Open Source Content Management Systems (CMSs) have continued to grow in popularity, and now more than 50% of all Websites are using an Open Source CMS such as WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, Magento, etc. Open Source critics will tell you that their popularity is solely due to the license type (free license), and the fact that people love free software. However, that’s only part of the story. There are many other benefits of using an Open Source CMS.
Open Source CMS Benefits
- Extensibility – With thousands of Plugins (mostly free) it is very easy to add functionality to your website. For example, you can easily add Forms, FAQs, Galleries, SEO checkers, URL Redirects, Google Analytics, Comments, Conversion rate optimization tools, Compliance Validators, etc.
- Community Support – Open Source CMSs have a large and loyal community that continues to improve the software, so your CMS will never fall behind (features and trends).
- Ease of Installation and Configuration – Most Hosting providers offer automated installation tools.
- Theme Selection – Thousands of Themes are available, so if you don’t have the budget for an original Design it is easy to find and install a Theme you like.
- Developers are affordable and easy to find – Since they are free and easy to install, there is no barrier to entry. Therefore, it’s easy to find developers with experience, and for the most part, they are reasonably affordable (compared to developers working on proprietary software).
- Free – As we mentioned at the beginning, Open Source CMSs are free, so there are no license and support/maintenance costs.
Is an Open Source CMS the right fit for your Website?
If your Website requires cutting-edge technology and features, then you are probably better off with a high-end proprietary CMS. However, if your Website does not require cutting-edge features or extensive customization, then it’s easy to make a business case for an Open Source CMS.
Which Open Source CMSs should you consider?
Not all CMSs are created equal, so we recommend an in-depth analysis to identify critical requirements because WordPress, Drupal, and other CMSs go about managing content in different ways.
Top 3 Open Source CMSs based on worldwide use:
