New: Joomla (1.5) vs. Drupal (6.x) for Newbies
Posted: Sun May 18, 2008 9:00 pm
There is an old board for Joomla vs Drupal [MOD note: see http://forum.joomla.org/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=4364 - MOD pe7er] but I have found it pretty useless since it is so old and is not useful for someone trying to evaluate the two today because the versions have changed so much.
So let's get a fresh start on this. I am a novice at both (just started using each about 7 weeks ago from scratch) and like both and get frustrated with both for different reasons.
Would love to see some great discussion, I'm sure I will learn a lot!
I started a blog about it but will post what I have so far here for convenience.
Joomla vs Drupal: Part 1 (Intro, Installation and Admin Interface)
The first thing you will find if you search the net for comparisons of CMS is that they are dated. Any review you read comparing two content management systems is only marginally useful if it is more than 6 months old.
When new version of these puppies roll out it’s like rolling out a revamped model of a car and if you are not careful you will be reading a review comparing a 2006 Honda Accord and a 2005 Toyota Camry when you are in the market for a 2008. So take any old comparison with a grain of salt, they are useful only to a point.
So I’ll break down, from our ‘noob’ experience, a rating (1-5) of the two and the “winner” across the issue that you are probably most interested in. Whether you are more hands on or using a vendor to assist you these rating should help you get a feel for how hard you (or you vendor) will really have to work.
Ease of installation - Winner: Tie
The installation of both Joomla and Drupal will depend on where you hosting your website. If you are hands on find a host with preloaded scripts (”Simple Scripts” or “Fantastico” for example). If these are pre-loaded on your host installation is a breeze.
If you are using a vendor, it will be a breeze for them to. If a vendor remarks at any difficulty with this run the other way.
Organization of Administrator Interface - Winner: Drupal
Drupal: 4 Joomla: 3
Both systems have an administrative back-end where you can access all your content, modules and settings. Each as things that are better than the other and worse than the other.
Joomla definitely has cuter icons which gives the illusion of being more user-friendly. While Drupal doesn’t have the icons it is much easier to find where you want to go. “Content Mgt,” Site Building,” “Site configuration,” and “User Management,” are the basics and pretty self explanatory.
Joomla has separate area for Menu, Sections, Categories, Modules, Components, Plug-ins, Templates and there is a significant learning curve on locating what you really want to get to. Setting up a menu in Joomla is a frustrating experience even when you have done it 20 times.
Drupal also come with Ajax menus that make it VERY easy to reorder content whether it is in menus or actual site layout. Joomla will drive you to tears with its click boxes and ordering irritations.
Joomla vs Drupal: Part 2 (Themes/Templates)
So how do Joomla (1.5) and Drupal (6.2) compare on issues related to getting the look and feel you want AND the content where you want it?
One thing to seek in mind is that Joomla calls these site layouts and designs as “Templates” and Drupal as “Themes.”
Availability of Templates/Themes - Winner: Joomla
Drupal: 2.5 Joomla: 5
There are many quality, free templates available for both of these platforms. However, there are more templates available for Joomla (1.5) than for Drupal (6.x) at this time. So if you want to find something free or cheap as opposed to finding someone to make you a custom template or making it yourself (which you probably won’t do if you are reading this) Joomla wins hands down.
Ease of Installing Templates/Themes - Winner: Tie
Drupal: 5 Joomla: 5
Installing a new template/theme is as easy as downloading it, possibly unzipping/uncompressing it, and uploading it to the templates/theme directory on your server. Simple, simple, simple. Then you just go in the back-end and select it.
Ease of Configuring and Customizing Templates/Themes - Winner: Joomla
Drupal: 2 Joomla: 3
Both platforms get relatively low marks but for different reasons and too there are many factor when it comes to configuring templates/themes. It is important to not confuse customizing the actual theme/template with positioning your content areas in a template.
In short, by design the Drupal platform makes it easier to place you content in any given template but the templates themselves can be difficult to customize beyond changing the logo. Joomla by design is an exercise it patience and prayer when trying to position content but most templates are fairly simple to modify the look and feel of for those who can tweak html and css.
The biggest factor is the theme/template itself and the configuration setting that the developer/designer has built in. These preset configuration setting can range from having many different color themes to several column layout setting to having almost no custom configuration settings. This goes for both Drupal and Joomla.
You should read before you download and install a template/theme to see what the options are but you won’t really know and have a good feel for how the preset setting work until you try it.
Many of the readily available Drupal themes there are robust options for changing color combinations but not so many for layout changes. Yet because of Drupals VERY nice “blocks” feature putting content areas where you want them on the page is almost fun.
Joomla? Getting the right modules (in Drupal “blocks”) in the right place on template can be nothing short of a nightmare, especially if you get things set up in one template and then decided to try another template. This is in part because Joomla templates can vary so widely in the number and labeling of modules (content areas) on a page. It is also in part because it is just a pain in the ass. If I could merge these two platforms this would be the first thing I would do.
There is a drawback in Drupal in customizing actual html or css because you have to use an external program to even see it. Joomla has view and edit html and css options right in the back-end.
Joomla templates are also easier to customize at the html and css level. This is probably because Drupal has much more fluid and dynamic page layouts and themes (templates).
So both have their pros and con but Joomla wins for the intermediate user.
Ease of Placing Content Areas in Templates/Themes: Drupal
Drupal: 5 Joomla: 2
Taking into account the aforementioned, Drupal with its Ajax-sliding units on the admin side blows away Joomla and Joomla just, well, blows.
With Drupal you just move the Blocks (content areas) to where you want them on the back-end, pretty much limited by the theme/template layout. It is awesome.
With Joomla the biggest problem you are going to have is if you ever get set on a template and then decide to change to another one. You will also probably have problem because modules (content areas) have types that can be not so clear.
Prettiest Template/Themes: Joomla (barely)
Drupal: 3 Joomla: 4
This goes back to the issue of availability. I don’t really think there are limitation to either platform with regards to aesthetics, either with the right amount of elbow grease can look fantastic. That said, if you need to use elbow grease Joomla will take less.
But Joomla win as there is much great select of very nice templates available for 1.5 than for Drupal 6.2.
So let's get a fresh start on this. I am a novice at both (just started using each about 7 weeks ago from scratch) and like both and get frustrated with both for different reasons.
Would love to see some great discussion, I'm sure I will learn a lot!
I started a blog about it but will post what I have so far here for convenience.
Joomla vs Drupal: Part 1 (Intro, Installation and Admin Interface)
The first thing you will find if you search the net for comparisons of CMS is that they are dated. Any review you read comparing two content management systems is only marginally useful if it is more than 6 months old.
When new version of these puppies roll out it’s like rolling out a revamped model of a car and if you are not careful you will be reading a review comparing a 2006 Honda Accord and a 2005 Toyota Camry when you are in the market for a 2008. So take any old comparison with a grain of salt, they are useful only to a point.
So I’ll break down, from our ‘noob’ experience, a rating (1-5) of the two and the “winner” across the issue that you are probably most interested in. Whether you are more hands on or using a vendor to assist you these rating should help you get a feel for how hard you (or you vendor) will really have to work.
Ease of installation - Winner: Tie
The installation of both Joomla and Drupal will depend on where you hosting your website. If you are hands on find a host with preloaded scripts (”Simple Scripts” or “Fantastico” for example). If these are pre-loaded on your host installation is a breeze.
If you are using a vendor, it will be a breeze for them to. If a vendor remarks at any difficulty with this run the other way.
Organization of Administrator Interface - Winner: Drupal
Drupal: 4 Joomla: 3
Both systems have an administrative back-end where you can access all your content, modules and settings. Each as things that are better than the other and worse than the other.
Joomla definitely has cuter icons which gives the illusion of being more user-friendly. While Drupal doesn’t have the icons it is much easier to find where you want to go. “Content Mgt,” Site Building,” “Site configuration,” and “User Management,” are the basics and pretty self explanatory.
Joomla has separate area for Menu, Sections, Categories, Modules, Components, Plug-ins, Templates and there is a significant learning curve on locating what you really want to get to. Setting up a menu in Joomla is a frustrating experience even when you have done it 20 times.
Drupal also come with Ajax menus that make it VERY easy to reorder content whether it is in menus or actual site layout. Joomla will drive you to tears with its click boxes and ordering irritations.
Joomla vs Drupal: Part 2 (Themes/Templates)
So how do Joomla (1.5) and Drupal (6.2) compare on issues related to getting the look and feel you want AND the content where you want it?
One thing to seek in mind is that Joomla calls these site layouts and designs as “Templates” and Drupal as “Themes.”
Availability of Templates/Themes - Winner: Joomla
Drupal: 2.5 Joomla: 5
There are many quality, free templates available for both of these platforms. However, there are more templates available for Joomla (1.5) than for Drupal (6.x) at this time. So if you want to find something free or cheap as opposed to finding someone to make you a custom template or making it yourself (which you probably won’t do if you are reading this) Joomla wins hands down.
Ease of Installing Templates/Themes - Winner: Tie
Drupal: 5 Joomla: 5
Installing a new template/theme is as easy as downloading it, possibly unzipping/uncompressing it, and uploading it to the templates/theme directory on your server. Simple, simple, simple. Then you just go in the back-end and select it.
Ease of Configuring and Customizing Templates/Themes - Winner: Joomla
Drupal: 2 Joomla: 3
Both platforms get relatively low marks but for different reasons and too there are many factor when it comes to configuring templates/themes. It is important to not confuse customizing the actual theme/template with positioning your content areas in a template.
In short, by design the Drupal platform makes it easier to place you content in any given template but the templates themselves can be difficult to customize beyond changing the logo. Joomla by design is an exercise it patience and prayer when trying to position content but most templates are fairly simple to modify the look and feel of for those who can tweak html and css.
The biggest factor is the theme/template itself and the configuration setting that the developer/designer has built in. These preset configuration setting can range from having many different color themes to several column layout setting to having almost no custom configuration settings. This goes for both Drupal and Joomla.
You should read before you download and install a template/theme to see what the options are but you won’t really know and have a good feel for how the preset setting work until you try it.
Many of the readily available Drupal themes there are robust options for changing color combinations but not so many for layout changes. Yet because of Drupals VERY nice “blocks” feature putting content areas where you want them on the page is almost fun.
Joomla? Getting the right modules (in Drupal “blocks”) in the right place on template can be nothing short of a nightmare, especially if you get things set up in one template and then decided to try another template. This is in part because Joomla templates can vary so widely in the number and labeling of modules (content areas) on a page. It is also in part because it is just a pain in the ass. If I could merge these two platforms this would be the first thing I would do.
There is a drawback in Drupal in customizing actual html or css because you have to use an external program to even see it. Joomla has view and edit html and css options right in the back-end.
Joomla templates are also easier to customize at the html and css level. This is probably because Drupal has much more fluid and dynamic page layouts and themes (templates).
So both have their pros and con but Joomla wins for the intermediate user.
Ease of Placing Content Areas in Templates/Themes: Drupal
Drupal: 5 Joomla: 2
Taking into account the aforementioned, Drupal with its Ajax-sliding units on the admin side blows away Joomla and Joomla just, well, blows.
With Drupal you just move the Blocks (content areas) to where you want them on the back-end, pretty much limited by the theme/template layout. It is awesome.
With Joomla the biggest problem you are going to have is if you ever get set on a template and then decide to change to another one. You will also probably have problem because modules (content areas) have types that can be not so clear.
Prettiest Template/Themes: Joomla (barely)
Drupal: 3 Joomla: 4
This goes back to the issue of availability. I don’t really think there are limitation to either platform with regards to aesthetics, either with the right amount of elbow grease can look fantastic. That said, if you need to use elbow grease Joomla will take less.
But Joomla win as there is much great select of very nice templates available for 1.5 than for Drupal 6.2.