“Content is King,” Bill Gates said in an essay back in 1996, emphasizing the crucial role of content in the digital age. More than two decades later, this statement is more relevant than ever, and organizations face the challenge of selecting the optimal technology to manage their content. They have to choose between traditional content management systems (CMS) and the modern headless CMS.
A 2020 study by Gartner noted that “selecting a CMS is a strategic decision that can have a significant impact on an organization’s ability to achieve its digital ambitions” (Gartner, 2020). To help you make this important decision, we’d like to explore the pros and cons of both solutions in this blog post.
We will discuss the strengths and weaknesses of traditional CMSs, such as WordPress, Joomla! and Drupal, versus the innovative headless CMSs, such as Contentful, Strapi and Sanity, weigh in. In doing so, we will go into the technical background and illuminate the respective application scenarios. Our goal is to provide you with a comprehensive overview that will help you make an informed decision about which CMS is right for you, laying the foundation for the success of your web presence or digital projects.
Traditional CMS
Traditional CMSs, also known as monolithic or coupled CMSs, are content management systems in which the front end and back end are closely linked. This means that the system manages both the content and the way it is presented. This close connection means that most traditional CMSs are based on a server-side rendering approach, where the entire web page or application is created on the server and then sent to the client. This distinguishes it from modern approaches such as client-side rendering, which is often used in headless CMS.
Pro
- Ease of use: Since design and content are integrated in one system, it is easier to design the website and update content. Even users without technical expertise can easily utilise the platform.
- Pre-built templates and plugins: Traditional CMSs offer a variety of templates and plugins that can be used to quickly and easily create a responsive website.
- Large community: Due to the long market presence and the large number of users, there are extensive resources and an active community to help with problems and questions.
Contra
- Performance losses: Since the frontend and backend are merged, this can lead to speed losses, since all the code has to be regenerated for each update.
- Difficult customizations: A tight connection between the frontend and backend can make customizations and individual design more difficult, since you usually have to dig deep into the code to make changes.
- Limited scalability:Traditional CMSs are not designed for rapid growth of websites and apps, so scalability issues can arise with larger projects.
Current Traditional CMS
WordPress
- WordPress is an open source CMS used for both blogging and corporate websites. It offers a wide range of themes and plugins, as well as an active community to help with problems and questions.
- History: WordPress was founded in 2003 by Matt Mullenweg and Mike Little and is based on the blogging platform b2/cafelog. Today, WordPress is one of the most popular and widely used CMS in the world and is used by millions of websites.
- https://wordpress.org/
Joomla!
- Joomla! is an open-source CMS that stands out for its wide range of functions and customization options. With a large selection of extensions and an active developer community, Joomla! is a good choice for medium to large projects.
- History: Joomla! was founded in 2005 as a fork of Mambo and has since developed into one of the leading CMS systems.
- https://www.joomla.org/
Drupal
- Drupal is an open-source CMS that is particularly suitable for complex, data-intensive websites. It offers extensive functions for the design and management of content and can be extended by a variety of modules.
- History: Drupal was developed in 2000 by Dries Buytaert and since then it has become one of the most powerful and flexible CMS systems.
- https://www.drupal.org/
Headless CMS
Headless CMS are content management systems where the backend and the frontend are separated. This separation allows developers to manage content independently of presentation and deliver it via APIs. The frontend is responsible for the presentation of the content and can be developed in different programming languages and technologies. This architecture follows the modern approach of client-side rendering, where the server simply provides the required data and the client – for example, a web browser or mobile app – handles the rendering.
Pro
- Flexibility: By separating the front-end from the back-end, developers are able to use their preferred technologies and programming languages to create custom solutions.
- Fast loading times: Since only the necessary content is loaded via APIs, headless CMSs are usually faster than traditional systems. This can have a positive impact on user experience and search engine rankings.
- Omnichannel Capability: With Headless CMS, content can be easily displayed on different platforms and devices, which is a great advantage for companies that want to be present in different channels.
Contra
- Higher technical effort: The separation of frontend and backend requires a higher level of technical expertise for implementation and customization.
- Less choice of pre-built solutions: Compared to traditional CMS, fewer templates and plugins are available for headless CMS, which can make it difficult to design and implement features.
- More complex maintenance: Because the frontend and backend are separate, both systems need to be maintained and updated independently, which means more administrative work.
Current Headless CMS
Contentful
- Contentful is a headless CMS that provides content via APIs and can be integrated with various front-end frameworks. It enables centralized content management across multiple channels and devices and provides a flexible, scalable solution for modern web projects.
- History: Contentful was founded in 2013 by Sascha Konietzke and Paolo Negri to meet the requirements of modern web development.
- https://www.contentful.com/
Strapi
- Strapi provides developers with the ability to create and manage APIs quickly and easily. With its plugin system and the ability to create custom content structures, Strapi is a flexible solution for building modern web applications.
- History: Founded in 2015 by Aurélien Georget, Pierre Burgy and Jim Laurie, Strapi is an open source headless CMS.
- https://strapi.io/
Sanity
- Sanity is a headless CMS that delivers content in real time via APIs. It enables the rapid creation of web applications that run on different platforms and devices
- History: Sanity was founded in 2015 by Even Westvang and Simen Svale Skogsrud to provide a flexible solution for managing content across multiple channels.
- https://www.sanity.io/
Conclusion
Both traditional and headless CMS have their advantages and disadvantages. Traditional CMS are especially suitable for smaller projects or companies that value ease of use and a wide range of ready-made solutions. Headless CMSs, on the other hand, offer more flexibility and better performance, but also require a higher level of technical expertise and can be more complex to maintain.
When deciding on the right CMS, organizations should carefully consider their requirements, goals and resources. By considering the pros and cons of both solutions, you can make an informed decision and choose the best option for your needs.
Sources:
Gartner (2020). How to Choose Your Next CMS. Available at: https://www.gartner.com/en/documents/3982307/how-to-choose-your-next-cms
Bocij, P., Greasley, A., & Hickie, S. (2018). Business information systems: Technology, development and management for the modern business. Pearson Education Limited.
Puschmann, T., & Lombart, D. (2021). Digital business models: Strategic choices and competitive advantage. Springer International Publishing.
