Content Management Systems (CMS) Roundup

CMS Overview

A CMS allows the easy publishing of content to the web, where content is key rather than HTML skills.

Normally, themes and templates are used to keep content standardised across the website and these can be managed within the admin system of the CMS.

Content can usually be added by anyone with relevant access to the sytem, ranging from a tech-savvy article writer to a tech-adverse author.

This CMS roundup covers some of the main options available.

Some of these options allow for both a hosted version (where the CMS and website is hosted by an external website) and an installed version (where your own website or web hosting account is used to run the CMS)

CMS Roundup

WordPress

According to stats on WordPress.com, there are over 70 million WordPress sites in the world.

WordPress has gone from a blogging platform, to a fully self-contained CMS, available as both a hosted version (at wordpress.com) and installed version (via wordpress.org)

There are a wealth of WordPress themes and plugins available, which allow you to make your site look as customised as you require. Also, over the last few years, many Responsive themes have been developed, which allow your WordPress site to work on mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, without any extra work on your part.

This website uses WordPress and the Avada theme, both of which I highly recommend.

Available since: 2003

URLs:
Hosted version www.wordpress.com
Installed version www.wordpress.org

Joomla

Joomla is thought to be the second most used CMS after WordPress. It operates in a similar manner and is also an open-source CMS, like WordPress. Unlike WordPress, Joomla started as a CMS rather than a blogging tool.

Available since: 2005

URLs:
www.joomla.org

Drupal

Drupal describes itself a little differently to WordPress and Joomla, as a content management platform. It’s also open-source, as are WordPress and Joomla.

Available since: 2001

URLs:
drupal.org

Squarespace

Squarespace is an online CMS, where you can host your own paid Squarespace site. It seems particularly geared towards design and portfolio type websites, with lots of image-based templates and cool, clean example sites.

Available since: 2007

URLs:
http://www.squarespace.com
Review – http://www.websitebuilderexpert.com/squarespace-review/

e-commerce CMS

Magento

Magento is an e-commerce platform, often thought of as the e-commerce version of WordPress, working along the lines of a CMS. There are several versions available, including hosted versions (Magento go), downloadable open-source version (Magento Community Edition) and corporate version (Magento Enterprise Edition)
Magento is now part of eBay Inc.

Available since: 2008

URLs:
http://www.magentocommerce.com

Shopify

Shopify is a hosted e-commerce CMS. A broad choice of e-commerce templates allows users to quickly get their Shopify site up-and-running, also allowing users to build an entire website based around Shopify.

Available since: 2006

URLs:
http://www.shopify.com/
Review: http://stylefactoryproductions.com/blog/2013/6/15/shopify-review#.UjNHL8asgk0

CMS for non-profits

Bellstrike

Bellstrike is an online CMS, exclusively for charities and non-profit-organisations. They provide sites on a free basis, but take a percentage of donations and also a fee per credit card transaction goes to their payment processor.

Available since: 2009

URLs: http://bellstrike.com

Thanks to Patrick McNeil, author of ‘The Web Designer’s Idea Book – Volume 3‘, whose book introduced me to some new CMS I hadn’t considered before, plus many example CMS websites.

Pat has been absolutely incredible at testing each of our projects he works on. He’s very professional, organised and diligent. I look forward to using him again in the future.

Oliver Thurtle, Director of Technology, Drum

Pat is an excellent one-stop-shop for testing Apps and Websites. He is a self-starter who just knows what needs to be done and gets on with it, and is responsive to requests for any specific testing requirements. He provides test plans and reports as a matter of course and was a pleasure to work with. I will definitely be working with Pat again if the opportunity arises.

Andrew Birley, PM, Storythings

Pat Walsh fixed my site within hours of my contacting him – his WordPress website fix service clearly works!

Douglas Green, Douglas Software

We hired Pat to help with QA of a music streaming app. We needed someone with that magic “6th sense” of where the bugs are lurking; the ones which developers tend to miss. Pat more than fulfilled this need, with highly methodical approach and a great eye for detail.

Subsequently Pat has provided QA services for a personal app project of mine, finding a significant issue which had been lurking for some time.

Pat is a real asset to any team – highly competent technically but also easy going and a great guy to work with. Highly recommended!

Andrew Ebling, Head of App Development, Composed

Pat Walsh provided Kingston Valdes with a professional and personable service that was excellent value. The site was built and tested quickly, we are delighted with the results, and we have already had positive feedback from some of our clients. If you’re thinking of building a new site or adapting an existing one, I’d certainly recommend speaking with Pat about it.

Kathy Valdes, Kingston Valdes

Pat performs comprehensive website testing for us, across all the main browsers and platforms, including mobile devices. His flexible approach to testing and clear feedback enable us to have confidence that the business end of our website is still working smoothly after system updates and changes.

Steve Liu, Manager, Wicked Lasers

Pat came to Composed to respond to our (increasingly urgent) need of QA on mobile and web and I can testify he more than fulfilled the task. On the Android side, his very structured approach (first exploratory testing, then focus on defining test plans for a variety of scopes) and his clear knowledge of the latest mobile technologies have quickly paid off. He was involved directly with the developers (including myself) and this very dynamic relationship enabled us to annihilate bugs swiftly and efficiently.

David Ferrand, Android Developer, Composed

Couldn’t recommend Pat highly enough. He goes beyond what you’d expect of a QA tester, commenting more broadly on user experience and even design. He’s quick, efficient and thorough – couldn’t ask for any more.

Rob Calvert, Director, Click

We’ve worked with Pat Walsh on a number of very different projects, from interactive video projects to mobile apps. His work is very thorough and has quickly become an essential and important phase of all the production work we do at Storythings. He’s thorough, diligent, and a pleasure to work with.

Matt Locke, Director, Storythings

Content Management Systems (CMS) Roundup

CMS Overview