Joomla vs Wordpress vs Drupal

Content Management System Roulette

Recently, I stumbled across this helpful article, detailing the differences between Joomla, Wordpress, and Drupal, the big three when it comes to content management systems (CMS).  If you’re wondering which CMS to choose, you should give the article a read.

We’ve used all three, with about 80% WordPress, 15% Joomla and 5% Drupal. Here’s the basic rules of thumb I’ve developed to help guide client work.

Should you choose Joomla, WordPress or Drupal for your next project?

• Choose Joomla if you plan on running an integrated online community (forum, members-only areas, access control groups, etc…). Intermediate tech skill needed if the client will be maintaining it.
• Choose WordPress (the self-hosted flavor) if you plan on publishing a ton of content (i.e. blog), or a web portfolio – its responsive Themes are also way better than the other two options, though load time can be an issue. Best platform for clients with low technical aptitude.
• Choose Drupal if you plan on creating an searchable online directory, or need to build something with complex data relationships. The trickiest of the bunch, but most powerful in terms of handling large data sets.

I’ve also used Ruby on RAILS … fantastic capability for creating web apps. Support is tough for this one – RAILS is in high demand … meaning ‘simple fixes’ can cost a lot. Not territory for amateurs (I hired my development out).

What’s your go-to CMS?