Arguments abound over which of the two most popular CMS installations-WordPress and Joomla-can be considered the best. Arguing over the best CMS depends on subtle differences that come down to a matter of personal taste, experience, and preference. Figuring out the difference between WordPress and Joomla can be tricky and will probably require a test drive to determine which you prefer.
Don’t fall for myths or over-simplified explanations when deciding which CMS is right for your needs. You should be considering factual data and the technical specifications for each tool.
WordPress is more popular – advantage or disadvantage?
WordPress is used on more websites than Joomla by a fairly large margin. That could lead you to believe that it’s better than Joomla. Actually, part of the reason for the popularity of WordPress is its reputation for being a beginner’s CMS. That is an attractive prospect for many who are just starting out in site building.
The vast popularity of WordPress means there is no shortage of plug-ins for you to choose from, no shortage of templates to help you achieve your goal, and no shortage of resources to consult when you get stuck.
The downside of this popularity is that in its “out-of-the-box” state, unless you intentionally harden it, WordPress comes with some security risk. As the more popular CMS, it attracts the most attackers, and its vulnerabilities are more likely to be known and talked about among black hat hackers.
That may sound a bit discouraging, but before you dismiss WordPress, consider that most security risks are overblown by a security industry that wants to sell you things.
Most damage caused by security breaches can be rolled back in almost no time at all, simply by restoring from a backup and then changing your passwords.
The exception is when your site handles sensitive information or engages directly in e-commerce. In that case, you should either use a hardened WordPress install, or choose a different CMS.
No matter what system you rely on, if someone is determined to break in, they will probably eventually manage it. Your goal should be to minimize the potential damage that could result if they do. A Digital Marketing company that specializes in website security, like KNS, can help add the needed security to protect against cyber attacks.
Joomla was built for website management
It’s worth remembering that WordPress started out as a blogging platform, and it’s still best suited for that role today. You can create almost any kind of website by using custom post types, but this does occasionally lead to problems.
Joomla is quite different. There are Joomla extensions and Joomla templates to provide blogging features, but it wasn’t built as a blogging platform. It was intended for website management from the start, and consequently many of the pitfalls and quirks that besiege WordPress users are not a problem in Joomla.
There is a learning curve involved, but it’s not as steep as some would have you believe. In any case, finding a Joomla developer to help you with things like SEO and E-Commerce requires nothing more than a simple web search.
Time for A Test Drive
Really, the decider is just what you intend to create. If your site is just a simple blog or “business card website” where you only provide information, you can’t really go wrong with WordPress. On the other hand, if your site is more complex and uses E-Commerce, Joomla is probably going to suit your needs more reliably.
Neither one is truly easier to use, and neither one is truly more professional than the other. It’s more about what you’re comfortable with. The best advice is to install both, experimenting to see which one you find works best for you. Choose that one for building the live version of your site, and stick with it.
