If you are looking to build a website, the first step is to pick a platform. Now, with so many web design platforms available in the market, it can be overwhelming to pick the right one if you are not a tech-savvy person.
No worry, we have made it easy for you! Today, we will explore several web design platforms for business websites and online store development. Keep reading.
Best Web Design Platforms – A Guideline
- WordPress
WordPress powers over 33.5% of all the active websites. Arguably, it is the most popular CMS (Content Management System). Some of the popular brands that use WordPress include Sony Music, The New Yorker, MTV News, TechCrunch, etc. Here’s why the professionals of any leading website design company prefer to use WordPress:
- There are thousands of plugins, add-ons and extensions available for WordPress that help to customize any website.
- With plugins like Yoast SEO, WordPress is the first choice for SEO-friendly website development.
- WordPress offers a WYSISYG (What You See is What You Get) interface. Therefore, even people of non-technical background can easily administer a website. The layout helps them to check how the content would appear without demanding to type elaborate layout commands.
- The drag and drop page builder helps to customize web pages and allows you to add items like forms, text blocks, menus, buttons, footers, slideshows, and other components on your page.
- WordPress sites can be fully translated into dozens of languages and it is easy to create multilingual websites. Plugins like WPML, TranslatePress, etc. help to translate site content, metadata, plugins, etc. and reach everyone in an optimal way.
Also, we cannot close the discussion of WordPress without mentioning WooCommerce – the most popular eCommerce plugin of WordPress. You can hire WordPress developers to build an online store without any hassle.
- PHP
PHP is a scripting language ideal for crafting spectacular and customized web applications. It is widely used for developing interactive web applications. Wondering why it is so popular these days? Here’s your answer:
- PHP has various frameworks like Laravel, CakePHP, Symfony, CodeIgniter, Yii, etc. These enable you to develop custom lightweight applications.
- PHP is compatible with various operating systems including Windows, Mac, Linux, Unix, etc. It also has database flexibility and it supports various databases including MongoDB, MySQL, PostgreSQL, etc. Hence, PHP can be used in different application environments.
- PHP frameworks support MVC (Model-View-Controller) architecture that separates the application data and business logic (model) from the presentation (view). It ensures a faster and efficient development process.
From social media apps to online store and dynamic websites – PHP is the perfect choice for building a robust online destination.
- js
Node.js is a JavaScript runtime environment. It has a huge craze in the industry these days for building scalable and seamlessly performing web applications. Here are some of the advantages of Node.js that you must know:
- It has an event-driven Input/Output model that helps the server to respond in a non-blocking way. This quickens the task delegation process.
- The asynchronous programming of Node.js helps to handle simultaneous requests without slowing down the RAM. Therefore, it is an ideal choice for traffic-heavy real-time applications.
- The Node Package Manager (NPM) allows the developers to reuse the modules across the codes and create various functionalities. The open-source repository reduces the development efforts, time, and cost.
- Nowadays, entrepreneurs prefer to release an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) and add other elements as the company starts to grow. The microservice architecture of Node.js paves way for horizontal and vertical scaling and thus, it is perfect for developing an MVP.
- Reflecting a JavaScript everywhere paradigm, Node.js unified web app development around a single programming language for client and server-side scripts. It makes app deployment simpler.
Node.js is blazing fast and is ideal for crafting apps for IoT devices, video streaming, gaming, social networking, and other real-time applications. Some of the large brands that rely on Node.js to power their applications are NASA, Netflix, LinkedIn, Amazon, PayPal, Walmart, Uber, etc.
- Magento
Magento is a much sought after CMS for eCommerce website development. It powers the websites for some of the major brands including Nike, Ford, Coca-Cola, etc. Here are some of the reasons behind its wide popularity:
- It allows you to set up multiple storefronts with the same or different domains and share the same backend for easy administration.
- It supports multilingual storefront development with multi-currency features.
- It is compatible with Varnish Cache – an open-source web application accelerator. By storing files in memory and reducing the network bandwidth consumption, it helps in increasing website speed.
- It has advanced security with a two-factor authentication process, unwanted demographic regions blocking, and a customized admin path.
- It is an SEO-friendly platform packed with various features like rich snippets, canonical tags, SEO-friendly URL structure, sitemaps, improved layer optimization, etc.
Magento is architected to meet the requirement of scalability and stability as a business grows. Even large enterprises rely on Magento for online store development.
- OpenCart
OpenCart is a popular platform for developing eCommerce websites. It is a highly reliable and user-friendly platform as well. Here’s why it is getting widely popular these days:
- It has a wide range of templates and you can also import templates from other sources. There are various free and paid modules, plugins, extensions available for customizing your e-store.
- In spite of its extensive customizability, it is simple to use. You can select features from the dashboard and integrate them into your store.
- OpenCart is recommended and used by developers to create lightweight eCommerce websites. It is also simple for launching an e-store with a few steps.
- It uses AJAX technology that reduces loading time and enhances site speed.
OpenCart is considered ideal for small and medium-scale businesses.
We hope you have got a comprehensive idea of which platform is ideal for your business. Analyze your business requirement & expectation and make the right choice. If required, you can also consult a professional web design company to help you select the right platform for your website. Best wishes!
