Website development: CMS versus classic programming

Website development is a key part of online business. There are two main methods of creating sites: using CMS blockchain systems and classic programming. In this article, we will analyze the pros and cons of both approaches and examine in what situations one solution may be better than the other.

What is a CMS system?

Content Management System - CMS is software that allows users to easily create, edit and manage content on a website. With graphical interfaces, users can add and modify content without having to know programming languages.

Examples of popular CMS blockchain systems

• WordPress - is the most popular content management system (CMS) in the world, with nearly 40% of all websites based on it. It is known for its intuitive interface, huge base of plugins and themes, and large community of support. WordPress will work well for creating a variety of websites, from simple blogs to advanced e-commerce sites using the WooCommerce extension.

• Shopify - is a dedicated e-commerce platform that allows you to create and manage online stores. It is particularly appreciated for its ease of use and functionality, offering a wide range of tools for managing products, payments and shipping. The downside is that shopify is quite expensive especially since it requires a number of plugins to work properly and each of them comes with expensive subscriptions, on the other hand it has a very high conversion rate and many tools to manage your store, inventory and other important store components. Shopify is ideal for entrepreneurs who want to quickly launch an online store without advanced technical knowledge

• Bubble - Bubble is a modern code-free web application development platform that allows you to design, build and deploy applications using an intuitive visual interface. It is ideal for startups and entrepreneurs who want to quickly realize their app ideas without hiring a team of developers. It will work best for developing small SAAS web applications or for building internal applications

• Webflow - is a modern content management system and website builder that combines the ease of use of drag-and-drop tools with advanced design and coding capabilities. It is designed for designers and developers who want full control over the look and functionality of their websites, without having to write code.

In the article mainly discussed CMS will be Wordpress because of its popularity as well as a wide range of possibilities and applications. However, each CMS has its own application and depending on the type of application you want to build it will perform better or worse.

What is classical programming?

Classical programming refers to the process of creating websites from scratch using programming languages such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript and various frameworks and libraries. Unlike content management systems, which offer ready-made templates and modules, classical programming gives programmers full control over every aspect of a website. This allows for greater flexibility and personalization to create unique, customized designs.

Tools and technologies used in classical programming:

• HTML: A basic language used to create the structure of a website, defining elements such as headings, paragraphs, links, images and other content components.
• CSS: A language used to style HTML elements, allowing users to define the appearance of a page, including colors, fonts, layout and responsiveness.
• JavaScript: A programming language used to create interactive elements on a page, allowing dynamic modification of content, user event handling, form validation and many other functions.

Frontend frameworks

Front-end frameworks facilitate the creation of complex user interfaces by providing off-the-shelf components and tools, such as React, a JavaScript library that allows the creation of reusable components, and Angular, a JavaScript framework developed by Google for creating single-session applications (SPAs) with rich functionality.

Backend programming languages

Backend programming languages are used to create application logic, manage databases and handle user requests on the server side, these include:

• PHP: A popular scripting language used primarily for creating websites and web applications, often used in conjunction with MySQL databases.
• C#: A programming language developed by Microsoft, often used with the ASP.NET framework to create scalable and powerful web applications.

Databases

Databases are essential for storing and managing web application data, this is where all information such as user data, messages and any other information that needs to be saved on the server side is stored:

• MySQL: A relational database that is often used in web applications because of its performance and reliability.
• PostgreSQL: An advanced relational database known for its scalability and support for complex queries.

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Classic programming gives you full control over your project, allowing you to create highly customized and advanced web applications. However, it requires more technical knowledge and more time to implement, which can be a challenge, but at the same time offers more creative and functional possibilities.

WordPress as content management system

WordPress is a free, open-source web development platform known as a content management system. It is popular for its ease of use and advanced blogging and page creation capabilities, making it preferred by both novices and experienced developers. Originally developed as a blogging platform, WordPress has evolved significantly and now supports various types of content, including websites, media galleries, online stores and forums.

Examples of the best extensions and themes for wordpress system

One of the key aspects that contribute to the success of Wordpress are themes and plugins. These two elements allow you to fully customize the look and functionality of your site.

What are motives?

Themes are sets of files that define the look and layout of a website. They are responsible for how the site presents itself visually. Themes can be very simple or very complex, offering a variety of customization options. Examples of popular themes include Astra, Divi and OceanWP.

Astra is one of the most popular WordPress themes, known for its high loading speed and strong customization capabilities. The theme is lightweight and SEO-optimized, making sites built on Astra load quickly and rank well in search engines.

Recently, the developers of Astra have also started developing a new Spectra One theme. This theme offers full page customization with block elements, allowing users to create modern and dynamic layouts. This theme is ideal for those who want full control over the appearance of their site, using simple and intuitive tools.

What are plug-ins?

Plugins are add-ons that extend the functionality of WordPress without changing the source code. They allow you to add elements such as contact forms, image galleries, SEO tools or online stores.

Some of them completely change how a site will be built by providing a set of ready-made drag&drop blocks with which to build a finished site.

Examples of popular plugins

• ‍‍WooCommerce: Transforms a WordPress site into a full-fledged online store, offering a wide range of e-commerce features.
• Elementor: A drag-and-drop page builder that allows you to create advanced page layouts without coding.
• Spectra: A set of blocks for the Gutenberg editor developed by the creators of Astra, adding elements such as buttons, accordions and galleries, extending the capabilities of the WordPress editor.

Themes and plugins are key elements of the WordPress ecosystem, allowing you to create personalized, functional and aesthetically appealing sites. Themes define the look and layout, while plugins extend functionality without programming.

Wordpress and blockchain theme capabilities

The big advantage of creating pages with Wordpress is that it has a wide set of tools for automating page creation using artificial intelligence or a set of ready-made templates of elements, as well as whole pages that you can freely place on your site. Why are CMSs like Wordpress extremely effective for designing simple repetitive pages?

Generating pages using AI

There are many tools with which you can generate a page, an example tool is ZIPWP which, with the help of a brief description of the page and the selection of the industry for which the page is to be created, can generate a ready-made page that can later be modified according to your needs.
To begin with, you should go through all the steps of generating a page, the most important of which is to create a brief description of the page.
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The best practice for writing such a description is to answer 3 questions:
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1. Who are you? - What is the company's history and background.
2. What do you offer? - Describe what your company/website does, list the services it offers.
3. Where are you located? - How can your offerings be used, is it a local store or online sales.

After going through all the steps, you will be presented with dozens of proposed page templates to choose from, the selected template from this step will be generated and will appear on our site.

Generating pages in this way is not yet fully functional and requires later modification, but the advantage of this solution is that all the blocks are generated using the used page builder “Spectra” which allows easy modification of each element.

After going through all the steps, we get a fully editable skeleton of the site which remains only to be personalized.

This solution is ideal for small local businesses needing a simple business card type site without exorbitant expectations. For more demanding users, it may not be enough, but WordPress offers additional functionality to further develop the site.

Ready-made page templates

Another tool with which we can easily personalize the site for a specific industry is Starter Templates which gives ready-made templates, pages and even full sites ready to be uploaded to the site.

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Patterns - with the help of which you can put ready-made popular block schemes, which automatically have colors, fonts or added button patterns implemented in the theme.

Pages - with the help of which you can quickly create some of the subpages.

Kits - which are the biggest plus of this tool, as they contain more than 140 ready-made page templates from different niches that can be implemented on the site.

In addition, we do not have to preserve the format of the entire implemented page and we can easily remove, edit and add finished blocks from various ready-made sets.

Ready-made block elements

Another example tool with which we can create a site based on Wordpress is Spectra, which gives us a set of ready-made blocks with which we can personalize the site in any way we want.

Advantages and disadvantages of CMS blockchain system

A blockchain CMS system such as WordPress offers many benefits that contribute to its popularity. Nevertheless, like any solution, it also has its drawbacks. Below is a detailed analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of a blockchain CMS system.

Pluses of a blockchain CMS system

• ‍Ease of use - With an intuitive user interface, CMS systems are extremely user-friendly for people with no programming experience. Even beginners can quickly learn how to use a CMS and manage the content on the site, allowing customers to easily edit text, products or other content on the site without the need for programmer intervention. Creating a site yourself in a CMS has a slightly higher threshold for entry because of the need to know a large range of plug-ins as well as the dependencies between them.

• Speed of implementation - CMS systems allow you to quickly create a functional site thanks to ready-made themes and plugins. A simple website can be created in a few days and a store in 2-4 weeks, which is difficult to achieve with traditional programming.

• Availability of themes and plugins - WordPress offers thousands of themes and plugins, allowing you to easily customize the look and functionality of your site. Plugins offer ready-made marketing tools, SEO optimizations and e-commerce systems that would take days or weeks to create manually

• Automation - With plugins such as templately, we can save and then reuse the elements we create on the site. Wordpress also offers copy and paste blocks between sites. Thanks to such solutions, we are able to create reusable components that will greatly speed up our work.

Disadvantages of CMS blockchain system

• Limitations on customization - While CMS systems offer many options, they may not be able to handle advanced customization requirements. Themes and plugins often have limitations in customizing a site. For complex projects that require custom features or design, CMS may not be sufficient, requiring traditional programming.

• Potential security issues - The popularity of CMSs makes them a frequent target for hacking attacks. Hackers exploit vulnerabilities in plug-ins or themes that have not been updated. Regular updates and security are essential, but the risk of attacks is never completely eliminated, which poses a challenge for CMS users.

• Dependence on third-party plugins - Using multiple plugins can lead to conflicts and site performance issues. Plugins from different developers can be incompatible, causing technical errors. The cost of maintenance increases with the number of plugins due to subscriptions, and the weight of the project can increase due to the many unnecessary features added to the application with each plugin added.

Advantages and disadvantages of classical programming

Creating websites from scratch offers benefits that can be difficult to achieve with CMS systems, but it also has its drawbacks. Here's an analysis of the pros and cons of classic programming.

Pluses of classical programming

• Full control over the project - Creating a website from scratch gives developers full control over every aspect of the site. They can customize every element of the site to meet the individual needs of the project, introducing custom features and solutions that are not available in off-the-shelf CMS themes and plugins, which is especially important when designing advanced applications.

• Flexibility and scalability - Classic programming makes it easy to adapt the site to changing needs. As the project grows, developers can add new features without the limitations imposed by CMS systems. The ability to integrate with a variety of third-party systems makes it possible to create advanced applications that can handle large amounts of data and users.

• Better performance and security management - Developers can optimize code for performance and security, using techniques that improve page loading speed and responsiveness. They also have the ability to implement custom security features, making sites less vulnerable to attacks and better protecting user data.

Disadvantages of classical programming

• Higher entry threshold - Classical programming requires advanced knowledge. Creating websites from scratch requires knowledge of HTML, CSS, JavaScript and other backend languages. Learning these skills is time-consuming and difficult, making it difficult for clients to modify content, require programmers to intervene with every change, or implement an additional interface to handle content.

• Longer implementation time - The process of creating a site from scratch is more time-consuming than using off-the-shelf CMS themes and plugins. It requires planning, writing and testing code, which extends the project time. For simple information sites, classic programming can be inefficient.

• Higher maintenance costs - It's more expensive to maintain a site created using classical programming, as every change requires the work of a programmer. Updates to the source code require manual intervention, which generates additional costs. Complex projects may require constant monitoring and optimization.

Classic programming offers unparalleled customization, flexibility and control over performance and security. It is ideal for large, complex projects that require custom features and advanced interaction mechanisms. However, a higher threshold of entry, longer lead times and higher maintenance costs can present challenges, especially for smaller projects.

Comparison in the context of different applications

The choice between a CMS, such as WordPress, and classic programming depends on the needs of the project and the client's expectations. Below is a comparison of the two approaches in different applications to help you make the right choice.

When to choose WordPress?

• Quick implementations and simple information sites - WordPress is ideal for projects that require quick implementation without complicated technical requirements. With ready-made themes and plugins, you can quickly create a functional site. This solution is great for small businesses, nonprofit organizations and individuals needing a simple information site.

• Blogs, Company Pages, Portfolios - WordPress is great for creating blogs, company pages and portfolios. Its history as a blogging platform provides rich support for blogging features such as post management, categories, tags and comments.
  Ready-made themes and plugins allow you to quickly customize the look of your site, and integration with SEO tools makes it easy to optimize for search engines.

• WooCommerce-based online stores - WooCommerce transforms WordPress into a full-fledged online store, offering management of products, orders, payments and shipping.
  A rich ecosystem of plugins and themes makes it easy to customize the look and functionality of the store to suit the owners' needs. It is one of the most popular e-commerce solutions on the market, offering extensive online store management capabilities.

When to choose classical programming?

• Advanced web applications - Projects requiring complex functions and integrations, such as databases, APIs, payment systems or cloud services, are better implemented using classical programming. It gives you full control over integrations and allows you to implement custom solutions that are not possible with off-the-shelf plug-ins.

• Highly personalized projects - If a project requires custom solutions, classical programming gives you more opportunities for personalization. Creating a site from scratch allows you to customize every aspect of the project, from design and user interface to business logic and interactivity.
  This is especially important for projects that need to meet specific industry or business requirements, such as custom booking systems, educational platforms or social networks.

• Projects requiring maximum performance and security - Classic programming allows advanced code optimization, improving site speed and responsiveness. It also provides the opportunity to implement custom security features, which is crucial for sites with high traffic or that process sensitive data.

Block system and classical programming with examples

Both a blockchain CMS such as WordPress and classic programming have their uses in different types of web projects. Below are examples of implementations of both approaches to better understand when and why to choose one or the other.

Examples of CMS blockchain implementations

• Simple business websites - WordPress is ideal for small businesses that need a simple but professional-looking website.
  An example would be the website of a local service company, such as a repair company, hairdresser, law firm, or restaurant, where the main purpose is to present the offer, contact information and photo gallery.

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An example of a local company website on Wordpress:

Simple business card sites that contain a few simple subpages will definitely benefit from using Wordpress instead of implementing the entire site using classic programming.

• Blogs and personal sites - WordPress' history as a blogging platform makes it a great tool for creating blogs and personal sites.

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Examples include a travel blog, a photographer's site showcasing a portfolio, or a personal cooking blog.

• Small online stores - With the WooCommerce plugin, WordPress becomes a powerful tool for creating small online stores. An example would be an online store selling handmade products such as jewelry, clothing or home decor. Integration with payment systems and marketing tools allows you to run your e-commerce business efficiently.

Examples of classical programming implementations

• Large corporate websites - Large corporations often choose classical programming to develop their websites because they require advanced features, custom solutions and high performance.

Toyota's website must support advanced features that are difficult to implement with off-the-shelf CMS themes and plug-ins. Examples of such features include:

Vehicle Configurator: Allows users to personalize and configure car models in detail, including color, equipment and accessory choices. Any change in the configurator instantly updates price and availability.

Interactive dealer maps: Enable users to find the nearest Toyota dealer, browse available services and book appointments. The interactive maps are integrated with up-to-date data on dealer locations.

In addition to these functionalities, sites created at this scale must provide adequate security, performance as well as have high scaling capabilities, elements that a CMS-based site cannot provide.

• Websites with advanced functionality - Classic programming is ideal for developing websites that require advanced functionality, such as interactive web applications.

An example would be an e-learning platform that offers a complex course management system, interactive quizzes, discussion forums and grading systems. These types of projects require tight code control to ensure optimal performance and scalability.

Example of a site with advanced functionality:

Canva is a great example of a site that could not have been created in any other way than using classical programming due to its highly personalized functionality. Advanced web applications definitely have no choice but to use classical programming.

• Projects requiring unique solutions - Some projects require such specific and custom solutions that the only way to implement them is through classical programming.
  An example might be a social media platform with unique features such as advanced recommendation algorithms, real-time data analysis systems, or custom user interfaces. In such cases, it is necessary to create everything from scratch to be able to fully meet the specific needs and requirements of users.

Example of a site with unique solutions:

Verge is a company for which SKM Group has created a store with a rather unique solution, due to the fact that it allows customers to design their own sportswear. This store contains many functionalities that could not be achieved with ordinary CMS tools. Case study

Examples of such functionality include:

• Online Clothing Wizard: Classic programming enables an advanced clothing wizard that allows customers to design their own sportswear in real time. The ability to select colors, patterns, logos and text, as well as 3D previews, are features that require specialized coding and integration.
• Interactive design tools: Such tools need to be responsive and seamless across devices, which requires optimization and advanced resource management, possible only through classical programming.
• Handling heavy traffic: The Verge Sport website must be prepared to handle a large number of visitors, especially during sales seasons. Classical programming allows for advanced performance optimization techniques such as caching, resource compression and server load balancing.
• Infrastructure scalability: The ability to scale a site according to traffic growth and resource requirements is key. Classical programming enables a flexible architecture that can easily scale as needed.

The Verge Sport company is a great example of how classical programming can be combined with website development using CMS tools, in this case Umbraco - the store itself, as well as the system for managing clothing designs, stock levels, etc., is created using classical programming, while the site's business card itself, used mainly for marketing purposes, is created using the CMS system.

The future of CMS systems and classical programming

As technology evolves, both content management systems and classic programming are evolving to meet the growing demands of users. Here are the key trends and innovations influencing the development of these approaches.

Trends and innovations

Both approaches to website development are evolving. CMS, such as WordPress, are growing in popularity with block editors that allow easier editing of content. Classic programming is evolving with new frameworks, tools and languages that make it easier to create advanced web applications.

The role of artificial intelligence and automation

Artificial intelligence and automation are beginning to play an increasingly important role in web development, both in CMS systems and in classical programming.

CMS Systems:
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• SEO content optimization: AI tools such as Yoast SEO and RankMath analyze content on pages and suggest changes to improve search engine visibility.
• Generating simple pages with AI: AI tools such as ZIPWP or the element generator enable the quick creation of simple pages, this functionality is only in the early stages of development but already offers a smoothly running generator.

Classic programming:

• ‍‍‍‍Test automation: Tools such as Selenium and Cypress automate the testing process of web applications, which increases efficiency and error detection.
• Code generation: AI, such as GitHub Copilot, assist developers in writing code by suggesting lines of code and functions based on context which significantly speeds up programming.
• Performance optimization: AI tools analyze application performance and suggest optimizations, which helps keep application performance high.

Website development is a complex process that can be accomplished in a variety of ways. Content management systems (CMS) and classic programming offer unique advantages and have their own limitations. The choice between these methods depends on the specific requirements of the project, technical resources and user expectations.

The decision between using a CMS blockchain system and classic programming should be made based on a careful analysis of the project's specific requirements, available resources and long-term goals. Both approaches have their place in the world of web development and can coexist, complementing each other depending on the context.

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Every project is different and requires a customized approach. That's why it's important to carefully evaluate the needs and goals of your project before deciding on a technology.
Both CMS systems and classic programming offer powerful tools for creating modern, functional and attractive websites. By choosing the method that best suits the specific requirements of your project, you can achieve optimal results and ensure user satisfaction.