Exploring web technologies

The past decade has seen many changes in the world and the same goes for the technologies employed on the web. In some cases, it’s really hard to decide which technology would suit the project best. We have to consider what will speed up the development time without making the site overly complicated and bloated. Here are our thoughts on exploring web technologies.

Let’s talk about WordPress

According to Blue Host:

Around 810 million websites use WordPress as of 2023, according to our best estimations. This represents around 43% of all websites. And that figure is growing rapidly. In fact, over 500 sites are built with WordPress every day, compared to just 60-80 on competitor platforms like Shopify and Squarespace.

That’s a very large market share. Why are so many people using WordPress?

Here are some pros of using WordPress:

1. User-friendly and easy to use: WordPress has a simple and intuitive interface that makes it easy for non-technical users to manage their websites.
2. Large community and support: WordPress has a large and active community of users, developers, and designers who can provide help and support.
3. Flexible and customizable: WordPress provides a vast selection of customizable themes and plugins, allowing you to modify the appearance and functionality of your website.
4. SEO-friendly: WordPress is optimized for search engines and has many plugins available to improve search engine optimization (SEO).
5. Responsive design: Designers create WordPress themes to be responsive, automatically adjusting to various screen sizes and devices.

But if WordPress is so great, why isn’t everybody using it?

Here are some cons of using WordPress:

1. Vulnerability to security threats: WordPress is a popular target for hackers, so it’s important to keep the platform and plugins up to date to reduce the risk of security threats. A WordPress installation is incomplete without a security plugin like WordFence
2. Performance issues: If you install too many plugins and fail to configure them properly, WordPress sites can suffer from slow performance and bloat. So many designers develop what we call a “Frankin stack” in the industry. These sites are a nightmare.
3. Limited design options: Although WordPress offers many themes, some users may encounter limitations in design options and customization.
4. Cost: While WordPress itself is free, users may have to pay for premium themes and plugins, hosting, and other expenses associated with maintaining a website.

According to a recent article on WP Beginner, the second most popular CMS is HubSpot CMS Hub. To be honest, we never thought of HubSpot as a CMS, but rather a CRM.

Exploring the Hub

Pros of using Hubspot CMS Hub:

1. Integrated platform: Hubspot CMS Hub is part of the Hubspot Marketing Hub, which includes a variety of marketing, sales, and customer service tools. This makes it possible to manage all aspects of your online presence from one centralized platform, improving efficiency and reducing the need for multiple tools.
2. User-friendly interface: Hubspot CMS Hub has a user-friendly interface that makes it easy for non-technical users to create and manage content, without needing to know how to code.
3. Customizable templates: The Hubspot CMS Hub offers a collection of customizable templates that serve as starting points for building your website. This makes it faster and easier to get a professional-looking website up and running.
4. Built-in SEO features: Hubspot CMS Hub includes built-in SEO features, such as the ability to optimize page titles, meta descriptions, and URLs, making it easier to improve your website’s search engine visibility.
5. Analytics and reporting: Hubspot CMS Hub includes robust analytics and reporting features that make it possible to track the performance of your website, monitor visitor behaviour, and optimize your content. This feature is where Hubspot CMS Hub really shines and puts it in a different class as the rest.

Cons of using Hubspot CMS Hub:

1. Higher cost: Compared to other CMSs, Hubspot CMS Hub can be more expensive, especially for larger websites or businesses with more advanced needs.
2. Steep learning curve: While Hubspot CMS Hub has a user-friendly interface, it can still have a steep learning curve for those who are new to using a CMS. This can make it more challenging to get up and running quickly. In comparison, WordPress may be a better option.
3. Limited design flexibility: While the Hubspot CMS Hub offers various customizable templates, it may have fewer design options compared to other CMSs like WordPress.”
4. Dependent on other Hubspot tools: Designers intended Hubspot CMS Hub to work with other Hubspot tools, such as the Marketing Hub and Sales Hub. This can make it more difficult to integrate with other tools and systems outside of the Hubspot ecosystem.

In conclusion, the Hubspot CMS Hub is a robust and flexible platform suitable for businesses seeking to coordinate their website, marketing, sales, and customer service operations from a single central location. Nevertheless, it may not be the ideal solution for businesses with restricted budgets or those seeking extensive design flexibility and customization options.

Joomla is also a popular CMS.

In our experience, Joomla is still stuck in the past. Considering that Joomla is almost as old as WordPress, it’s shocking that their interface is still quite old-fashioned.

Other developers point out these pros of using Joomla:

1. User-friendly: Joomla has a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to manage the content and functionality of a website, even for non-technical users.
2. Large community: Joomla has a large and active community of users, developers, and designers who can provide help and support.
3. Wide range of features: Joomla provides a wide range of features and functions out of the box, including content management, user management, and e-commerce capabilities.
4. Customizable: Joomla provides a vast selection of customizable templates and extensions, enabling you to modify the appearance and functionality of your website.
5. Accessible: Designers make Joomla accessible, allowing its use by people with disabilities, including those who utilize assistive technologies like screen readers.

Cons of using Joomla:

1. Performance issues: Joomla sites can become slow and bloated if too many extensions are installed and not properly configured.
2. Security: Joomla, like any other content management system, can be vulnerable to security threats if not kept up-to-date and properly secured.
3. Steep learning curve: Joomla has a steeper learning curve than some other content management systems, so it may take longer for new users to become proficient.
4. Complexity: Joomla’s wide range of features and functions can make it more complex and difficult to use than some other content management systems.
5. Cost: Some Joomla templates and extensions may require a fee, which can add to the cost of building and maintaining a website.

I recently converted a client’s website from Joomla to WordPress – for free – because I just couldn’t stand working with Joomla.

But do you really need a CMS?

Going back to basics. HTML and CSS

Basic HTML websites are leaner and as such faster. No front-end user login reduces the security risks tremendously. I have never heard of a basic HTML website that got hacked.

There are many cases when it might be best to use plain HTML instead of a CMS like WordPress:

1. Simple websites: If you have a small, simple website with a few pages, HTML may be a more efficient choice since it requires less overhead and maintenance. Too many small businesses have websites using a CMS, but the really only need a brochure-style website with a contact form.
2. Specific design requirements: If you have specific design requirements that are not easily achieved with WordPress themes or plugins, using HTML may be a better choice.
3. High-traffic websites: If you expect your website to receive high levels of traffic, using HTML may be a more performant option as it can be optimized to handle high-traffic loads more efficiently. In the case of e.g. a news website, it may be prudent to make use of a headless CMS. I will elaborate in a future article.

Note: It is important to consider your specific needs and requirements when deciding between HTML and WordPress for your website.

When is it necessary to use a content management system like Joomla or WordPress

You need a CMS when

1. Managing large amounts of content: If you need to manage a large amount of content, such as articles, images, and videos, a CMS can help you organize and manage your content in a more efficient and organized manner.
2. Collaboration: If you need to collaborate with multiple users on a website, a CMS can provide a centralized platform for managing and sharing content.
3. E-commerce: If you need to create an online store or e-commerce website, a CMS like Joomla or WordPress can provide the necessary features and functionality for selling products and processing payments.
4. Customization: If you need to customize the look and functionality of your website, a CMS can provide a wide range of themes and plugins that can be used to extend the functionality and change the appearance of your site.
5. Regular updates: If you need to update your website regularly with new content or features, a CMS can make this process faster and easier.

In general, a CMS is a good choice if you need a website that is scalable, flexible, and easy to maintain and update.

To conclude, each website is different, every company is different and every situation is different and the best thing we as designers can do is to properly evaluate the situation and come up with the most elegant solution for the situation.