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Is CraftCMS any good?

Is Craft CMS Any Good? An In-depth Look into Its Pros and Cons, 2024

In the quest for the perfect content management system, look no further—brace yourselves, as we are about to go deep inside Craft CMS to answer that burning question in your mind: is it any good? Buckle up, because we are going to take you on an epic ride through the pros and cons of this popular CMS!

Did you know that Craft CMS powers more than 65,000 websites around the world? Kind of feat for a CMS just a little over a decade old. But hey, numbers aren't everything, right? So let's peel back the layers and see what makes Craft CMS tick—and whether it's the right fit for your digital dreams.

What is Craft CMS?

Craft CMS is a content management system that hit the scene in 2013, released to the masses courtesy of the good people at Pixel & Tonic. Unlike some of its more rigid brethren, Craft was built on a "content-first" philosophy, touting flexibility and customisation.

At the core, Craft CMS empowers both developers and content creators alike who want full control over their website structure and content. It's not your ordinary cookie-cutter CMS; rather, it's a Swiss Army knife in the world of web development!

Some typical users of Craft CMS would be:

  • Web agencies needing a flexible solution for their customer projects
  • Businesses that require complex content structures
  • Publishers needing robust multi-site management
  • Developers who love to roll up their sleeves and dive into custom solutions

Key Features of Craft CMS

Flexible Content Modelling

Of all the reasons people love Craft, perhaps the most popular is its incredibly flexible content modelling system. Need to create a complex recipe database? Or perhaps you need a multi-layered product catalogue? Look no further than Craft! You can build custom fields and content types out the wazoo.

Powerful Built-in SEO Tools

Attention, SEO nerds! Craft comes out of the box packed with SEO-friendly functionality, from customisable meta fields down to XML sitemaps. It's all here to help you up the search engine rankings.

Multi-site Management Capabilities

A few CMSs make multi-site management tricky, but not with Craft. You can manage multiple sites from a single installation, boosting efficiency and control.

Robust User Management and Permissions

Craft offers granular user permissions, giving you control over who can do what on your site—a favourite for those who value site security and user management.

Performance and Scalability

  • Speed: Craft is optimised for snappy performance, thanks to efficient coding and smart caching mechanisms.
  • Scalability: Suitable for both small blogs and large corporate sites, Craft is proven to handle high traffic loads.
  • Caching: Its caching system supports fast page loads and reduces server load effectively.

User Experience and Ease of Use

Craft's admin is clean, intuitive, and customisable. While there's a bit of a learning curve for those migrating from more traditional CMSs, once you're familiar, it's hard to go back.

Extensibility and Plugin Ecosystem

Craft's extensibility is generally strong, with high-quality plugins. Although its plugin library isn’t as vast as WordPress, it’s well-maintained, and developers can easily create custom plugins.

Pricing and Licensing

  • Solo: £299 per licence
  • Pro: £599 per project
  • Enterprise: Custom pricing for large projects

While not free, many find Craft CMS a cost-effective choice over the long term.

Pros of Using Craft CMS

  • Clean, intuitive interface
  • Flexibility in content structuring
  • Strong security features
  • Regular updates and improvements

Cons of Using Craft CMS

  • Steeper learning curve for beginners
  • Smaller community compared to some competitors
  • Potential higher initial development costs

Conclusion

Craft CMS packs a powerful punch with flexibility, robust features, and content modelling options that make it a standout choice. But as with any tool, the choice depends on your needs, budget, and technical expertise. For many, Craft’s unique blend of power and flexibility makes it a top contender.

Freelance Wordpress Developer

My name is Billy, I am an hugely experienced Freelance Craft CMS, Wordpress and Laravel developer. I offer a comprehensive white-label on-going Support and Maintenance Service.

Want to discuss a project with me? Get in touch by filling in the form below or email me at [email protected] and I will respond within 24 hours with a quote.

Alternatively phone me on 07968311978 during office hours.


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