WordPress or Joomla, decisions, decisions, decisions…

As the regular readers of this blog have guessed, at Dreamtemplate.com we do like WordPress for our blog pages.  Indeed, WordPress, has taken off and is being constantly improved and modified, more or less all the time.  Should we though, be using Joomla for our blogging pages.  Are they really the same tool, or is there differences we should be considering. 

Well there is no doubt that WordPress is easy to use, and easy to pick-up.  You do not need to be a seasoned ICT professional to be able to use it, and around forty minutes is all it takes to train someone who is a novice, to be able to use WordPress effectively. 

The general feeling is that WordPress has everything logically laid out, which is why both users and developers love using it.  The great thing about WordPress, is that there is plenty of documentation that supports it from both the development company, and enthusiasts for WordPress.  I have to add here, that I love using it, and my own website which is currently under development, will be using it too.

Joomla, on the other hand, does have some very powerful features for a Content Management System, or CMS, if you prefer.  The downside seems to be in its usability.  Tasks which are required to be done everyday, take a long time to do, and most IT trainers believe it takes around two hours to train a novice in the ways of Joomla.  Also, due to its complex nature, people do tend to forget certain features, which never seems to happen with its WordPress counterpart.

WordPress or Joomla, decisions, decisions, decisions…

Joomla on the other hand, does have some amazing plusses.  It can handle complex databases, which WordPress simply can not do.  Most developers believe Joomla’s flexibility and capabilities are actually second to none, and this is why for huge, complex websites that require immense database management, Joomla is the Content Management System of choice. 

It is ideal for websites that require multi-user access with multiple logins, as it operates a privilege system, so that not all the website is accessible to all the users.  This is ideal for many businesses.  WordPress simply does not have a privilege system, and though it has database management capabilities, it is unable to manipulate database content with the accuracy or complexity as Joomla. 

So WordPress or Joomla, decisions, decisions, decisions…

That is the question, so inevitably with all things web design related, it would appear that what your site is required to do, specifies which Content Management System you should use.

WordPress’s great strength is its usability.  It only takes a few clicks to update a site with clear, professional looking articles.  Pictures are easily manipulated, and it is probably for this reason that WordPress’s popularity has taken off.  Supporting documentation is plentiful from many sources, with the information nicely laid out, and well organised.

WordPress comes into its own for small to medium businesses, where information can be quickly uploaded and manipulated to make articles have a professional feel.  If privileges and complex database manipulation are not important, then WordPress should be the Content Management System of choice.

Joomla, on the other hand, is much harder to use, and much harder to show someone how to use it.  It’s strengths though, lie firmly in the tool’s capability to manage database information, and multi-user access.  This is where the tool comes into its own.  Joomla, is best if databases and a privilege system is used for multi-user access, or, if the site has unique requirements for content.

WordPress or Joomla, decisions, decisions, decisions….