensions for various functions that are not included in the original scope.

If you are interested in expanding your website with additional functions and customising it to your needs, WordPress is a good choice for you.

The structure of WordPress is particularly suitable for weblogs (blogs). However, it is also no problem to create contact forms, a social network or entire websites including an online shop.

Is WP suitable for complex websites?

However, if you want to create a complex website with complex content, the open source content management system WordPress is not really suitable, as you need many extensions that have to be installed additionally. This in turn makes the website slow. And a slow website = poorer positioning in Google.

CMS system Joomla!

Thanks to the user-friendly interface of the Joomla content management system and the use of extensions, it is possible to create websites with a high level of functionality that are also easy to use.

Maintaining your website or creating content is also easy with Joomla. And as an administrator, you have the option of managing user rights for groups and adding new functions, such as newsletters.

What are the weaknesses of the Joomla CMS?

The weak point of websites with the Joomla CMS system is that there are not as many templates and extensions as with WordPress, for example.

CMS system Typo3

Typo3 is one of the most comprehensive open source CMS systems currently on the market. This CMS system is particularly suitable for complex websites with different user roles.

The CMS is characterised by its high level of security and excellent expansion options.

However, Typo3 also has disadvantages

On the one hand, it is necessary to have certain prior knowledge of this system, and on the other hand, the content management system is very hardware-intensive. Maintenance is also much more difficult than with other CMSs. However, with a competent Typo3 agency at your side, this should not be a problem.

Let's take a look at another interesting CMS underdog.

Neos - open source CMS with a focus on content

In addition to the three "big ones", there are, as already mentioned, numerous other open source CMS. One of these is Neos. Although Neos is not as widespread, it can be particularly interesting for developers and editors.

Neos places great emphasis on intuitive usability, the focus of the editor is on the content itself and less on technology.

Compared to the "Big Three", however, Neos only plays a minor role with a market share of less than one per cent.

In line with this, I have picked out the ten most popular content management systems.

The market shares of the various CMS systems in Germany, Austria and the USA.

What is currently the best and most frequently used content management system on the market? That's easy to answer! We show you the facts in a benchmark comparison between Austria, Germany and the USA.

Joomla, WordPress, Drupal and others occupy very different positions in the benchmark comparison. For example, a market share of 70% for WordPress websites in the USA is absolutely astonishing. The top 4 CMS systems in Austria are also clearly defined:

CMS Statistics 2018

CMS statistics 2015

Conclusion

You have now learnt what a CMS (content management system) is, the advantages of using a CMS, which CMS is currently the best or the market leader and which is most suitable for you and your requirements.

We have discussed the following topics:

• The best CMS systems and their strengths
• Our experience with content management systems
• Video: CMS systems comparison and simply explained - ideal for beginners
• What is a CMS and which content management systems are currently on the market?
• Content management systems and design
• Is programming knowledge necessary for a content management system? And if so, how much programming knowledge do I need?
• Which content management system is best suited to your website?
• WordPress - the most widely used content management system
• Is WP suitable for complex websites?
• CMS system Joomla!
• What are the weaknesses of the Joomla CMS?
• CMS system Typo3
• But Typo3 also has disadvantages
• Neos - Open Source CMS with a focus on content
• The market shares and costs of the various CMS systems in Germany, Austria and the USA
• CMS statistics 2018
• CMS statistics 2015
• Conclusion

Now it's up to you to decide on one of the CMSs discussed.

If, despite our information, you are still unable to decide which of the CMS systems presented should be used for your website, or if you need support with the implementation of your company website, simply give us a call on +43 1 353 2 353 or send us an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..