Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Contao VS ProcessWire

Compare Contao VS ProcessWire and see what are their differences

Contao logo Contao

Accessible Open Source Content Management System

ProcessWire logo ProcessWire

ProcessWire is a PHP5-based open source CMS/CMF built to save you time and make development fun at any scale. It works the way you do.
  • Contao Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-11
  • ProcessWire Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-04

Contao features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Contao offers a straightforward and intuitive backend, making it accessible for users without extensive technical knowledge. Its interface is clean and organized, which helps users to manage content efficiently.
  • Flexible Content Management
    The CMS provides robust content management capabilities with customizable content elements, making it suitable for various types of websites, from small personal blogs to large corporate sites.
  • Built-in Accessibility
    Contao places a strong emphasis on accessibility, with features that help create websites compliant with the WCAG standards, ensuring a broader reach for all users, including those with disabilities.
  • Strong Security Features
    Contao includes built-in security features like two-factor authentication and regular updates, which help keep websites secure from common vulnerabilities and attacks.
  • Multi-language Support
    Contao supports multiple languages out of the box, making it ideal for creating multilingual sites and reaching a global audience without the need for additional plugins.

Possible disadvantages of Contao

  • Limited Marketplace
    Compared to other popular CMSs like WordPress or Joomla, Contao has a smaller marketplace for extensions and themes, which might limit customization options and integrations.
  • Steeper Learning Curve for Developers
    While the user interface is user-friendly, developers might find a steeper learning curve due to the specific architecture and framework of Contao, especially if they are accustomed to more common platforms.
  • Community Size
    The community size for Contao is relatively smaller compared to other CMS communities. This can result in fewer resources such as tutorials, forums, or user groups available for support.
  • Less Popular with Agencies
    Many web design and development agencies may have less familiarity with Contao, which could potentially increase costs or lead times for professional support and development.
  • Somewhat Niche
    As a more niche CMS, it may not be the first choice for mainstream projects where client familiarity with a platform like WordPress is preferred.

ProcessWire features and specs

  • Flexibility
    ProcessWire allows you to define custom content types, fields, and templates, providing great flexibility for different types of projects.
  • User-Friendly API
    The API is simple and intuitive, making it easy for developers to interact with the CMS and retrieve or manipulate data.
  • Scalability
    Due to its robust architecture, ProcessWire can handle a large number of pages and high traffic, making it suitable for both small and large websites.
  • Security
    ProcessWire places a strong emphasis on security, offering features like CSRF protection, secure user authentication, and other best practices.
  • Community Support
    The platform has a strong, active community that contributes plugins, modules, and offers support through forums and documentation.
  • Performance
    ProcessWire is known for its high performance, thanks to its efficient core and caching mechanisms.
  • Customizable Admin Interface
    The admin interface is highly customizable, allowing you to tailor it to fit the needs of your clients or project requirements.

Possible disadvantages of ProcessWire

  • Learning Curve
    New users may face a learning curve, especially if they are not familiar with PHP or custom CMS development.
  • Limited Ready-to-Use Themes
    While ProcessWire offers great flexibility, it lacks a large selection of ready-to-use themes compared to other CMS platforms like WordPress.
  • Third-Party Module Dependency
    Some advanced functionalities require third-party modules, which may not always be actively maintained or could introduce security risks.
  • Documentation
    While the existing documentation is good, some users find it lacking in certain advanced areas, requiring more detailed guidance.
  • Smaller Ecosystem
    ProcessWire has a smaller ecosystem compared to more popular CMS platforms, meaning fewer plugins, themes, and community contributions.
  • Hosting Requirements
    It requires a more robust hosting setup than simpler CMS platforms, which could be a con for smaller projects with limited resources.

Contao videos

01 How to set up your first MetaModels in Contao 3.5

ProcessWire videos

WordPress vs. ProcessWire - Bootstrapping

More videos:

  • Demo - ProcessWire Module Demo - MarkInPageTree
  • Demo - ProcessWire Module Demo - Admin Actions

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Contao and ProcessWire)
Blogging
23 23%
77% 77
CMS
20 20%
80% 80
Blogging Platform
21 21%
79% 79
eCommerce
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Contao and ProcessWire

Contao Reviews

CMS comparison 2018: The 5 most popular open source systems
The software’s basic configuration already has a comprehensive range of functions that can be flexibly adapted to individual needs with more than 1,900 available extensions. The CMS system also offers an integrated theme manager. This makes it possible to individually configure the design and layout of a website based on Contao with the help of pre-designed modules. In...
Source: www.1and1.com

ProcessWire Reviews

11 Popular Free And Open Source WordPress CMS alternatives in 2021
Processwire is a friendly, powerful open source CMS with a strong API.ProcessWire gives you more control over your fields, templates, and markup than other platforms, while ProcessWire’s API makes working with your content easy and enjoyable.
Source: medevel.com

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Contao and ProcessWire, you can also consider the following products

Drupal - Drupal - the leading open-source CMS for ambitious digital experiences that reach your audience across multiple channels. Because we all have different needs, Drupal allows you to create a unique space in a world of cookie-cutter solutions.

WordPress - WordPress is web software you can use to create a beautiful website or blog. We like to say that WordPress is both free and priceless at the same time.

Joomla - Joomla! is the mobile-ready and user-friendly way to build your website. Choose from thousands of features and designs. Joomla! is free and open source.

Ghost - Ghost is a fully open source, adaptable platform for building and running a modern online publication. We power blogs, magazines and journalists from Zappos to Sky News.

concrete5 - An open source content management system. A point and click, free CMS that runs on a web server.

MODx - modx is a free, fast & flexible, ajax and seo content management system