Open Source Web Development

Open Source

What is an Open Source CMS?

CMS is a secure and free approach to the design, development, as well as distribution of software. Content Management System provides businesses with realistic accessibility to the source code for software. There is no proprietary vendor lock-ins or licensing costs. It is used as an alternative that is becoming more and more popular globally to enhance website content..

Why use Open Source CMS ?

As compared to conventional Web Content Management System software, Open Source CMS provides businesses with the following key benefits.

Lower Costs :

All businesses are looking to save a few extra dollars both here and there and look for the next best cost-effective option available. There are no upfront or continual licensing costs, which is a big change from Web Content Management System software. Businesses spend less money using Open Source CMS due to the fact that there are thousands of components completely ready to be integrated to any business website at a small portion of the cost associated with deriving components from scratch. With any business, saving money is vital, Open Source CMS can help with that.

Increased security and transparency :

One of the most essential aspects of any business website is security and reliability. Without these, a website is not able to function properly. Due to the fact that Open Source CMS is available directly to the public, 24 hours a day, there are web developers working on new code and reviewing current codes to remove any possible problems either as soon as they appear, or before they have a chance to even appear..

Transparency is also extremely vital. Open Source CMS ensures that their codes are transparent to allow for easy customization for detailed needs. The transparency allows for complete integration with current software infrastructure and systems currently being used, through the utilization of industry standards, including SOAP, LDAP, XML, and others.

Better Support :

Problems may occur at some point or another, there may be a software program not functioning, for example, within the computer. Many of the popular CMS programs have a developer and user base that is international, allowing for quick support. If a business is discouraged by the support they receive, they have the ability to move to another company utilizing Content Management System. This decreases overall risk because businesses are no longer completely reliant on only one CMS vendor..

Our Open Source Web CMS Solutions :

It is our belief at Outsourcing Partners that Open Source Web Content Management System technology is vital, and therefore, we offer our complete assistance. We are very confident in the services we provide that are based along the notion of Open Source CMS. We believe it is a great, cost-effective technology that provides businesses with the capability to choose a precise proprietary system, rather than being permanently fastened to one.

Because we believe that businesses should have the ability to work on their content as well, we provide the opportunity for them to update website content independently from us. If it is something a business can do on their own, we do not feel that it is right or necessary to take payment for it. We will supply the tools and the knowhow to businesses to enable them to create updates and anything else they would like..

We do not stop until we have been able to offer our clients website design and development solutions that are not only cost-effective but of high quality standards as well. Our solutions use many of the more popular Content Management System, including Wordpress, Drupal, and Joomla..



Joomla CMS Website Design :

Many businesses enjoy using Joomla Content Management System website design because of its flexibility and use-friendly qualities. Because of its large libraries full of various different extensions, Joomla is quickly becoming the star CMS website design program available. Because of its increasing popularity, at Outsourcing Partners, we have guaranteed the most experienced and professional Joomla website designers and developers on our staff..



Drupal CMS Website Design :

One of the award winning CMS website design systems currently available on a global platform, Drupal, is also offered by our services. This Open Sour CMS website design program provides a platform which supplies membership and community websites with the ability to dive into its expansive library of CMS advanced features and functions..



Wordpress CMS :

Wordpress CMS is another award winning website design tool openly used and accessed by many businesses. Aside from being one of the major website design platforms available, it is also the leading blogging platform accessible on a global level. It is considered to be extremely user-friendly, convenient, and allows for enhanced search engine optimization opportunities..



Open-Source is Frequently Updated :

Another awesome aspect of going open-source is that many of the open-source systems out there are updated all the time by their community..

For instance, we almost always use WordPress (a very popular open-source CMS). It's constantly being updated and improved. So many people use it that bugs don't go unreported for very long and they're typically addressed quickly..

By installing these frequent updates, you can ensure your system is taking advantage of the latest technologies and is free of bugs, helping to boost both performance and security..

With a proprietary CMS, you're relying solely on the company to update their system. If you decide to seriously entertain a proprietary CMS, be sure to ask the developer how often they update it and how you can report bugs..



Open-Source is Often More Cost Effective

That is not to say an open-source CMS is always cheaper. But you can typically get more for your money with an open-source solution..

In my opinion, the main reason using open-source is often more cost effective is directly tied to the community that supports it. For most of the major open-source solutions out there, developers are constantly building new features directly into the system or releasing plugins to extend their functionality.

So how does this benefit you? Let's say your nonprofit needs an events calendar on your website. Instead of developing one from scratch, we can use a plugin that already exists. While there may be some cost associated with buying this plugin and customizing it to suit your needs, it's nowhere near what it would cost for us to develop this from scratch.



Open-Source is Often Easier to Customize :

On a related note, open-source CMS's generally present more options when it comes to approaching a web project..

For instance, if we're working with a client that has substantial budgetary constraints, we may recommend starting with a template. Starting with a template can help cut a bit of cost from both design and development, helping a client get a stellar website for a little less. Such an approach isn't possible with many proprietary CMS's out there..

In addition, most open-source CMS's are built to be extended. They come out of the box in a pretty basic way with the intention of being reworked to suit your needs. They're meant for you (or more likely your programmer) to build upon them. They’re flexible, allowing you to integrate existing plugins or develop pieces of functionality from scratch..

And, again using WordPress as an example, since the community is so massive new options are popping up all the time. There are companies solely dedicated to building new WordPress templates and plugins, meaning new options and opportunities are constantly becoming available..



Open-Source Often Plays Better with Other Systems :

This is another argument for the "strength in numbers" approach. Many of the communities surrounding open-source platforms like WordPress are just too massive to reasonably ignore..

Many software developers create ways for you to integrate your website with their system. For instance, you may use a third-party application to manage your donors or volunteers. Massive open-source systems like WordPress often command some of the first integrations available..

That's not to say such systems will definitely work with your open-source CMS. It also does not mean if you use a proprietary CMS there's no way it'll work. But integrations tend to be more likely with major open-source platforms. It simply makes more business sense for a software developer to play well with WordPress than it does for them to focus on integrations with a smaller proprietary system..



The Open-Source Security Question :

By far the biggest concern we hear with an open-source CMS has to do with security. These security concerns are rooted in the same cause as many of the benefits outlined above. If anyone can access the code for these open-source CMS's, that means deviant developers with unsavory intentions can identify and exploit vulnerabilities in these systems..

That's a legitimate concern. With the boom in data living online, safety is rapidly becoming a top concern for everyone. Nonprofits are no exception..

But in the right hands, it's definitely possible to make an open-source CMS very secure. Your developer can start by doing basic things like always using secure passwords and making sure your system stays updated. There are consistently updates to open-source CMS's to address known security issues. By keeping your system updated, you can help ensure you’re protected. There are also a variety of steps your developer can take and plugins they can add to boost the security of your site..

Regardless of the CMS you pick for your project, ask your developer what they do to keep your website and data safe. They should be able to explain it in a non-technical way that makes you feel comfortable..