7 Open-Source CMS WordPress Alternatives

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7 Open-Source CMS WordPress Alternatives

7 Open-Source CMS WordPress Alternatives

Trying to find a better WordPress alternative? No need to look further. This article shows you how to build a website using other Content Management Systems (CMS).

There are a lot of aspects to designing a website, including coding and constantly updating it. But with a CMS, that’s not necessarily the case.

CMSs are software applications that help you manage and build websites without requiring any prior coding skills. About 40% of websites are powered by WordPress, the most popular CMS. Nonetheless, it’s not the only content management system out there.

As an alternative to building a website, there are other options available. The following article shows you how to build a website and blog using 7 open-source CMS.

#1. Joomla 

Content management systems like Joomla are popular for creating websites and web content. It was created with the help of a global volunteer community that believes in free forever open-source solutions. In 2005, Joomla’s first version was released.

Approximately 2 million websites are hosted by Joomla and 9% of business websites are created using Joomla. There are thousands of professional templates available for Joomla sites. There are a variety of templates that come with graphical user interfaces (GUIs), making it easy to change features, layouts and colors, fonts, and more, without having to write code.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is another feature it offers, along with management of users, menus, caches, two-factor authentication, and management of multilingual content. More than 6000 extensions are available for Joomla, allowing you to expand your website’s capabilities. Additionally, it provides a wealth of free information and video tutorials on building websites.

#2. Drupal

Drupal is an open-source content management system that is free for individuals and organizations to use. A PHP script written under the GNU General Public License powers this application. Like WordPress, it has similar features and workflow.

The application supports the creation and editing of content by multiple users, as well as getting notifications regarding security updates and new releases, caching, lazy loading content, and other useful features. A Drupal site can be a corporate website, a personal blog, an e-commerce site, a social networking site, a discussion forum, an intranet application, or a resource directory.

Secure lockdown is one of Drupal’s strongest features, making it a popular choice for government organizations and other security-conscious businesses. If you’re looking to build a highly secure site, you might consider to hire a Drupal developer. Despite its robust security, Drupal does have a steep learning curve, which can be a drawback for some.

#3. Grav 

A flat-file content management system that supports open source is known as GRAV. A flat-file CMS is one that stores and processes files in a flat format. So, what do you need to use such a CMS?

Unlike databases, it stores its data instead of in a database. Because of this, it can be used to create microsites, short-term sites, e-commerce sites, or even simple standalone sites.

Its drawback is also its advantage since it cannot handle dynamic web pages, databases, multiple account profiles, or multiple account profiles. Its features include zero installation, easy theme customization, simple backup and restoration, multi-language support, and image, and content filtering.

#4. ExpressionEngine 

An ExpressionEngine-based website, app, or mobile app can be built quickly and easily. Channels are storage areas for your site content in ExpressionEngine. There are various types of data fields in these containers. Using these channels, you can create blogs, product descriptions, news, biography pages, and document downloads, among other features.

It’s easy to manage all your websites when you install ExpressionEngine. In addition, you can publish your work on any device (computer, tablet, smartphone). This feature is great for those on the go. Site updates take only a few seconds, and your site won’t go down.

Extensions are available for ExpressionEngine. There is a solution for any task you may have. Finally, ExpressionEngine boasts a suite of tools designed to help users implement GDPR compliance, cookie consent, and more with ease.

#5. Plone 

The Plone content management system (CMS) is a robust, secure, and user-friendly solution. Python is used for this project, and Zope is a web application server and development platform used. Plone is a powerful classical server-side rendered CMS that can also be used without a browser.

In addition to its many installation options, its easy content management, multilingual capabilities, and extensible features and content types, it also features interoperability with almost every relational database system. The Plone software is available on Microsoft Windows, Linux, OSX, and BSD.

#6. ProcessWire

ProcessWire is just another free open-source content management system (CMS). Besides saving time, it lets you work according to your preferences. Fields and data types can be completely customized with ProcessWire.

Despite the complexity of the underlying framework, it is clean and logically designed. Scalability (to millions of pages) and performance are maintained. ProcessWire’s downside is that web design is required for it, and there are no pre-packaged templates or solutions.

#7. SilverStripe

The SilverStripe content management system is also open-source. A website, intranet, or web application can be built with it. Applications and websites built with it have stunning designs, interactive features, and social networking capabilities.

Additionally, SilverStripe has a PHP-based programming framework that makes it a powerful CMS. The framework makes it easy to customize your site and provides features such as secure modes, workflow, caching, as well as support for multiple languages and subsites.

Build Your Own Website Using These Alternatives

The market is flooded with content management systems. Platforms such as WordPress are among the most popular. The app is user-friendly and perfect for beginners. To build your website, you can use another content management system.

You can easily create your website by using a free, open-source CMS. If you’re stuck and need help, you can refer to their community support and forums since they are open source. One of the open-source CMS listed above is a great option if you are looking to build your own website.

Alexia Barlier
Faraz Frank

Hi! I am Faraz Frank. A freelance WordPress developer.