Published on 30 August 2023 (Updated 29 February 2024)
You want to create a website, but you’re not sure which solution is best suited to your needs? Both solutions have their advantages and disadvantages, and we’re going to present them to you in this article. A website is an essential investment for any business. It’s a way to communicate with your customers, sell your products or services, and generate leads. Moreover, it will become your portfolio and your brand image on the Internet.
Would it be wiser to create a site from scratch with custom web development, or opt for a Content Management System (CMS)?
What is a CMS?
A CMS is a solution that allows you to create and manage the content of a website without needing any particular development skills. In other words, a CMS is a skeleton that enables you to manage your site or software by using an existing tool.
Indeed, all content can be easily updated via a simplified platform. CMSs are generally very intuitive, resembling a word-processing tool.
There are several widely used CMSs to choose from, depending on your needs, such as WordPress, PrestaShop, Drupal, etc.
The advantages of using a CMS
- Saves time: It takes relatively less time to create a website using a CMS, and your site will be up and running almost immediately.
- Saves money: Thanks to the simplicity of the tools offered by CMSs. Most of the tools are free and don’t require the purchase of a license.
- Large number of users: Extensive technical support, not to mention numerous forums dedicated to the subject and the communities that make them up.
The constraints of using a CMS
- Site performance: Creating a website with a CMS slows down the data flow. Its system is less efficient, which will impact your SEO.
- Limited customization: To create new functionalities, it is preferable to use code. A CMS is a ready-to-use solution with simplified operation, and will not be the right solution for your project if it is complex or requires customization. CMS doesn’t really lend itself to customization.
- Structural limitations of CMSs: Using CMSs means using the structure provided. If this structure is modified, updates will no longer be possible. As a result, you will no longer have access to new features and security patches.
As you can see, this type of software is best suited to less complex projects, such as a showcase website to present your company or a blog.
Why opt for a 100% customized website?
As the solution indicates, everything is 100% customized. From the part visible to your visitors (front office) to the administration area (back office). A custom website is fully developed to meet all your company’s technical and organizational criteria and requirements (which will be set out in your specifications).
The advantages of choosing a custom website?
- Solution 100% in line with your needs and criteria: Choosing a custom website means having a site that meets your expectations and needs. The result is a high-performance, secure website with unique functionalities.
- Unlimited customization: The solution adapts to your criteria and new functionalities can be added.
- Enhanced customer experience: A custom site offers a better customer experience thanks to its ergonomics and design, which are tailored to your own visitors.
- Optimized data flows: A custom solution optimizes data flows between your various work tools, saving your precious time.
The constraints of choosing a custom website
Custom websites are more expensive and usually take longer to develop.
- More expensive solution: It all depends on your needs and the complexity of the project. Maintenance costs can also be added to the creation costs.
- Longer implementation time : 100% customized websites require longer development times. To achieve a consistent lead time, everything needs to be defined and detailed from A to Z in specifications.
Symfony, a solution for a custom website
Symfony is an open-source web development framework.
It is designed to facilitate the creation of custom websites, particularly for complex projects requiring a solid structure and in-depth customization.
It offers extreme flexibility for creating websites entirely tailored to your needs. It doesn’t impose a predefined layout, allowing you to create a unique, personalized user experience.
Symfony is designed to facilitate the growth of your application over time. You can add new features and modules without disrupting existing operations, which is essential for companies that need to evolve their website as they go along.
Overall, Symfony is often preferred for custom web development projects due to its performance, flexibility, and ability to handle projects of varying size and complexity, as well as its solid architecture and complex data management.
Find out more about the benefits of developing a custom WordPress website – another solution for creating your own 100% custom site.
Conclusion
To answer the question, selecting the most appropriate solution will depend on the complexity of your project and its long-term development prospects, let alone the budget you’re prepared to spend.
Opting for a 100% custom site gives you a great deal of freedom, both in terms of design and functionality.
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