Websites are indispensable for businesses. Therefore, smart entrepreneurs are investing significantly in web development.
However, creating the best website isn’t a cakewalk; it requires perfect planning and technology stacks. Given so many options for website development, it is really confusing to find the best way. Choosing the right content management system is vital for creating the right website.
Drupal and WordPress are the two most popular content management systems today. Let’s find out how to choose between Drupal and WordPress for a website development project.
Table of Contents
WordPress
WordPress is an open-source CMS or content management system, and it is the most popular web development platform today. Indeed WordPress has a market share of above 60% in the CMS market, making it a sought-after solution for website development.
The best advantage of developing your website on WordPress is that it is very user-friendly. In fact, it is considered to be the most user-friendly content management system. It powers around 40% of websites in the world.
Advantages of WordPress
The following are some top advantages of WordPress CMS.
Open-source
WordPress is an open-source platform and available for free. You can download it easily and for free and use it for any purpose.
Easy to install
Getting started with WordPress is a breeze because installing and configuring it is a cakewalk. Many web hosting service providers also offer a one-click install option for WordPress. It means you can install WordPress on your web host with a single click.
Responsive websites
If you choose WordPress development, then you can pick a suitable theme for your website from thousands of options. Most of the website themes with this CMS are responsive, so you will have a mobile-friendly website from the beginning.
Media management
WordPress offers excellent features to manage various media elements such as images, videos, and more. They are easy to manage and enable you to create media-rich content on your site.
Huge community
Since it is a popular CMS, there are many supporters and enthusiasts interested in this platform. There is a huge community of different users, developers, professionals, and others who contribute to the growth of the CMS and provide guidance for new WordPress users.
Drupal
Drupal has been here longer than WordPress, yet it lacks the gaudy market share like WordPress. But Drupal has a lot of potential, and it is one of the eminent website development platforms for creating a wide range of websites today. Drupal powers 2.3% of all websites on the web, which is not attractive as WordPress, but still, it’s a great platform.
Advantages of Drupal
Below are the top advantages of Drupal CMS.
Scalability
Scalability is one of the key advantages of Drupal web development. It lets you create highly scalable websites that enable you to grow your digital presence along with your business.
Security
Drupal has a security advantage over many other content management systems because of its robust security features. Further, it has a low user base that makes it a rare target for hackers.
Open-source
Being an open-source web development platform, Drupal is available to all for free. Since the Drupal code is available publicly, developers can modify or use it to build custom web solutions.
Flexibility
Drupal is a very flexible CMS or content management system. Thanks to its flexibility, developers can create highly customized websites easily.
Let’s check out the comparison of Drupal vs WordPress
Whether you choose Drupal or WordPress, both of them will offer excellent features and benefits for web development. However, in some use-cases, Drupal web development overtakes WordPress, but in other cases, WordPress beats Drupal.
So, how would you find a suitable CMS for your project? The following comparison of Drupal vs WordPress can help you pick the best option.
Ease of use
The user interface of Drupal is a bit incomprehensible as compared to WordPress. In fact, WordPress has a straightforward UI that enables all kinds of users to operate this platform efficiently. Configuring Drupal CMS and setting up a website with it isn’t easy. Any user, irrespective of his experience, can configure a WordPress platform and create a website in no time.
In most cases, when it comes to Drupal, you will need to look for a custom Drupal development company to create a perfect website for your business. So, WordPress wins the Drupal vs WordPress challenge in terms of ease of use.
Winner – WordPress
Security
Website security is essential, and the CMS you choose should have robust security options to protect it from cyberattacks. Drupal has the edge over WordPress in terms of website security because it has many powerful security features.
Although WordPress core is very secure, most security threats come from using additional functionalities and improper security practices. The huge popularity of WordPress is also a big reason why WordPress websites are at higher risk of cyberattacks as compared to Drupal, which has a low user base.
Winner – Drupal
Themes and plugins
WordPress offers themes and plugins in abundance that you can utilize to change the appearance of your site and extend the functionalities. A basic website only comes with pre-installed and some default features. But your business may need more functionalities that you can get by installing plugins. Compared to Drupal, WordPress offers more plugins and themes, and many of them are free as well.
Drupal has limited options for themes and extensions, so it is not easy to find an appropriate theme or extension for your site. However, if you don’t have the staff or expertise in house, you may need to hire a Drupal developer to help build a custom website based on your needs and requirements.
Winner – WordPress
Speed and performance
Speed and performance play a very crucial role in a website’s success. High performance and speed provide a better customer experience and helps a website to get a good search engine ranking. Drupal is a suitable option when it comes to speed and performance because it is not resource-intensive.
It lets you create fast-loading and high-performance websites. WordPress uses a lot of resources, but still, it allows you to create fast-loading websites using plugins. You can optimize your website to enhance the speed and performance of the site.
Winner – Drupal
Flexibility
The more flexible a content management system is, the better customization you can achieve. You can utilize modules and extensions to customize your Drupal website. A basic Drupal site comes with a starter theme that you can customize to build a more attractive and suitable website. Both Drupal and WordPress are open-source content management systems.
So, developers can use these platforms to their full potential to develop the right website for you. You can hire a WordPress developer to build a well-customized website for your business. Drupal is a good choice for developing complex websites as it offers advanced features.
Winner – It’s a toss up
Closing thoughts
You will always want to create the best website for your business. But choosing the right approach is essential to make this step a success. Starting with a perfect CMS for your website is the first step towards a successful web development approach. Drupal and WordPress are at the top positions of the list of best CMSs.
Choosing between Drupal vs WordPress should be based on what is more suitable for your project. You can rely on a web development company to help you choose the right technology for your website. They have expertise in web development, so they can help you to find the best option for your project.
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Excellent writeup Freita! I think “WordPress” is very powerful & customizable. With a little elbow grease, it can do and be anything you want it to be. I believe WordPress has the features, flexibility & user-friendliness to be the best choice for building virtually any website.