My experience with CMSes and Website builders

Please keep in mind that my knowledge is limited and I haven’t thoroughly researched each aspect of setting up a website, so take my advice with a grain of salt. This is just my personal opinion based on my own experience.

My experience

WordPress.com

My initial experience with WordPress.com was far from exciting. 

I did not like the provided templates so I wanted to create my website structure from scratch. Back then, however, I had no idea about the principles of design systems and atomic web design and completely disregarded them, which resulted in a second-rate and inconsistent website.

No design and idea of themes.

Webflow

Then I tried Webflow, which was a captivating powerful website builder. 

However, its limitless capabilities made it challenging for me as I was unable to effectively work with content. I took advantage of the ability to remix elements from other websites. Made it look unprofessional.

Yearly upkeep cost but the cost was too high for me as a student and did not know how to build it looked less professional

Adobe Portfolio

To me, Adobe Portfolio felt like an upgraded version of Behance.

While Adobe’s overall structure was commendable, it also came with certain limitations. I found the alignment options of images to be somewhat restrictive. Additionally, managing content on the platform was somewhat forgettable and lacked consistency. 

I did not enjoy the experience, especially considering the requirement of an Adobe subscription, which I was not willing to pay for.

Sitecore, Drupal and Terminal 4 (T4)

My work experience at the web team of the University of Portsmouth gave me the opportunity to work with Sitecore, Drupal, and Terminal 4 CMSes. 

I found Sitecore to be organized and easy to use, with a clear structure and quick editing capabilities. Drupal was straightforward and enjoyable to work with, although it lacked the hierarchical structure preview. I also learned how to edit with multiple editors.

It’s important to note that these systems may not be as polished in their stock form, as I had a custom setup.

Web-hosted CMSes

I have seen my coursemates use platforms like Wix, Squarespace and even Notion, which have great options but lack the freedom to fully own your content and make infinite customizations in my opinion at an accessible price. 

Just like Adobe Portfolio great for simple beginner friendly.

The responsibility and freedom to develop your content as you see fit is much more appealing to me.

A combination of experience and interest to learn how to do it led me to WordPress. 

Conclusion

What I want you to take away from this blog is to do your own research and see what works for you; try and experiment if you can.