Content management systems have become a very popular product on the modern Internet market, and for a good reason – they provide a good degree of utility and can simplify the process of creating a blog or another type of site that’s heavy on the content. The ongoing support some of those systems receive from their developers further makes them an attractive option for those who want a good long-term solution that won’t require a lot of work on their part, and a few names have managed to establish themselves as market leaders in this area.
Joomla and WordPress are probably the two most popular content management systems available at the moment, and each of them has a lot to offer to the average user. However, they both approach the problem from slightly different angles, and it’s important to familiarize yourself with the way both work before settling on any particular one.
The truth is that both Joomla and WordPress can perform similar tasks, but recently, the development work on Joomla has really taken off and the platform has reached new heights that have separated it from WordPress by a good deal. Today, it’s the default choice for many people looking for a simple yet powerful CMS, and there are a few good reasons for that. If you’re looking for a platform to base your own new website on and are not sure, Joomla might be a good first place to look.
Ease of use
Both Joomla and WordPress are very simple to get started with, and they provide options to quickly install the platform and deploy a website. Joomla’s developers seem to have realized the critical importance of this part of their software lately though, as we’ve seen a strong push towards improving the initial user experience of the platform, with many improvements being released in this direction.
WordPress is no less intuitive to use, don’t make a mistake about that, but it could be seen as a bit rough around the edges by some people’s standards nowadays. It’s a bit ironic that it’s reached this state as it used to be known as the most user-friendly platform, but times are changing, and others have started to catch up.
Both platforms also have a good number of plugins and extensions available, and a strong community support, but you might find Joomla’s community better suited for beginners lacking any real experience in the field. That said, WordPress can be great for learning how a CMS works in general and getting your hands dirty with the development side of things if that’s what you’re interested in.
Support and availability
Both platforms are popular to the extent that some Joomla hosting companies are offering dedicated packages focused on them specifically. If you’re looking to get a Joomla or WordPress site up and running with minimal effort, there are plenty of opportunities for that out there. Just make sure you compare the current market for the best available deals, and you’re all set.
Joomla does seem to be in the lead in this regard for now though. Many hosting companies have started to not only offer Joomly packages, but are also providing them in extensive variants that cover all sorts of different bases and use modes. On the other hand, the diversity is not that impressive on the WordPress side, but this doesn’t mean that the platform is any less good for long-term use.
It just means that you may have to do more on your own when using WordPress, especially when it comes to some more complicated operations that require a custom-tailored approach. Joomla’s wide availability and acceptance on the market often make it a better choice for those who want something that just works out of the box, and doesn’t present any extra hassle.
As we said above though, this can actually make WordPress a great choice for users who want to get some extra practice on their IT skills, so if you’re not afraid of doing things yourself and digging under the hood to find the source of a problem, you should definitely give both a chance.
Last but not least, remember to compare the two from the simplest point of all – your own personal preference. Sometimes you’ll find that either Joomla or WordPress just “clicks” right with you, and you wouldn’t want to look at anything else. And that’s fine – in the end, both are just tools and their purpose is to help you get the job done, so whichever works best for you is clearly the better choice.