Software Alternatives & Startups

Admin Columns VS Foam

Compare Admin Columns VS Foam and see what are their differences

Admin Columns

Admin Columns is a Wordpress plugin that lets users to create an editing environment in minutes.

Rating
0 reviews
Foam

Personal knowledge management and sharing on VSCode & GitHub

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source
Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, Foam seems to be more popular. It has been mentioned 49 times since March 2021.

social mentions
0 vs 49
WordPress Plugins popularity
100% vs 0%
alternatives listed
28 vs 240+

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

Admin Columns
Foam
Website admincolumns.com foambubble.github.io
Pricing
Open source
Company — Startup from the United States
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Admin Columns 5 features
Foam 6 features
  • Customization
    Admin Columns allows users to customize the WordPress admin columns extensively, providing the ability to add, remove, and rearrange columns within various admin screens. This boosts productivity by allowing users to organize information according to their needs.
  • Ease of Use
    The plugin offers a user-friendly interface with drag-and-drop functionality, which makes it accessible to users of all technical levels without requiring coding skills.
  • Compatibility
    Admin Columns is compatible with various custom post types and fields, ensuring that it works well with a wide range of themes and plugins, including popular ones like WooCommerce and Yoast SEO.
  • Enhances Search and Filtering
    The plugin enhances search and filtering capabilities within the admin area, making it easier to find specific entries and improving the overall efficiency of managing large sets of data.
  • Support and Documentation
    Admin Columns offers comprehensive documentation and responsive support, helping users to quickly resolve any issues and make the most of the plugin’s features.

Possible disadvantages

  • Premium Features
    While Admin Columns offers a free version, many of its most advanced features are only available in the premium version, which may not be feasible for users with a limited budget.
  • Complexity for Beginners
    For users who are not familiar with WordPress, the extensive customization options can feel overwhelming, and it may take some time to fully understand all the potential functionalities.
  • Potential for Conflicts
    As with any WordPress plugin, there is a potential for conflicts with other plugins or themes, which can cause unexpected behavior in the admin interface.
  • Performance Impact
    Adding numerous custom columns, especially with active filtering and sorting, can potentially impact the performance of the WordPress admin interface, particularly on sites with large databases.
  • Open Source
    Foam is an open-source tool, which means it is free to use and allows for community-driven development and contributions. Users can modify the source code to fit their specific needs.
  • Markdown Support
    Foam uses Markdown, a lightweight and easy-to-read syntax, making it simple to create and manage notes. This also allows for easy integration with other Markdown-based tools and platforms.
  • Integration with Visual Studio Code
    Foam is designed to work seamlessly with Visual Studio Code (VS Code). This provides users with a powerful and familiar text editor environment, complete with extensions and customization options.
  • Graph View
    Foam includes a graph visualization feature that helps users see and navigate the relationships between their notes, making it easier to understand and manage complex information.
  • Bidirectional Links
    Foam supports bidirectional links, allowing users to create connections between notes in both directions. This enhances the note-taking experience by enabling a more interconnected and dynamic information structure.
  • Community and Documentation
    Foam has a growing community of users and contributors, as well as comprehensive documentation. This support network helps users troubleshoot issues, share tips, and improve their knowledge of the tool.

Possible disadvantages

  • Limited to VS Code
    Foam relies on Visual Studio Code as its primary environment. Users who prefer different text editors or platforms might find this limitation restrictive and less convenient.
  • Learning Curve
    Although Foam leverages Markdown, users may still face a learning curve, especially if they are not familiar with VS Code or the specific features and extensions required to maximize Foam's capabilities.
  • Performance with Large Datasets
    Foam can struggle with performance issues when handling large datasets or a high number of notes. This can lead to slow response times and inefficient workflows.
  • Limited Mobile Support
    Foam is primarily designed for desktop use within VS Code, which means that mobile support is limited. Users looking for a seamless cross-platform experience might find this aspect lacking.
  • Customization Complexity
    While Foam offers a high degree of customization, setting up and configuring the tool to meet personal preferences and workflows can be complex and time-consuming for some users.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

Admin Columns
Foam

Overall verdict

  • Admin Columns is a solid, well-established WordPress plugin for customizing the admin list tables (posts, pages, users, custom post types). It's good if you need to manage and display more relevant data directly in your WP dashboard without digging into custom code.

Why this product is good

  • Allows adding, removing, and reordering columns in WordPress admin list views without coding
  • Supports custom fields from ACF, Pods, and other popular plugins out of the box
  • Enables inline editing of column values directly from the list view, saving time
  • Offers sorting and filtering by custom columns, improving content management efficiency
  • Has a mature track record with regular updates and compatibility with current WordPress versions
  • Provides both free and premium (Pro) versions, so you can start free and upgrade as needs grow
  • Good documentation and support for a plugin-focused business

Recommended for

  • WordPress site administrators managing large numbers of posts, pages, or custom post types
  • Agencies and developers building client sites that need customized, efficient admin dashboards
  • Site owners using ACF or Pods who want those custom fields visible in list tables
  • E-commerce or membership sites with WooCommerce or user-heavy data needing quick-glance admin views
  • Teams needing bulk inline editing to speed up content workflows without touching code

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Foam is a good tool for those seeking an open-source environment for note-taking and knowledge management, particularly if they appreciate an approach based on markdown files and integration within a powerful text editor like Visual Studio Code. Its flexibility and user-driven customization make it suitable for users who enjoy tweaking and optimizing their workspace according to their workflow.

Why this product is good

  • Foam is a personal knowledge management and sharing system inspired by Roam Research, offering an open-source solution built on top of Visual Studio Code. It provides users with capabilities to create and interlink notes using markdown files, offering flexibility and customization suited to personal preferences. Foam supports features like backlinking, graph visualization of notes, and integration with VS Code extensions, making it a robust tool for managing interconnected information effectively.

Recommended for

  • Individuals preferring markdown-based note-taking systems
  • Developers familiar with Visual Studio Code
  • Users who appreciate open-source software and community-driven projects
  • People interested in managing complex, interconnected knowledge bases

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Admin Columns 3 videos + Add
Foam 3 videos + Add

Admin Columns Pro Review

More videos

  • - Admin Columns 4 - A Major Update of Admin Columns Pro
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Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
Admin Columns
Foam
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%

User comments

Share your experience with using Admin Columns and Foam. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

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Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

Admin Columns 0 mentions
Foam 49 mentions

Tracking Admin Columns since Mar 2021.

  • AI Coding Tip 020 - Create a Second Brain
    Choose a local Markdown tool like Obsidian, Logseq, Foam, or Tolaria to store all your knowledge as plain .md files you own and control. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • Migrating from DokuWiki to Obsidian
    I've been using foam instead of obsidian for my personal knowledge base. It works rather well. And it's completely free and ultimately just markdown. While I might wish it was djot, I don't wish hard enough to make that so myself... - Source: Hacker News / about 2 years ago
  • I Use Obsidian
    I gave up on Obsidian and just use Foam (https://foambubble.github.io/foam/) and/or vimwiki. I just can’t get into overwrought, arbitrarily designed organization schemes or proprietary apps (Foam-managed content is just plain Markdown,... - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago

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Alternatives to Admin Columns and Foam

When comparing Admin Columns and Foam, you can also consider the following products.