The 10 Best CMS Platforms for Website Development in 2023

A Content Management System (CMS) is a software tool that enables users to build, edit, and oversee the content on a website without requiring coding knowledge. These systems are commonly utilized for both enterprise content management (ECM) and web content management (WCM). CMS platforms have gained widespread popularity among businesses and organizations of various sizes, as they provide a user-friendly way to establish and handle a website without the need to engage a web developer. There are several options for CMS platforms, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Well-known examples include WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla.

If you’re contemplating the creation of a website, I suggest considering the use of a CMS platform. These platforms simplify the process of website development and management, eliminating the necessity of hiring a web developer. Furthermore, they offer scalability, security, customization options, and benefit from a large community of users and developers.

Common features Of CMS platforms:

1. Intuitive Interface: Users can craft and modify content without necessitating coding skills, thanks to a user-friendly interface.
2. Content Storage: These platforms employ databases to store all the website’s content securely.
3. Template Framework: A template system is utilized to establish a uniform visual appearance and experience throughout the website.
4. Plugin Capability: CMS systems offer a plugin system, facilitating the incorporation of extra functionalities into the website.
5. Security Mechanisms: Robust security systems are integrated to safeguard the website against unauthorized access and potential threats.

The Best CMS platforms for website development in 2023:

1. Contentful

Contentful is a headless CMS that allows you to create and manage content in a central repository, then deliver it to any device or platform. It is a good choice for businesses that need to create and manage a lot of content for multiple channels, such as websites, mobile apps, and wearable devices.

New updates to the Contentful CMS platform:

Visual Modeler: A new drag-and-drop tool that makes it easier to create and manage complex content models.
AI Content Type Generator: A new AI-powered tool that can help you generate content types based on your existing content.
Live Preview: A new feature that allows you to see how your content will look before it is published.
Content orchestration: A new set of capabilities that make it easier to deliver content to multiple channels and devices.
Enhanced integrations: New and improved integrations with popular marketing automation, CRM, and analytics platforms.
Improved performance and scalability: The Contentful platform has been optimized for performance and scalability to meet the needs of even the most demanding businesses.

How these new updates can benefit businesses:

The new updates to the Contentful CMS platform can benefit businesses in a number of ways. For example, the Visual Modeler and AI Content Type Generator can help businesses to create and manage their content models more efficiently and effectively. Live Preview can help businesses to ensure that their content looks and works the way they want it to before it is published. Content orchestration can help businesses to deliver their content to multiple channels and devices more easily. The enhanced integrations can help businesses to connect their content with other important systems and tools. And the improved performance and scalability can help businesses to handle even the most demanding workloads.

2. Ghost

Ghost is a self-hosted CMS that is known for its simplicity and ease of use. It is a good choice for businesses that want to have full control over their website and content, without being locked into a proprietary platform.

Here are some of the new updates to the Ghost CMS platform:

• New Ghost Editor (beta): The new Ghost Editor is a completely rewritten editor that is designed to be more powerful and flexible than the previous editor. It includes features such as a new block-based editor, real-time preview, and support for custom themes.
• Memberships: Ghost now includes a built-in memberships system that allows you to create and manage paid memberships for your website. This includes features such as subscription plans, member-only content, and discounts.
• Improved header card: The header card in the editor has been improved to give you more power and flexibility to create beautiful pages and landing pages.
• Build better landing pages: You can now remove the title and feature image from any page in the new Ghost Editor (beta). This makes it easier to create custom landing pages for your website.
• Signup cards: There is a new signup card in the new Ghost Editor (beta) that gives you new ways to collect email addresses from your visitors.
• Embeddable signup forms: You can now embed signup forms from your Ghost website into other websites.
• Portal translations (beta): The Ghost Portal is now available in multiple languages.
• Duplicating posts: You can now duplicate posts in the new Ghost Editor (beta). This makes it easy to create new posts based on existing ones.
• Bulk actions on posts: You can now perform bulk actions on posts, such as deleting or publishing multiple posts at once.
• Announcement bar: You can now add an announcement bar to the top of your Ghost website. This is a great way to promote new content or special offers.
• Add signup terms to Portal: You can now add signup terms to the Portal, which visitors must agree to before signing up for a membership.

3. HubSpot CMS Hub

HubSpot CMS Hub is a CMS that is integrated with HubSpot’s marketing and sales tools. It is a good choice for businesses that want to use HubSpot’s marketing and sales tools, but don’t want to use HubSpot’s proprietary CMS.

HubSpot CMS Hub new updates:

• Redesigned template marketplace with modules: HubSpot has redesigned its template marketplace to include both themes and standalone modules. This makes it easier for users to find and customize the perfect design for their website, without having to write any code.
• New HubDB row field: The new HubDB row field allows users to easily leverage HubDB data in their website content. This makes it possible to create personalized and dynamic content without having to use complex code or integrations.
• CRM Object Field: The new CRM Object Field allows users to dynamically insert data from any CRM object into their website content. This is useful for creating personalized landing pages, product pages, and other types of content.
• New CMS Apps in the App Marketplace: HubSpot has added a number of new CMS apps to its marketplace, including Canva, Google Search Console, Jotform, Privy, Wistia, HotJar, and CoSchedule. These apps provide users with even more ways to extend the functionality of their CMS Hub website
• 50+ New Themes in the Asset Marketplace: HubSpot has added over 50 new themes to its asset marketplace. This gives users even more options to choose from when designing their website.
• Improved Google Doc Import Experience in the Blog Editor: HubSpot has improved the Google Doc import experience in the blog editor. This makes it easier for users to import their existing content from Google Docs into HubSpot.
• Keep Tabs on How Your Content Changes With Activity Logs: HubSpot has added activity logs to the CMS Hub interface. This allows users to see who made changes to their content, when the changes were made, and what the changes were.
• Introducing CMS Hub Professional & Enterprise: HubSpot has introduced two new CMS Hub plans: Professional and Enterprise. These plans offer additional features and functionality for users who need more power and control.

4. Joomla 

Joomla is a free and open-source CMS that is known for its flexibility and extensibility. It is a good choice for businesses that need a lot of customization and control over their website.Joomla 4.4 Beta 1 was released on September 15, 2023, and is the last minor release in the 4.x series. It includes a number of new updates:

• Media Manager: The Media Manager has been updated to include support for image thumbnails and SVG file previews.
• Menus: New filter options have been added to menus, making it easier to manage large menus.
• Custom fields: Conditional fields can now be added to custom fields, and the edit layout for subforms can now be selected.
• Guided tours: A new guided tours feature has been added to help new users through administrative tasks.
• Framework: Joomla 4.4 includes the latest version of the Joomla Framework 2.x, which introduces new library packages, raises the minimum supported PHP version to PHP 7, and removes previously deprecated functionality.

5. Magento 

Magento is an open-source eCommerce platform that is known for its power and scalability. It is a good choice for businesses that need a high-traffic eCommerce website.

Magento is a powerful e-commerce platform that is used by businesses of all sizes to create and manage their online stores. The Magento CMS platform is a key part of the Magento platform, and it provides businesses with the tools they need to create and manage their website content.

Number of new updates for the Magento CMS platform

• New page builder: The new page builder makes it easier than ever to create and edit pages on your Magento website. The drag-and-drop interface allows you to easily add and remove content, and you can preview your changes in real time.
• Improved content management: Magento has improved the content management features of the CMS platform, making it easier to create, edit, and publish content. New features include a WYSIWYG editor, a content staging environment, and a more user-friendly interface.
• Enhanced performance and security: Magento has made a number of performance and security improvements to the CMS platform. These improvements make your Magento website faster and more secure, and they help to protect your website from potential attacks.
  
  

6. Shopify 

Shopify is a hosted eCommerce platform that is known for its ease of use and affordability. It is a good choice for businesses that want to start an eCommerce website without having to worry about hosting or maintenance.

Shopify is a cloud-based, multi-channel commerce platform designed for small and medium-sized businesses. It allows users to create an online store, manage products and inventory, process payments, and track orders. Shopify also offers a variety of add-on features and integrations, such as shipping, marketing, and customer support tools.

7. Squarespace 

Squarespace is a hosted CMS that is known for its drag-and-drop interface and beautiful templates. It is a good choice for businesses that want to create a website without having to learn any code.

Squarespace is a popular website building and hosting platform known for its user-friendly interface and elegant templates. It allows individuals and businesses to create professional websites without extensive technical knowledge.

Users can customize layouts, add content, and integrate various features like e-commerce, blogging, and social media connectivity. Squarespace offers responsive designs that adapt to different devices and provides tools for SEO optimization.

It simplifies domain registration and hosting, making it a one-stop solution for website creation. While it’s user-friendly, it may have limitations for highly specialized or complex websites, making it ideal for those seeking a straightforward, visually appealing online presence.

8. WordPress

WordPress holds the title of being the world’s most widely used CMS, powering over 43% of all websites. It’s recognized for its adaptability and ability to be expanded. This makes it a suitable option for businesses of varying sizes, ranging from small enterprises to large corporations.

9. Drupal 

Drupal is a free and open-source CMS that is known for its power and scalability. It is a good choice for businesses that need a highly customizable and secure website. Drupal is a free and open-source web content management system (CMS) written in PHP and distributed under the GNU General Public License.

10. Wix 

Wix is a hosted CMS that is known for its drag-and-drop interface and ease of use. It is a good choice for businesses that want to create a website without having to learn any code.

Using a CMS platform offers several advantages:

1. User-Friendly Nature: CMS platforms are user-friendly, catering to individuals without coding expertise. This empowers anyone to establish and oversee a website without the necessity of hiring a web developer.
2. Scalability: CMS platforms are versatile and can accommodate websites of varying sizes. They are suitable for businesses of all scales, ranging from small enterprises to larger corporations.
3. Enhanced Security: CMS platforms commonly integrate robust security measures to safeguard the website from unauthorized entry. This aspect is crucial for businesses seeking to protect sensitive information.
4. Flexibility for Customization: CMS platforms offer high levels of customization, enabling you to align your website’s appearance with your brand identity. This feature is valuable for businesses aiming to showcase their distinctive character.
5. Supportive Community: CMS platforms boast active communities of both users and developers. This availability of resources ensures ample assistance whenever you require support for your website.

Conclusion

In conclusion, a Content Management System (CMS) is a valuable software tool that empowers users to create, edit, and manage website content without the need for coding skills. These platforms serve a wide range of purposes, from enterprise content management to web content management, and have gained immense popularity across businesses of different sizes.

By utilizing a CMS platform, you unlock several benefits that simplify the process of website development and management. The user-friendly interfaces, secure content storage, template systems, plugin capabilities, and robust security mechanisms collectively contribute to a streamlined experience. These advantages extend to scalability, making CMS platforms suitable for businesses of varying scales, while the customization options allow you to tailor your website’s appearance to reflect your brand identity.

Furthermore, the supportive communities surrounding CMS platforms offer valuable resources and assistance whenever needed. This array of features and benefits collectively underscores the relevance and significance of CMS platforms in the modern digital landscape. Whether you’re a novice or an experienced user, a CMS platform provides the tools and flexibility to create, manage, and enhance your online presence with ease.