Content Management Systems, or CMS for short, are applications that provide companies and individual users with the ability to manage the content, information, or analytical data of a website, or internet application. Engaging content plays a major role when attempting to build both your online presence and your brand. Giving users a helping hand, CMS software maximises the potential of their project, allowing multiple members of a team to create, edit, and publish content to a website. Currently, at the forefront of CMS development are Umbraco CMS and Sitecore CMS, two pieces of Danish software that support the .NET Framework build. Umbraco is currently the leading provider of the two, with over half-a-million sites supported, while Sitecore is used for just over 140,000.
Setting Up
Umbraco CMS is an open source system that aims to be simple-to-use and user-friendly--even claiming to be the ‘simplest in the world’ of CMS. Simple is a term that often gets associated with limited or defective when it comes to software. On the contrary, Umbraco focuses on the editorial side of content and specialises on delivering a top-quality system with editors’ needs in mind.
The open source nature of the platform has turned Umbraco into a community, with keen users constantly updating and developing the system when new improvements are made or issues are fixed. Between the followers and users of Umbraco, there are a known 1,211 free Umbraco packages available.
Sitecore CMS, on the other hand, is license-based software offering a wide array of tools. The catch: the tools are for just the one platform. The idea is sold as an ‘all you need’ solution--which is good until you need something else. Umbraco, perhaps, appeals to website developers with its third-party community of software and application developers who act as a fresh pair of eyes and contribute new plug-ins and developments to the CMS software. With Umbraco, the sky's the limit.
With that said, Sitecore has a very big drawback, which users often find after they start using the Sitecore CMS; the software interface is not so dissimilar to Windows, which can be a bit confusing. Sitecore CMS can also be a little difficult to navigate unless you’re a tech whizz or already have some knowledge of the software. In comparison, Umbraco’s promise of a ‘simple’ and user-friendly experience reigns true and the software features a much more agreeable, easier-to-navigate dashboard, designed with you in mind.
Which Software is Best?
Well, to put it simply, if you’re the kind of person who takes the recommendation of others to help make decisions, Umbraco comes with some hefty ones. The Umbraco CMS has received testimonials from a myriad of companies and organisations, including The Council of the European Union, the Danish Football Association, Scholl, and Mercedes-Benz. At Umbraco, they don’t want to hoard this glory for themselves. Instead, they teach you how to create as they do, with Umbraco TV--a repository brimming with the know-how that promises to “help you go from zero to Umbraco hero.”
As with everything in life, both Umbraco CMS and Sitecore CMS have their pros and cons. If you would like to use a reputable and relied-on, open-source platform with an easy-to-use interface and the prospect of infinite growth from the extremely talented, pro-active members of the community without the cost, Umbraco CMS is the way to go.
I'm an entrepreneur and web developer with a passion for coding. I absolutely love working with Umbraco CMS and appreciate the Umbraco community even more.
I've got 10 years+ .Net experience and 7 years+ experience working in the recruitment industry, both coding and marketing job websites. I wanted to use my skills to help give something back to this awesome community and so I decided to build UmbraJobs.com.
My vision & fundamentals
I want this website to be a place where Umbraco Professionals and Umbraco Partners can advertise their services but at the same time I want to filter out all the under-qualified freelancers & agencies that take up the biggest part of other job & freelancer websites. We've all worked hard to gain our Umbraco certifications, partnership status, and help build the Umbraco community to what it is today. I want to see everyone get rewarded for their efforts.
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If you're an Umbraco professional, partner, employer, recruiter or a passionate Umbraco community builder then I'm more than happy to hear from you. Follow me on my social media channels and please reach out if you have any needs, want help or consultation with anything Umbraco related or just want a general chat.
Need help with a project but not too sure who to approach? Send us your project brief and budget. We will provide a free consultation and can help you gather quotes from the best and most suitable freelancers or agencies.
Have you got job vacancy and want to hire an Umbraco professional? Post a job on our website for free. Alternatively let us know your requirements and we will send suitable prospects your way.
Are you an Umbraco Freelance Developer or Umbraco partner that wants to advertise on our site? If you work with Umbraco or registered as an Umbraco partner then you can create a profile for free.
