Content management systems are built using a variety of programming languages, including C#, Java, PHP and Python. While some tech experts may swear by a particular language, there's no one-size-fits-all solution for developing a CMS. As with climbing a mountain, there are many paths to success, and there are many viable programming languages to create a CMS.
When choosing a language for your CMS, several factors come into play, including the availability of developers with knowledge of the language, web solutions available in the language and the language's staying power.
The best programming language for CMS development is the one that works best for your organization when considering these three points.
Pros and cons of the most popular CMS programming languages
What are the strengths and weaknesses of C#, Java, PHP and Python for CMS development?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of using Java for building a content management system?
Java is a straightforward, class-based, object-oriented language that allows developers to easily reuse their code in many different places.
However, some technical personnel don't like Java due to its speed and verbosity. It can be memory-consuming, and slower than other, natively compiled languages.
What are the pros and cons of using C# for building a CMS?
C# is also a very popular language, expanding the potential hiring pool. It also integrates well with Windows (it's part of Window's .NET framework), and carries some security assurance given that it's a compiled language, preventing hackers from having access to the source code in the case that they hack you; however, applications that use compile code need to be re-compiled and re-deployed any time a change is made, major or minor, which can be a time suck.
What are the pros and cons of PHP for CMS development?
Like Java and C#, it's a straightforward language. If you're familiar with one of the others, you'll pick up PHP pretty quickly. It also comes with built-in database connection modules that serve to reduce development time (and headaches) related to applications and sites.
However, if a developer were to choose between PHP and, say, Python, Python would win out due to PHP's lack of machine learning libraries and thus potential inability to scale in the future business needs.
Should I use Python for building a CMS? Here are some pros and cons
There's always the other side of the coin, though. One con is that Python is dynamically typed, which back-end engineers classically dislike since it is more prone to errors. And those errors are easier to introduce, and harder to find.
Java vs PHP: Which language is better for developing a CMS?
No matter which language best supports your efforts, again, keep in mind the three bullets above: how well known the language is, how readily available web solutions are for the language, and how likely the language will persist into the future.
Other CMS programming language considerations
- The language should be easily read and understood to save time during code review.
- Consider the completeness of the programming language you plan to use. If you have to recreate elements that would not need recreation if you used another language, it is worth considering.
- The language should be flexible enough to support the various goals of your organization.
- It's beneficial to have a community around the language to assist your developers in problem-solving or to import existing libraries, saving them time.
Brightspot's preferred CMS programming language
When choosing a programming language for their CMS, Brightspot initially considered C# but ultimately opted for Java due to its popularity at the time of their platform's inception in 2008.
Java allows Brightspot developers to model content types using Java classes, enabling them to alter the data model without being restricted by database schema or other configurations, streamlining development.
The editorial user interface in Brightspot is automatically generated from the underlying Java classes that define content objects, making Java an essential tool for creating intuitive content types, flexible integrations, APIs, intuitive workflows, smart roles and permissions, rich-text editing and more.
If you're considering programming languages for your content management system, keep these considerations in mind. However, if you want a platform that meets every use case and is continuously improving, try Brightspot.
