WordPress builders and CMS platforms compared

Comparisons between various content management systems (CMS) and website builders highlight distinct technical approaches for web development.

In the realm of WordPress page builders, Elementor and WPBakery offer different user experiences. Elementor, launched in 2016, utilizes a drag-and-drop method with a sliding sidebar and approximately 100 website kits. WPBakery, formerly known as Visual Composer, features a frontend editor described as cleaner and less cluttered, using a popup menu for elements. Performance tests indicate WPBakery is roughly 15% faster than Elementor.

Regarding CMS architecture, the distinction between WordPress and Grav centers on data storage. WordPress relies on a MySQL or MariaDB database to manage posts, settings, and menus. In contrast, Grav is a database-less system that stores content as plain text Markdown files within a folder structure. This file-based approach allows for easier backups, native version control via Git, and simplified site migrations compared to database-driven platforms.