Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

ExpressionEngine VS Textpattern

Compare ExpressionEngine VS Textpattern and see what are their differences

ExpressionEngine logo ExpressionEngine

ExpressionEngine is a flexible, feature-rich content management system that empowers thousands of...

Textpattern logo Textpattern

Textpattern is an elegant content management system that is free, open source software.
  • ExpressionEngine Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-08-05
  • Textpattern Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-16

ExpressionEngine features and specs

  • Flexibility
    ExpressionEngine is highly flexible and can be used to create a wide range of websites, from simple blogs to complex web applications. It doesn't impose rigid structures, allowing developers to design content and data structures according to the project's needs.
  • Template Engine
    Its powerful template engine allows for both simple and complex designs. Designers and developers can create custom layouts and templates without having to delve deeply into backend code.
  • Security
    Known for its robust security features, ExpressionEngine prioritizes the safety of its users. It includes in-built security measures such as data encryption, secure form handling, and regular security updates.
  • Addon Ecosystem
    ExpressionEngine has a diverse addon ecosystem, enabling users to extend core functionalities easily. Many high-quality third-party plugins are available for various needs like SEO, eCommerce, and more.
  • User Management
    The platform offers advanced user management capabilities. It allows for intricate access controls and user permissions, making it ideal for membership sites and other applications requiring multiple user roles.
  • Documentation
    ExpressionEngine provides thorough and well-maintained documentation, helping developers and content managers navigate and make the most out of the platform.

Possible disadvantages of ExpressionEngine

  • Cost
    ExpressionEngine is a paid CMS. While it does offer significant advantages, the cost might be prohibitive for small businesses or individuals who are just getting started.
  • Learning Curve
    While its flexibility is a major advantage, it also means that there can be a steep learning curve for beginners. Those who are new to CMSs or coming from simpler systems may find the initial setup and customization challenging.
  • Performance
    ExpressionEngine can be resource-intensive, particularly for large, high-traffic websites. Without proper optimization and hosting, this could lead to slower load times and potential performance issues.
  • Complexity for Simple Sites
    For simpler websites, the extensive feature set of ExpressionEngine might be overkill. Users looking for a straightforward blogging platform or a basic company website may find it unnecessarily complex.
  • Limited Themes and Plugins
    Compared to other CMS platforms like WordPress, ExpressionEngine has a smaller library of pre-built themes and plugins. This may require more custom development work to achieve desired functionalities and aesthetics.
  • Community Support
    While there is a dedicated group of users, the community around ExpressionEngine is smaller compared to more widely-used CMS platforms. This could make finding community support, tutorials, and third-party resources more difficult.

Textpattern features and specs

  • Flexibility
    Textpattern offers a high degree of flexibility for building custom websites, allowing developers to manage content in a versatile, structured manner.
  • Lightweight
    It is lightweight and fast, making it easier to run on smaller servers and ensuring quick load times for users.
  • Powerful Template System
    Textpattern features a straightforward yet powerful template and tagging system, giving users full control over HTML and CSS.
  • Built-in Textile Markup
    The built-in Textile markup language allows for easy content formatting directly within the editor, simplifying content creation.
  • Strong Security
    Textpattern has a strong focus on security, with a robust admin interface and frequent updates to address potential vulnerabilities.
  • Active Community
    The Textpattern community is active and supportive, providing a wealth of plugins, tutorials, and forums for user assistance.

Possible disadvantages of Textpattern

  • Learning Curve
    The flexibility and power of Textpattern can result in a steeper learning curve for new users unfamiliar with its syntax and structure.
  • Limited Themes and Plugins
    Compared to other CMS platforms like WordPress, Textpattern has a more limited selection of pre-designed themes and plugins.
  • Less WYSIWYG Editing
    Textpattern relies more on markup languages and less on WYSIWYG editors, which might not suit users looking for a more visual editing experience.
  • Smaller User Base
    The smaller user base means there are fewer third-party resources and less widespread knowledge compared to larger CMS platforms.
  • Custom Development
    For certain functionalities and custom features, more effort in custom development might be required compared to more out-of-the-box solutions.

ExpressionEngine videos

ExpressionEngine 2 Tutorials #1 - Installation

More videos:

  • Tutorial - ExpressionEngine 2 Tutorials #18 - Embedded Templates
  • Review - ExpressionEngine 3 Interface Changes

Textpattern videos

Textpattern CMS Tutorial 1 install on local server

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to ExpressionEngine and Textpattern)
CMS
56 56%
44% 44
Blogging Platform
54 54%
46% 46
Development
41 41%
59% 59
Blogging
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 ExpressionEngine and Textpattern

ExpressionEngine Reviews

11 Popular Free And Open Source WordPress CMS alternatives in 2021
It features: run multiple sites, live preview, one-click updates, with ExpressionEngine, your site content is stored in channels—flexible data containers with fields for any type of information, and more.
Source: medevel.com

Textpattern Reviews

Top 10 Web Content Management Systems
If you are looking for a simple, text-based, straightforward CMS, then TextPattern is the one you are looking for. TextPattern, focused mainly on your text content, is a great CMS option for bloggers and independent journalists. TextPattern also has a long development cycle dating back to 2003. Therefore, it has a credible ecosystem of text related plug-ins and extensions,...
Source: cloudzy.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Textpattern should be more popular than ExpressionEngine. It has been mentiond 6 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

ExpressionEngine mentions (2)

  • Expression Engine & HubSpot
    Does Expression Engine support integration with HubSpot? Source: over 1 year ago
  • What technologies for these requirements?
    PHP Headless Or you go with a Headless PHP CMS. Some options for that are Bolt CMS, Suru, Twill and ExpressionEngine. A Headless CMS doesn't have any frontend. It can provide you with a REST API or you create it in their template engine and integrate your JS stuff there. There are so many, I can't count them all. You can also search for Cockpit and Strapi. Source: about 3 years ago

Textpattern mentions (6)

  • Matt Mullenweg, Automattic's CEO, Seems Bound and Determined to Wreck WordPress
    There's ClassicPress. But a better alternative than sticking with WP is https://textpattern.com/ (which has better and more stable codebase that is as old as WordPress). - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • WordPress Alternatives
    TextPattern use to a thing like around the same time WP got started. It’s also PHP based. https://textpattern.com/. - Source: Hacker News / 7 months ago
  • Modern WordPress – Yikes
    Checkout https://textpattern.com/ - its development started around the same time as WordPress, and still continues. Even though it didn't reach Wordpress' success, I've always felt that TextPattern is better coded than WordPress. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • Ask HN: For static HTML, what is your go to template?
    Depends on the need...I have a quick LibreOffice HTML template in light or dark. I include metas for mobile use in the document properties. I also have a PHP controller that can easily modify these if I need it to be more dynamic. Otherwise I use https://picocss.com/ for some things. For publishing I either drop the HTML file in a folder with or without a controller, or start a new endpoint by creating a new... - Source: Hacker News / about 3 years ago
  • Textile Markup Language
    Textile was the driving markup behind Textpattern (https://textpattern.com/), one of the better publishing/CMS tools out there on PHP. It had a nice object oriented approach that was less painful than Wordpress, and gave great flexibility to design aspects in ways that were easier to work with than Wordpress... But Wordpress won the popular marketshare, and TP was relegated to some diehards. Those diehards still... - Source: Hacker News / about 3 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing ExpressionEngine and Textpattern, 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.

ClassicPress - The WordPress fork. No Gutenberg. Great future!

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.

Sitecake - Drag and drop CMS for HTML websites. It's flat file CMS so it's pretty fast.

TYPO3 - TYPO3.com - Infos, SLAs, Extended Support Versions and more

Anchor CMS - Free and lightweight blogging system