WordPress has long reigned as the go-to content management system (CMS) for websites, powering over 40% of the internet as of 2023. However, in 2024, inconveniences began to manifest themselves, which affect its dominant position in the market. Issues surrounding third-party plugin vulnerabilities, compatibility struggles with the Gutenberg editor, the growing complexity of the platform, and disputes with hosting companies like WP Engine have left some users searching for alternative CMS solutions.
Whether you're a small business owner, a developer, or a content creator, it's essential to explore alternatives to WordPress that might better suit your needs in 2024. In this article, we'll examine several leading content management systems (CMS), each offering unique strengths and weaknesses. These platforms include Joomla, Drupal, ClassicPress, and JavaScript-based CMS options like Ghost and Strapi. By the end, you'll have a clear understanding of what's available and which CMS might be the right fit for your next project.
1. Joomla
Joomla is one of the most stable and most well-established alternatives to WordPress. It has built a reputation as a flexible and robust CMS, offering more advanced features out-of-the-box than WordPress. With an active community and a wealth of extensions, Joomla is a powerful platform for developers and users who need more control over their website's design and functionality.
Pros:
- Flexible and Extendable: Joomla offers more complex and customizable layouts than WordPress without relying heavily on plugins. Its extension library includes modules, components, and plugins, offering extensive functionality.
- Multilingual Support: Unlike WordPress, Joomla natively supports multilingual websites, making it ideal for international projects.
- User Management: Joomla has a more advanced user access control system compared to WordPress, allowing for better management of user permissions and groups.
- More Secure: While no CMS is immune to security vulnerabilities, Joomla has fewer third-party dependencies, reducing the potential for plugin-based exploits.
Cons:
- Fewer Themes and Plugins: Joomla's community is smaller than WordPress's, meaning there are fewer pre-built themes and extensions.
- Support and Documentation Joomla's documentation is extensive, but it can be hard to navigate, especially for beginners. Finding solutions in the community forums is not always as easy or as fast as with WordPress, which has a much larger user base.
- Lower Popularity: Due to its smaller market share compared to WordPress, Joomla has less community support, fewer developers specializing in it, and fewer resources like tutorials or guides. This makes it harder to find freelancers or agencies proficient in Joomla compared to WordPress.
Learn more: Joomla!
2. Drupal
Drupal is the choice of many large enterprises, government websites, and educational institutions. Known for its scalability, power, and security, Drupal is a robust CMS for developers who need to build large and complex websites.
Pros:
- Highly Scalable: Drupal can handle vast amounts of content and traffic, making it suitable for enterprise-level projects.
- Security: Drupal is recognized for its top-tier security features, making it a popular choice for high-security websites, such as government and financial services.
- Custom Content Types: Drupal allows for the creation of highly customized content types and taxonomies, which offer greater flexibility in organizing content.
- Developer-Friendly: Drupal's architecture is extremely flexible, and it has strong APIs for custom development.
Cons:
- Complexity: Drupal's powerful features come with a steep learning curve. It is not ideal for beginners or those who want a simple setup.
- Resource-Intensive: Because of its complexity, Drupal requires more server resources, potentially driving up hosting costs.
- Fewer Themes and Plugins: Similar to Joomla, Drupal's ecosystem is smaller than WordPress, meaning there are fewer pre-built solutions for non-developers.
Learn more: Drupal
3. ClassicPress
ClassicPress is essentially a fork of WordPress that keeps the classic, pre-Gutenberg editing experience. It was born out of frustration with the block-based Gutenberg editor that was introduced in WordPress 5.0, and it remains a good choice for those who prefer the old WordPress interface or want a more lightweight CMS.
Pros:
- Familiar Interface: For WordPress users who disliked the shift to Gutenberg, ClassicPress offers a familiar, classic editing experience.
- Lightweight: ClassicPress strips away many of the newer WordPress features, making it a more lightweight and faster platform for simple sites.
- Easy Transition for WordPress Users: ClassicPress is built on the same codebase as WordPress, making it easy for WordPress users to switch over without learning an entirely new system.
- No Gutenberg Bloat: ClassicPress doesn't include the block editor, so it performs better on sites where this feature is unnecessary.
Cons:
- Smaller Community: With WordPress evolving quickly, ClassicPress remains a niche CMS with a small user base and fewer themes and plugins available.
- Limited Long-Term Potential: The future of ClassicPress is somewhat uncertain, as it does not have the same development resources or ecosystem as WordPress.
- Few Advanced Features: Since ClassicPress is focused on simplicity, it lacks some of the more advanced features and updates that WordPress has introduced.
Learn more: ClassicPress
4. Ghost (JavaScript-Based CMS)
Ghost is a JavaScript-based CMS that has gained popularity in recent years, particularly among bloggers and content creators. Built on Node.js, Ghost is designed for speed and simplicity, making it a powerful alternative for those focused on writing and publishing content.
Pros:
- Blazing Fast: Ghost is built on modern web technologies (Node.js), making it much faster than WordPress. It's optimized for performance and load speed.
- Minimalist and User-Friendly: Ghost is incredibly user-friendly, with a clean and minimalistic interface that's easy to navigate for non-technical users.
- Perfect for Content Creators: Ghost is tailored to content creators, especially bloggers, with a focus on writing, SEO, and clean presentation.
- Modern Tech Stack: Ghost uses a JavaScript-based stack, making it easier for developers who prefer modern frameworks like React or Vue to extend functionality.
Cons:
- Limited Plugin Ecosystem: Ghost doesn't have nearly as many plugins or themes as WordPress, which might make customization more challenging.
- Not as Feature-Rich: Ghost is designed to be simple and fast, but this means it's less versatile than other CMS options like Joomla or Drupal for building complex websites.
- Hosting Requirements: Ghost's Node.js foundation requires specific server environments, which can make hosting more complex or expensive compared to PHP-based platforms like WordPress.
Learn more: Ghost
5. Strapi (Headless CMS)
Strapi is a popular headless CMS that's built with JavaScript and designed to work with modern front-end frameworks like React, Vue, or Angular. It separates the back-end content management from the front-end display, allowing developers to have full control over the user experience.
Pros:
- Highly Customizable: Strapi gives developers total freedom to create their front-end using any technology they like, while Strapi handles the back-end content management.
- API-Driven: As a headless CMS, Strapi allows content to be delivered to any platform (website, mobile app, IoT devices) via APIs, making it incredibly versatile.
- Modern Development Stack: Strapi is built using Node.js, making it a good fit for teams using modern JavaScript frameworks and libraries.
- Open Source: Strapi is fully open-source, with a vibrant developer community contributing to its growth.
Cons:
- Requires Development Skills: Strapi is aimed at developers, and non-technical users may find it difficult to set up and manage without assistance.
- No Out-of-the-Box Front-End: As a headless CMS, Strapi doesn't include a front-end interface by default, so users need to build their own front-end, adding to the time and cost of setup.
- Smaller Ecosystem: Although growing rapidly, Strapi still has a smaller ecosystem of plugins and third-party tools compared to older platforms like WordPress or Drupal.
Learn more: Strapi
6. Grav (Flat-File CMS)
Grav is a flat-file CMS that doesn't use a database. Instead, it stores all data in files, making it lightweight and fast. It's perfect for small websites and developers looking for a minimalist, flexible solution.
Pros:
- Fast and Lightweight: Without a database, Grav is extremely fast and requires fewer server resources, making it ideal for small websites or blogs.
- Easy Version Control: Since Grav uses flat files, it integrates well with version control systems like Git, making it ideal for developers.
- Simple Installation: Grav is easy to install and doesn't require setting up a database, reducing complexity for simpler projects.
Cons:
- Limited for Larger Projects: Grav is excellent for smaller sites, but its lack of a database can become a limitation for larger, content-heavy projects.
- Fewer Extensions: Grav has a smaller community and fewer plugins available compared to WordPress, Joomla, or Drupal.
- Requires Technical Knowledge: Grav is more technical than WordPress, making it better suited for developers than non-technical users.
Learn more: Grav
Update (based on user feedback)
7. Backdrop CMS
Backdrop CMS is a lightweight, user-friendly alternative to Drupal, designed specifically for smaller businesses and nonprofits. It shares a lot of the same architecture as Drupal but simplifies the user experience, making it a more accessible choice for those who want the power of Drupal without the complexity. With its focus on usability, affordability, and backward compatibility, Backdrop is a solid choice for those seeking a middle ground between the flexibility of Drupal and the ease of use of WordPress.
Pros:
- Familiar for Drupal Users: Backdrop shares many similarities with Drupal, making it an easy transition for those already familiar with Drupal 7. It’s designed to be a "backward-compatible" version, allowing users to bring over much of their existing work.
- Lightweight and Efficient: Unlike Drupal, Backdrop is streamlined for smaller websites, meaning it requires fewer resources, making it faster and easier to maintain.
- Built-in Features: Backdrop comes with many features that would require add-ons in WordPress, such as advanced content management, layouts, and customizable permissions.
- Affordability: With lower hosting requirements and fewer dependencies on third-party modules, Backdrop can be more cost-effective to run than other CMS options like Drupal.
Cons:
- Smaller Community: Backdrop has a much smaller community compared to both WordPress. This means fewer modules, themes, and less support in terms of forums, documentation, and developer resources.
- Less Customizable than Drupal: While Backdrop simplifies a lot of what Drupal offers, it sacrifices some of the extreme customization and flexibility that Drupal is known for. This may not suit larger, more complex projects.
- Limited Market Share: Backdrop has a relatively small user base. This can make it harder to find developers or agencies familiar with the platform, and fewer tutorials or guides are available.
Learn more: Backdrop CMS
Conclusion
While WordPress continues to dominate the CMS landscape, 2024 offers a growing number of compelling alternatives that cater to different user needs. Whether you're seeking more flexibility, enhanced security, better performance, or simply an easier user experience, platforms like Joomla, Drupal, ClassicPress, Ghost, Strapi, and Grav all present viable options.
- Joomla and Drupal offer robust, scalable solutions for developers and businesses needing extensive control and customization.
- ClassicPress gives WordPress fans a familiar, lightweight option for those who dislike the Gutenberg editor.
- Ghost and Strapi are exciting options for those interested in JavaScript-based CMS platforms, offering speed, modern development stacks, and headless flexibility.
- Grav is ideal for developers who need a fast, flat-file CMS for smaller projects.
- Backdrop is streamlined for smaller websites, meaning it requires fewer resources, making it faster and easier to maintain.
Ultimately, the best CMS for your project will depend on your specific needs, technical skill level, and the scope of your website. Whether you're building a large corporate site, a small blog, or a custom application, the alternatives to WordPress in 2024 offer plenty of opportunities to find the perfect platform. Take the time to evaluate each option's strengths and weaknesses, and you'll be well-equipped to create a website that meets your goals, without the frustrations that WordPress can sometimes bring.
- The first contains demo data in the form of modules (Phoca Particles module) that are independent of any other extension.
- The second contains demo data for an ecommerce project. If you have Phoca Cart installed, you can use this package to quickly install products, categories, etc.
Phoca Premiere demo website
I would like to share with you my findings and brief review of the new book Developing Extensions for Joomla! 5 by Carlos M. Cámara Mora. This will not be a long and competent review, but rather a very brief look at the book. If you are interested in extensive data, such as chapter lists, etc., you can find them on the website for this book: Developing Extensions for Joomla! 5.
First of all, it is worth mentioning that publishing a book in the field of technical literature is not easy in these rapidly changing times, and I would like to express my great admiration for the author.
This book is dedicated to the development of extensions for Joomla! and it is good to realise that a whole major version of the Joomla! system (Joomla! 4) was sacrificed in order to completely modernise the whole system, which brought a lot of negatives for Joomla! 4. It succeeded and we have a new version here - Joomla! 5, which has had this turbulent evolution and brings stability to Joomla!, but most importantly, a modern system.
And that modern system deserves a book. This book will help not only new developers who are not familiar with the Joomla! system, but also experienced developers who will be rewriting their extensions for this modern system.
Personally, I was very pleased with the division of logical units into individual chapters. The big chapter on component development has been split into backend and frontend. And the development of plugins and modules has also been divided into separate chapters. One of the most successful Joomla! libraries has also been given a chapter of its own, namely Forms. The additional chapters on Web Service API and CLI are also important. Everything is rounded off with very important chapters such as Template Overrides and Child Templates. Of course, the book includes a complete guide on how to develop extensions, so there is also a guide on how to distribute extensions, and there are also security practices, which is very important.
Although I haven't read all the chapters yet, I have to say that the book is very easy to read, everything is explained very well and simply. The author gets straight to the point, doesn't distract you unnecessarily and concentrates on the topic at hand.
So what can I say in conclusion? If I had to rate the book, I would give it the highest rating. If I were to recommend the book, I would recommend it to complete newcomers to Joomla! extension development, as well as established developers who need an explanation of the new modern techniques used in Joomla!
But most of all, I would like to thank the author for this book, which only underlines the fact that the Joomla! system, thanks to its modernisation, has once again become an interesting system for developing web applications.
Thank you very much.
Book Website: Developing Extensions for Joomla! 5
Phoca - Inkscape Save As extension is an Inkscape extension which allows you to export your image(s) to JPG, WEBP, AVIF or PNG format. As default, Inkscape can export images to PNG but there is no option to export them to JPG or WEBP format. Inkscape can already export images to PNG, JPG and WEBP by default. It does not yet have support for AVIF. This extension works a little differently than the default feature and allows:
- Full page export
- Selection area export - area of selected object(s) will be exported
- Custom area export - area of manually added coordinates will be exported.
There exist two GitHub projects that deal with the export of Inkscape images to JPG format but both are not more up-to-date for the newest Inkscape version.
Phoca - Inkscape Save As extension is inspired by both projects. It uses some code from both projects which was transformed to new Inkscape API and adds new options.
With Phoca - Inkscape Save As extension you can export images to JPG, WEBP, AVIF or PNG format. There are three options:
- Full page export
- Selection area export - area of selected object(s) will be exported
- Custom area export - area of manually added coordinates will be exported.
When using this extension, be aware:
- This extensions requires ImageMagick library installed on your system
- If the selected file has a different extension than the selected format then the file will be automatically renamed and may overwrite any existing file
- Current files are overwritten automatically, there is no warning
- When using the selection method, for more accurate and faster results, it is recommended to create one object that covers the area of all other objects, and only select this object when exporting.
How to install this extension:
Just follow Inkscape guides for installing Inkscape extensions (download the ZIP package and unzip it to Inkscape extension folder and restart Inkscape)
Possible issues and solution:
- If you get error message that your system does not have Imagemagick library installed, there is no other option, this library needs to be installed
- If you get error message regarding missing Python libraries, such needs to be installed on your system (e.g. if distutils library is missing on your linux system, just install it with "sudo apt-get install python3-distutils"
- If you get error message regarding fragments (objects) when using selection method, for example: "Element fragment does not have a document root!" or similar, then just create one object that covers the area of all other objects, and only select this object when exporting.
In the ever-evolving world of Joomla content management system (CMS), having a robust and versatile ecommerce solution is imperative to cater to the diverse needs of website owners. Phoca Cart, a modern ecommerce suite deeply ingrained in the Joomla CMS framework, emerges as a powerful and feature-rich option for online stores. On the other side of the spectrum, YOOtheme, renowned for its Joomla support, is a highly regarded theme and template provider that seamlessly integrates with Joomla, empowering users to create visually stunning websites. The recent integration of Phoca Cart with YOOtheme has brought about a synergy that further enhances ecommerce capabilities within the Joomla environment.
Understanding Phoca Cart
Phoca Cart is an innovative and feature-packed ecommerce extension designed for Joomla. It stands out by aligning itself with the Joomla CMS framework, ensuring a seamless and intuitive user experience. This modern ecommerce suite boasts a comprehensive array of features, making it an ideal choice for online businesses looking for a powerful ecommerce solution within the Joomla ecosystem.
YOOtheme: Enhancing Joomla with Style and Functionality
YOOtheme, a leading theme and template provider, offers exceptional support for Joomla. With a focus on both style and functionality, YOOtheme provides beautifully designed templates that cater to the aesthetic demands of modern websites. Its unique approach to design and intuitive user interface have garnered a significant user base within the Joomla community. YOOtheme’s templates are built on the foundation of UIkit, a lightweight and modular front-end framework, aligning perfectly with modern web development practices.
Phoca Cart and YOOtheme: A Perfect Match
The integration of Phoca Cart with YOOtheme paves the way for a seamless and harmonious ecommerce experience. Phoca Cart is designed to generate output in either Bootstrap or UIkit, making it inherently compatible with YOOtheme, which is based on the UIkit framework.
1) Basic Support with UIkit Rendering
Phoca Cart seamlessly integrates with YOOtheme by rendering its output in UIkit. This foundational level of support ensures that the ecommerce functionalities of Phoca Cart align with the design aesthetics of YOOtheme.
2) Tailored CSS Display
Phoca Cart offers users the ability to configure additional CSS options that specifically cater to YOOtheme templates. This customization allows for a more cohesive and integrated look when integrating Phoca Cart with YOOtheme-based websites.
3) Flexible Icon Display
Icons within Phoca Cart can be customized to match the design preferences of YOOtheme-based websites. Users have the option to choose between font or SVG icons, providing flexibility in design and visual representation. SVG icon set can be easily changed by template override. See: Changing SVG icons using template override.
Extensions for Seamless Integration:
Phoca Cart extends its capabilities for YOOtheme integration through two dedicated extensions:
4) PCuikit Extension
PCuikit is an extension tailored for Phoca Cart in Joomla. It is designed to seamlessly integrate with Phoca Cart, aligning with the UIkit framework and ensuring a flawless ecommerce experience.
PCuikit integrates the powerful Phoca Cart ecommerce platform for Joomla with the versatile YOOtheme Pro framework. With this integration, web designers and agencies can now leverage YOOtheme Builder's full potential to create visually stunning templates for various Phoca Cart views.
PCuikit supports templating for the following Phoca Cart views:
- Categories view
- Category view
- Product view.
This integration is a game-changer for businesses looking to elevate their online stores' appearance and functionality.
See: PCuikit
5) Yootheme PhocaCart Bridge
Yootheme PhocaCart Bridge is a bridge that links YOOtheme Pro Page Builder with PhocaCart. This integration offers a front-end, 'drag and drop' layout builder for PhocaCart entities, facilitating a dynamic and customizable ecommerce experience within the YOOtheme Pro environment.
See: Yootheme PhocaCart Bridge
6) Template Overrides for Enhanced Display
Phoca Cart includes template overrides for various modules, such as:
- Phoca Cart Cart module
- Phoca Cart Currency module
- Phoca Cart Wishlist module
- Phoca Cart Compare module
- Phoca Cart Search module.
These overrides ensure seamless integration and optimal display, enhancing user experience and functionality. These modules' content can be displayed in dropdown or offcanvas menus, providing versatile options for showcasing ecommerce elements.
See: Phoca Cart template overrides
See: Phoca Cart template overrides documentation
The seamless integration of Phoca Cart with YOOtheme underscores the commitment to providing users with a cohesive ecommerce solution within the Joomla CMS. By aligning design elements and functionality, this integration aims to enhance the ecommerce experience, enabling website owners to create visually appealing online stores while leveraging the extensive features of Phoca Cart. With the combined power of Phoca Cart and YOOtheme, Joomla users can now elevate their online businesses to new heights, achieving a perfect harmony of aesthetics and ecommerce capabilities.
See: YOOtheme Pro
Quick instructions
1) Install Joomla CMS
2) Install Phoca Cart (component, module package, etc.)
3) Install Phoca Cart template overrides - e.g. Overrides - YOOtheme OffCanvas
4) Install YOOtheme PRO
5) Set YOOtheme as the default template
6) In Phoca Cart options, set the parameters Theme: UIkit, Icon Type: SVG, Load Specific CSS: YOOtheme
7) Set the position of Phoca Cart modules (Cart, Search, Compare, Wishlist, Currency) e.g. to "header" position
8) Create categories, products, etc. in Phoca Cart
9) Create a menu link to Phoca Cart (preferably to Categories view).
If you are not sure about something or need more detailed information, check the documentation pages or ask in the Phoca forum.
Phoca Cart - YOOtheme - categories view:
Phoca Cart - YOOtheme - category view:
Phoca Cart - YOOtheme - product view (mobile)
Phoca Cart - YOOtheme - checkout view:
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