5.1 Content Management Systems
A Content Management System separates content from presentation so non-technical authors can publish. WordPress, Drupal, and headless CMS like Strapi cover almost every enterprise use case.
5.1 Content Management Systems
Three CMS architectures
CMS comparison
| CMS | Type | Stack | Strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| WordPress | Coupled | PHP + MySQL | Largest community + plugins |
| Drupal | Coupled | PHP + MySQL | Strong taxonomy; gov + edu |
| Joomla | Coupled | PHP + MySQL | Legacy mid-market |
| Sitecore | Coupled | .NET | Enterprise; expensive |
| Strapi | Headless | Node | Open-source headless |
| Contentful | Headless | SaaS | Pay-per-seat |
When to choose what
| Use case | CMS choice |
|---|---|
| Single web site, low-tech editor | WordPress / Drupal |
| Multiple front-ends (web + app) | Headless (Strapi, Contentful) |
| Editorial + custom UX | Decoupled |
| Off-the-shelf publishing | SaaS site builders |
Common CMS pitfalls
- WordPress plugin sprawl; security CVEs on every refresh.
- No staging environment; edits go straight to production.
- No content model; every page is a freeform soup.
- No backup of the database AND uploads directory together.
Mentor’s tip: WordPress is still the default; headless is the modern choice when many front-ends consume the same content. Plugin sprawl is the real WordPress risk. Document the content model before the CMS choice, not after.
Discussion
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