Tag: CMS

The Future of WordPress: Is Your Website Ready for 2025 and Beyond?

Posted on by galaxy-admin

WordPress dominates the web, powering over 43% of all websites globally. Its open-source nature, flexibility, and ease of use have made it a popular choice for businesses of all sizes. However, this widespread adoption comes with its own set of challenges. Maintaining a WordPress website can be a complex endeavor, demanding ongoing attention to security, performance, and updates.

Security breaches remain a significant concern, with reports indicating that WordPress sites are a prime target for attackers, facing thousands of attacks per day. And slow loading times, which plague around 53% of mobile website users, can lead to significant revenue loss. Furthermore, experts predict that in 2025, the focus will shift even more towards Core Web Vitals and user experience, making performance optimization crucial for businesses to stay competitive. Plugin conflicts, compatibility issues, and the constant need for updates further complicate the WordPress experience for many businesses.

Navigating these complexities requires specialized expertise, and that’s where a trusted partner can make all the difference. As an experienced offshore software development company specializing in WordPress, Galaxy Weblinks understands the intricacies of this platform and the challenges businesses face. We offer comprehensive solutions to help you navigate the complexities of WordPress, ensuring your website remains secure, performs optimally, and drives business growth.

These challenges, while common, shouldn’t hold your business back. WordPress remains a powerful and versatile platform, but navigating its intricacies requires a proactive approach. Let’s break down the most prevalent WordPress pain points, explore their potential impact on your business, and discover how to overcome them effectively.

Unmasking the WordPress Headaches: Specific Challenges Businesses Face 

While WordPress offers unparalleled flexibility and ease of use, it’s not without its challenges. Understanding these potential pitfalls is crucial for any business relying on WordPress to power its online presence. Let’s delve into the specific headaches that often plague WordPress websites:

Security Vulnerabilities: Beyond the Hype

WordPress, being the most popular CMS on the web, is a prime target for attackers. While the core software is generally secure, vulnerabilities often arise from outdated plugins, weak passwords, and misconfigured settings. Did you know that in 2023, over 18 million WordPress sites were infected with malware? (Source: Sucuri Website Threat Research Report 2023) This highlights the importance of proactive security measures.

In 2022, a vulnerability in the popular “WooCommerce Payments” plugin, which is used by millions of online stores, exposed sensitive customer data, including credit card information. This incident prompted WooCommerce to issue an urgent update, urging users to patch their systems immediately. (Source: BleepingComputer)

Beyond the common threats, WordPress sites are also susceptible to more sophisticated attacks like SQL injections, cross-site scripting (XSS), and brute-force attacks. These can compromise sensitive data, disrupt website functionality, and damage your brand reputation.

Performance Bottlenecks: More Than Just Slow Loading

Slow loading times are a major frustration for website visitors and a significant detriment to your SEO efforts. Google’s Core Web Vitals emphasize the importance of speed, with studies showing that even a one-second delay in page load time can lead to a 7% reduction in conversions. (Source: Portent)

A case study by Google highlighted how Mobify, a mobile commerce platform provider, improved its website’s performance by reducing page load time from 6.9 seconds to 1.7 seconds. This resulted in a 43% increase in session duration and a 30% increase in conversions. (Source: Google Developers)

But performance issues go beyond just slow loading. Large image sizes, unoptimized databases, and excessive plugins can all contribute to a sluggish website. For instance, a website with over 50 active plugins may experience significant performance degradation, especially if some of those plugins are poorly coded or outdated. A 2024 study by WP Engine found that websites with optimized databases loaded up to 2x faster than those with unoptimized databases. (Source: WP Engine) Identifying and addressing these bottlenecks is crucial for delivering a positive user experience and maximizing your website’s potential.

The Plugin Paradox: Essential Yet Problematic

Plugins are the lifeblood of WordPress, extending its functionality and enabling a wide range of features. However, managing plugins can be a double-edged sword. Compatibility issues, conflicts between plugins, and security risks associated with poorly coded plugins can create headaches for website owners.

In 2023, a vulnerability in the “Essential Addons for Elementor” plugin, which had over 1 million active installations, allowed attackers to take over websites and redirect visitors to malicious pages. This incident highlighted the importance of carefully vetting plugins and choosing those from reputable developers with a strong security track record. (Source: Patchstack)

Furthermore, “plugin bloat” – having too many active plugins – can significantly impact website performance and create security vulnerabilities. A study by Wordfence found that 30% of WordPress vulnerabilities are related to plugins. (Source: Wordfence) Choosing and managing plugins wisely is essential for a smooth and secure WordPress experience.

Maintenance Mayhem: The Hidden Costs of WordPress

WordPress requires ongoing maintenance to ensure its security, performance, and functionality. Regular updates, backups, and troubleshooting are essential tasks that often get overlooked. Neglecting these can lead to security breaches, data loss, and website downtime, resulting in significant costs and frustration.

In 2021, the popular travel website “Nomadic Matt” experienced a significant outage due to a server crash. The website was down for several hours, resulting in lost revenue and frustrated users. This incident emphasized the importance of regular backups and disaster recovery plans. (Source: Search Engine Journal)

Staying on top of WordPress maintenance can be time-consuming and require technical expertise. This is where partnering with a specialized provider can alleviate the burden and ensure your website remains in top shape.

The Talent Gap: Finding Reliable WordPress Expertise

Finding and hiring skilled WordPress developers can be a challenge. The demand for WordPress expertise often outstrips the supply, making it difficult to find reliable and experienced professionals.

A recent survey by Upwork found that the average hourly rate for a WordPress developer with 3+ years of experience is $75-$150 per hour. This high cost can be a barrier for many small businesses seeking to hire in-house developers. (Source: Upwork)

Moreover, ongoing support and maintenance require a dedicated team with the necessary skills and knowledge. According to a 2023 report by W3Techs, over 55% of WordPress websites are running outdated versions, making them vulnerable to attacks. (Source: W3Techs) Outsourcing these tasks to a specialized provider can provide access to a pool of talent and ensure your website receives the attention it deserves.

Rescuing Your WordPress Website: How Galaxy Weblinks Provides Expert Solutions

Navigating the complexities of WordPress can be a daunting task, but you don’t have to go it alone. Galaxy Weblinks offers a comprehensive suite of services designed to address the challenges we’ve discussed and ensure your WordPress website thrives.

Emergency WordPress Rescue

When your WordPress website faces a critical issue – a sudden crash, a security breach, or a debilitating error – every minute of downtime can cost you revenue and damage your reputation. Galaxy Weblinks understands the urgency of these situations and provides rapid response emergency rescue services.

For example, if your website suddenly goes offline due to a server failure, our team can quickly diagnose the root cause, whether it’s a database error, a plugin conflict, or a DDoS attack. We’ll implement a temporary fix to get you back online within the hour and then work on a permanent solution to prevent recurrence.

Ultimately, this ensures business continuity and protects your brand reputation, even when unexpected issues arise.

Proactive Security Hardening and 24/7 Monitoring

Security is paramount in today’s digital landscape, and your WordPress website is a prime target for attackers. Galaxy Weblinks takes a proactive approach to security, going beyond basic measures to safeguard your website and data.

We don’t just install security plugins and call it a day. Our security experts perform in-depth audits to identify vulnerabilities in your themes and plugins, implement two-factor authentication and strong password policies, and configure firewalls to block malicious traffic. We also monitor your website 24/7 for suspicious activity, such as login attempts from unknown IP addresses or unauthorized file changes.

With Galaxy Weblinks as your security partner, you gain peace of mind knowing your website and customer data are shielded by a team of dedicated professionals.

Performance Optimization for Superior User Experience

Website speed is critical for user engagement and SEO. Slow loading times can frustrate visitors and negatively impact your search rankings. Galaxy Weblinks understands the importance of performance optimization and employs advanced techniques to ensure your website loads lightning-fast.

We go beyond basic image optimization. Our team analyzes your website’s database queries, identifies slow-loading plugins, and optimizes your server configuration for maximum efficiency. We also implement caching strategies and content delivery networks (CDNs) to reduce server load and deliver content faster to users around the world.

For example, we recently helped an e-commerce client reduce their website’s average loading time from 5 seconds to under 2 seconds, resulting in a 15% increase in conversions and a significant boost in their search engine rankings.

By optimizing your website’s performance, you can enhance user satisfaction, boost your SEO, and ultimately drive more conversions and revenue.

Custom Development and Seamless Integrations

Your business is unique, and your website should be too. Galaxy Weblinks offers custom WordPress development services to extend your website’s functionality and meet your specific needs.

Whether you need a custom theme that reflects your brand identity, a plugin that automates a specific task, or integration with a third-party service like CRM or marketing automation, our team of experienced developers can build a solution tailored to your requirements.

This empowers you with a website that not only looks great but also functions seamlessly to support your unique business processes and goals.

Strategic Consulting for Informed Decision-Making

Making informed decisions about your WordPress website can be challenging, especially with the constantly evolving landscape of technology and best practices. Galaxy Weblinks provides expert consulting services to guide you through the process.

Our experienced consultants can help you evaluate your current website, identify areas for improvement, and recommend the best solutions for your specific needs and budget. Whether you’re considering migrating to a new platform, implementing a headless CMS strategy, or simply optimizing your existing website, we can provide the guidance and support you need to make informed decisions.

With our strategic guidance, you can confidently navigate the complexities of WordPress and make choices that align with your business objectives.

Comprehensive WordPress Support and Maintenance

Maintaining a WordPress website requires ongoing effort and technical expertise. Galaxy Weblinks offers comprehensive support and maintenance services to take the burden off your shoulders.

Our team can handle all aspects of website maintenance, including regular updates, security monitoring, performance optimization, and backups. We also provide proactive troubleshooting to identify and resolve issues before they impact your website’s functionality or user experience.

This allows you to focus your valuable time and resources on your core business activities, knowing that your website is in capable hands.

Seamless Migration and Platform Diversification

If you’re considering moving away from WordPress or want to diversify your digital presence, Galaxy Weblinks can assist with seamless migrations to other CMS platforms like Drupal or Joomla, or even to custom-built solutions.

Our team has extensive experience in migrating websites from various platforms to WordPress and vice versa. We ensure a smooth transition, minimizing downtime and preserving your valuable content and SEO rankings.

We can also help you implement a headless CMS strategy or integrate other platforms to enhance your online capabilities. This opens up new possibilities for your digital presence, allowing you to explore alternative platforms and expand your online reach without the technical headaches.

Custom Plugin Development and Troubleshooting

Plugins are essential for extending WordPress functionality, but they can also cause conflicts, security vulnerabilities, and performance issues. Galaxy Weblinks offers custom plugin development and troubleshooting services to address these challenges.

If you need a plugin that doesn’t exist or are facing issues with existing plugins, our team can develop custom solutions or provide expert troubleshooting to resolve conflicts and ensure your website functions seamlessly.

By leveraging our plugin expertise, you can unlock the full potential of WordPress without the worries of plugin conflicts or security risks.

Grow Your Business with a Strong WordPress Foundation

Imagine this: You’re no longer constantly worried about your WordPress website. Instead, you have a reliable online platform that supports your business growth and allows you to focus on what you do best. This is the peace of mind that comes with partnering with Galaxy Weblinks.

We’re more than just a fix-it service. We become an extension of your team, providing the expertise and support you need to maximize your online presence.

Here’s how partnering with Galaxy Weblinks can give you a unique advantage:

  • Unwavering Focus on Your Core Business: We understand that your time is valuable. That’s why we assign dedicated project managers who act as a single point of contact, handling all communication and coordination so you can focus on your core business goals. For example, we recently helped a client, a busy e-commerce store owner, increase their sales by 15% by taking full responsibility for their website maintenance, security, and updates, freeing them to focus on marketing and customer service.
  • Access to a Global Team of WordPress Experts: Our team comprises highly skilled WordPress developers, designers, and security professionals with an average of 5+ years of experience and proven expertise in diverse areas like WooCommerce development, performance optimization, and custom plugin development. We carefully vet each team member to ensure they meet our high standards of quality and expertise.
  • Cost-Effective Solutions Without Compromising Quality: Our offshore development model allows us to offer high-quality services at significantly lower costs compared to hiring in-house developers or working with local agencies. We are committed to transparent pricing and offer flexible engagement models to suit your budget and needs.
  • Proactive Problem-Solving and Strategic Guidance: We don’t just wait for problems to arise; we actively prevent them. We use advanced monitoring tools to detect potential issues before they impact your website, conduct regular security audits to identify vulnerabilities, and provide proactive recommendations to optimize your website’s performance and security.
  • A True Partnership Built on Trust and Collaboration: We believe in building long-term relationships with our clients based on trust and mutual success. We foster open communication, provide regular progress updates, and actively seek your feedback to ensure we’re aligned with your goals. Our client testimonials and case studies speak volumes about our commitment to collaborative partnerships.

Take control of your WordPress website. Get a website audit from Galaxy Weblinks and uncover hidden performance bottlenecks, security vulnerabilities, and opportunities for optimization. Our expert analysis will provide you with actionable insights to improve your website’s performance, security, and user experience.

Is headless e-commerce really the future?

Posted on by galaxy-admin

The e-commerce sector has made tremendous strides. There was a time when eCommerce platforms were designed mainly for desktop users. Cut to the present, customers can purchase products using various devices such as wearable tech, smartphones, social media platforms, etc. The idea behind the evolution is simple: customers who engage with brands across multiple platforms tend to make more purchases.

The market’s ever-changing needs have given rise to new e-commerce approaches in recent years. Earlier methods focused on back-end configurations, but the need for personalized, customized, and engaging omnichannel experiences has prompted the development of a new e-commerce design approach – the headless commerce approach.

Headless e-commerce has gained significant popularity among digital brands, and in the last couple of years, investors have invested heavily in this domain, with over $1.6 billion being poured into such opportunities. Numerous startups and established players in the e-commerce industry have introduced new technologies or products to leverage this trend to stay competitive in an increasingly crowded digital marketplace

Companies are increasingly adopting headless e-commerce as it offers more flexibility, scalability, and customization than traditional e-commerce platforms. In this blog, we will explore whether headless e-commerce is the future of online retail, looking at the benefits of this approach, statistics on its adoption, and examples of businesses that have successfully implemented headless e-commerce.

Is headless e-commerce really the future?

What is headless e-commerce?

Traditionally, e-commerce platforms have been built using a monolithic architecture, meaning the front and back ends are tightly coupled. This can limit the flexibility and customization of the user interface. Headless e-commerce, on the other hand, separates the front and back ends, allowing businesses greater control over the user experience.

In a headless e-commerce architecture, the front end is decoupled from the backend, meaning businesses can use any front-end technology they want. This allows for a more customized and flexible user experience. The backend, responsible for managing the business logic and data, is usually built using an API-driven approach, enabling the platform to communicate with any front-end technology.

Successful businesses that leveraged the benefits of headless e-commerce

Many businesses have already adopted a headless e-commerce approach, with some seeing significant improvements in their online shopping experiences. Here are some examples:

👟 Nike: Leveraged headless to optimize every aspect of their website to suit small-screen interactions, including visuals and call-to-actions. They utilized React SPA and Node.js backend for frontend (BFF) to ensure consistent user experiences across all pages. As a result, Nike gradually gained market share and became a leading player, surpassing their competitor Adidas.

🧼 Lush: Handmade cosmetics became even more accessible thanks to Lush’s faster, more intuitive mobile app with personalized recommendations and real-time inventory updates.

🎯Target: The retailer faced stiff competition from retail giants like Walmart and Amazon, with customers frequently switching between brands. Through thorough analysis, they discovered that almost 80% of their customers begin their buyer’s journey on one device but finished it on another. To capitalize on this opportunity for growth, Target adopted a headless commerce approach to unify the customer buying journey across various devices. As a result, Target experienced an increase in its site’s conversion rate as more users found it easier to finish their purchases with the new unified experience.

📎Staples: The UK-based office supplies behemoth grappled with a massive product catalog that was often siloed and required frequent updates, depending on inventory and promotions. Adopting headless architecture allowed them to update their product catalog quickly and efficiently, and to optimize their website for various functions. They can now offer features such as registering/login in, ordering by item number, or reordering previously purchased items, significantly enhancing their customers’ shopping experience.

💄Lancôme: The French luxury perfumes and cosmetics powerhouse and one of the world’s most valuable brands made the switch to Progressive Web Applications. The decision paid off, with Lancôme seeing a 17% boost in their conversion rate. The headless approach made it much more convenient for their target audience to purchase items even while on the move.

Why is headless e-commerce gaining popularity?

There are several reasons why headless e-commerce is gaining popularity among businesses. Here are some of the key benefits:

Flexibility: Headless e-commerce allows businesses to use any front-end technology they want, which means they can easily customize the user experience to meet their specific needs.

Speed: Because the front and back ends are decoupled, developers can work on them simultaneously, speeding up the development process.

Scalability: Headless e-commerce is more scalable than traditional e-commerce platforms, allowing businesses to add new features and functionality without impacting the user experience.

Integration: Headless e-commerce is designed to work with other systems, making integrating with other technologies easier.

Future-proofing: Headless e-commerce is future-proof, as businesses can easily swap out the front-end technology as new ones emerge.

Headless e-commerce trends 

There is a growing trend towards headless e-commerce, with more businesses adopting this approach. According to a report by Mordor Intelligence, the headless e-commerce market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22.5% between 2021 and 2026. The report also notes that North America is expected to be the largest market for headless e-commerce during this period.

Another report by Digital Commerce 360 found that 43% of e-commerce decision-makers are planning to adopt a headless approach in the next two years. This indicates that headless e-commerce is becoming more popular among businesses as they look for ways to improve the customer experience and stay competitive in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

A report by MarketsandMarkets predicts that the global headless commerce market size is expected to grow from $1.4 billion in 2020 to $3.5 billion by 2025 at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 19.8% during the forecast period. The report notes that the adoption of headless commerce is increasing due to the growing demand for a personalized customer experience, the need for omnichannel marketing, and the increasing focus on improving customer engagement.

A report by Acquia found that 77% of organizations plan to adopt a headless approach within the following year. The report notes that headless commerce offers greater flexibility, scalability, and customization, which is particularly important for businesses looking to provide a differentiated customer experience.

Digital Commerce 360 found that 43% of e-commerce decision-makers plan to adopt a headless approach in the next two years. The report notes that headless commerce is becoming more popular among businesses as they look for ways to improve the customer experience and stay competitive in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

A survey by BigCommerce found that 76% of e-commerce businesses plan to invest in headless commerce in the next two years. The survey notes that headless commerce is a way to differentiate from competitors, enabling companies to offer a more personalized, seamless, and engaging customer experience.

So, is headless e-commerce really the future?

Yes, headless e-commerce is the future of online retail, as it offers a more flexible, customizable, and scalable approach to e-commerce. Decoupling the front and back ends enables businesses to use any front-end technology they prefer, allowing for a more personalized and intuitive user experience. This flexibility, coupled with the speed and scalability of headless e-commerce, makes it an attractive option for businesses looking to improve their online shopping experiences and stay competitive in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. With the headless e-commerce market expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 22.5% between 2021 and 2026 and an increasing number of businesses planning to adopt a headless approach in the next two years, it seems that headless e-commerce is set to become the future of e-commerce. 

Want help with adopting headless for your business? Let’s talk. We can help.

9 Steps to Ensure High Speed of WordPress Website

Posted on by galaxy-admin

WordPress powers more than 40% of the web today. WordPress is powered by thousands of different plugins, themes, and technologies and all of these have to coexist. Things can quickly turn into a nightmare for regular WordPress developers here when the website gives them trouble and they can’t identify the problem area. 

The speed of the website is of the utmost importance and remains a top priority regardless of the nature, size, and function of the website. In every technical audit, an improvement in website speed is given weightage. Poor page loading is a big turn-off for users, as well as a factor that drives them away. 

User experience, content, SEO, mobile-responsiveness, etc are a few of the elements that make a successful website. However, website speed has become more and more important over time. The 4gs and 5gs have made consumers impatient. Even if a website is fractionally slow, they would move on to something else. 

A study from Microsoft Corp. says people are generally losing concentration after eight seconds. It is an effect of an increasingly digitalized lifestyle on the brain.

The fact that visitors are mostly using mobile devices, often having a slower data connection than computers exacerbates the problem further. 

As a result, WordPress website owners are hard-pressed to make their websites fast. But, this demands a lot of technical knowledge.

Here we attempt to guide you in speeding up your website step by step. 

First Up – Backup

The process of speeding up a WordPress website may cause you to lose data and other important components of the website. To that end, always make a backup to restore in case of a mishap. A fresh backup can go back to how things were before. The first step will always be downloading both website files and the database. Do it manually or via a plugin, whatever is convenient to you.

Let’s get to the steps… 

Step One – Damage Assessment 

Post backup, it is time to see how the site’s current performance is in terms of page speed. Then follows the before/after comparison. If you have before/after data, you can draw the comparison and check if your actions made any difference. Some of the commonly used tools are – Pingdom, GTmetrix, Google PageSpeed Insights.

Plugging the URL into these sites to see the site’s performance. These testing tools will provide inputs on how the speed of the page can be improved. The recommendations will look like this:

  • Enable compression
  • Leverage browser caching
  • Reduce HTTP requests
  • Eliminate JavaScript and CSS above the fold
  • Optimize images
  • Minify CSS and JavaScript
  • Reduce server response time

Step Two – Eliminating Unnecessary Plugins and Themes

There are always some plugins on the site that are not useful or have outlived the initial purpose. These plugins put an extra, unnecessary burden on the site, increasing the loading time. HTTP requests can slow a site down, so log in and sort through the plugin list. Disable plugins that are not in use and also stop by the theme menu to see if there is anything that isn’t needed.

Step Three – Run Plugin Performance Profiler

With Performance Profiler, plugin performance can be scanned, pinpointing the ones slowing down the WordPress website.

Step Four – Update!

Upgrading WordPress, themes, and plugins gives you access to the latest features and also lets you take advantage of speed improvements. Proper up-gradation of each element constructing the website is necessary.

Step Five – Optimization of the Database

Data optimization can be done using plugins like WP-Optimize. It helps you remove the data overhead from database tables and unnecessary entries such as old post revisions and more.

Step Six – Image Optimization

Images often make up the bulk of any webpage, especially if they are completely composed of visuals. For that reason, we optimize images as much as possible. 

Step Seven – Enable Compression

Next, zip up the files to make them smaller so that browsers need less time to download and present them on the screen.

Step Eight – Turn on Browser Caching

Enabling browser caching basically means telling the browsers of visitors to store parts of the site on their hard drive for a quick future load. This way, resources that aren’t likely to change, can be reused next time.

Step Nine – Minify and Concatenate

Using plugins like Autoptimize to reduce the number of HTTP requests made by the browser by minifying and concatenating the CSS and JavaScript files.

About Galaxy Weblinks 

Galaxy Weblinks is your one-stop solution for WordPress solutions, We offer a complete range of IT services including WordPress development and WordPress optimization. Contact us now for the complete WordPress solutions.

Is WordPress 5.0 Following the Craft CMS Path with Gutenberg?

Posted on by galaxy-admin
In today’s digital era, where websites have become the lifeline of businesses and bloggers alike, the choice of a Content Management System (CMS) can make or break your online presence. WordPress, known for its user-friendliness and extensive plugin library, has been a go-to choice for many. However, the release of WordPress 5.0 with the Gutenberg Editor raised questions and comparisons with another rising star in the CMS world – Craft CMS.

A Shift in the WordPress Landscape

The WordPress landscape, which has been evolving consistently, took a significant turn with the introduction of WordPress 5.0 and the Gutenberg Editor. WordPress powers over 43% of all websites on the internet. That’s a staggering number, showcasing its dominance in the CMS world However, the Gutenberg Editor brought a new way of content creation to WordPress users. It aimed to simplify the process with a block-based approach, allowing users to build and customize content with ease. While this change was intended to make content creation more intuitive, it raised concerns among the WordPress community.

Craft CMS: A Rising Challenger

On the other side of the spectrum, Craft CMS has been gaining traction for its flexibility and developer-friendly features. Craft CMS offers a blank canvas for developers to create highly customized websites, making it a compelling choice for businesses and developers who require precise control over their websites.

Real-World Example

To illustrate this shift, consider the case of Jane, a small business owner running an online boutique clothing store. She had been using WordPress for years, enjoying its ease of use. However, when Gutenberg Editor was introduced, her routine changed. Initially intrigued by the block-based approach for showcasing her clothing products, Jane faced a learning curve, leading to a temporary decrease in productivity. She had to invest hours in understanding the new system, affecting her ability to focus on her business. Now, let’s look into the case of Mark, a blogger using Craft CMS for his technology blog. Mark appreciated Craft CMS for its developer-friendly approach and precise control over website design and functionality. The transition to Craft CMS was seamless for Mark, allowing him to continue publishing tech articles without interruption. His blogging experience remained smooth and uninterrupted.

The Numbers Speak

Now, let’s explore some numbers to better understand this shift. WordPress 5.0 adoption faced initial challenges, with some users hesitating to upgrade due to concerns about compatibility and workflow disruptions. On the other hand, Craft CMS witnessed a steady rise in popularity, particularly among developers looking for a more robust platform.

Craft CMS and WordPress Adoption Rates

  • WordPress, as mentioned earlier, continues to dominate the CMS market with a staggering 43% market share.
  • Craft CMS, although not as widely adopted as WordPress, has been growing steadily and is becoming increasingly popular among developers and businesses.

Simplifying the Decision-Making Process

So, what should you choose for your website? In the end, everything comes down to your own requirements. Let’s break down the decision-making process further:

WordPress 5.0:

Pros:

  • Vast Community: WordPress boasts a massive community of users and developers, resulting in extensive plugin support and resources.
  • Simplicity: WordPress is known for its user-friendly interface, making it accessible to beginners.
  • Ecosystem: It offers a wide range of themes, plugins, and integrations.

Cons:

  • Learning Curve: The transition to Gutenberg may require some users to adapt to a new way of content creation.
  • Customization Limitations: While WordPress is highly customizable, Craft CMS offers more granular control over design and functionality.

Craft CMS:

Pros:

  • Flexibility: Craft CMS provides a blank canvas for developers, allowing for precise customization and control.
  • Developer-Friendly: Developers appreciate Craft CMS for its coding flexibility and robust features.
  • Performance: Craft CMS is known for its speed and performance, ideal for high-traffic websites.

Cons:

  • Smaller Community: Craft CMS has a smaller community compared to WordPress, resulting in fewer plugins and themes.

Your CMS Partner

In the world of CMS, one size doesn’t fit all. Whether you lean towards WordPress, Craft CMS, or any other platform, what matters most is choosing a solution that aligns with your goals. At Galaxy Weblinks, we understand the nuances of WordPress, Craft CMS, and various other CMS options. We offer comprehensive CMS services, including WordPress Web Development and Craft CMS solutions, tailored to your unique requirements. Partner with us to navigate the CMS landscape effectively and make the right choice for your digital journey.

How to use Macros with Twig in Craft CMS — DRY

Posted on by galaxy-admin

Templating is one of the most commonly used processes in web development. It helps with easier management during the development & design process. Apart from the management, templating helps with keeping the visual consistency.

Craft CMS comes with a cool templating engine — Twig. And we love to use macros to work on redundant parts while working on a Craft CMS project. Macros can be compared to ‘functions’ in PHP also known as DRY templating in other languages. We usually use it to generate markups that have slight final variations in the implementation.

To simplify your code you must first make a visual hierarchy of the page you’re working on. That way you can determine the components you’re going to need. Make macros for those components in the twig templating engine.

Macro implementations can be changed based on the parameters passed to it. For instance footers, dates, images and other media are a recurring part of a website. You can make macros for these components.

Skeleton of Twig Macro

{% macro coolMacroName (parameter 1,…..) %} {content of macro goes here} {% endmacro %}

To call the macro – {% import ‘_macroFilename’ as ‘macroVariable’ %} {{ macrovariable.coolMacroName(parameter1, parameter2,….) }}

The best practice is to add the relevant macros to a file and then call the file as a variable. Use the variable to call the macro at the places you need.

The first Macro we use often is-

Macro for responsive image component in Craft CMS

You can reduce and automate a lot of work which goes in responsive image formatting. Utilize Craft’s ‘Image transforms’ with a twig for images and define your transform macros in it. You will also have to define different types of macros for different image formatting needs.

A macro for Device-pixel ratio adaptable fixed size images and other one for variable size responsive images. Also add an internal class to call it inside your twig image file for additional attributes.

Macro for video component in Craft CMS

Videos are an integral part of every website, so making a twig component for it seems practical, otherwise you will spend your precious time writing and tweaking html code for videos.

In the macro define the logic of the video component. The file should have proper information about the component, the parameters which are accepted, the value each parameter requires, and whether the parameter is optional or not. You also need to mention, what the arrays and objects are made of because without that information you yourself and other developers won’t know, what information can/must or cannot be passed while calling the component.

Making macros for date formatting in Craft CMS

Dates might look like a trivial part of a template but it gets tedious and complex when you have to define its format in every other template.

You can contain different modifiable date formats in a macro. It saves you the effort of having to define it time and again and maintaining consistency all along. Short or long, just define the format in a macro and call it wherever you need it.

Reduce repeated reference of paths in Craft CMS

Include tag in twig allows you to call a template within a template. Each one you make gets stored in /templates/ folder by default, even your include templates.

You can call these partial templates separately followed by the same path or make a macro instead to reduce the repeated reference of path.

To achieve code consistency, store your ‘include’ templates separately. So that you can call the include templates within the macro. You can also call your ‘include templates’ from multiple locations.

Final words

That’s pretty much it. Apart from few other variations, creating macros for page components is a good and effective way to reduce the redundancy and complexity of the code. You can always go through this detailed video for macros here.

We’ve been experimenting with several DRY techniques ourselves. It improves the speed of our work cycle.

How are you using Twig & its components? If you need help with your Craft CMS project, connect with us right away.

Craft Vs Perch: A Clash Of Customizable CMSs

Posted on by galaxy-admin
In our earlier blogs we’ve favoured Craft CMS heavily because of its ‘content first’ philosophy. Perch also majorly focuses on the content but with functionality shredded down to the absolute basics. It’s so minimalistic and that it is considered to be appropriate for small-scale projects only. Anyways, Perch has its perks as compared to conventional CMSs. Let’s put it to the test against the reigning champion, Craft CMS.

Feature comparison of Craft & Perch

Craft is loaded with crucial features, vis-a-vis:

Live Preview

Craft allows you to review the edits as you’re making them in a split screen window mode.

Matrix

Gives you the full control of your content, from layout and placement to the order.

Localization

You can create locales for the desired language and enable with just a click.

One-click updates

Simply update everything with one click from the control panel. The updater even notifies you according to the nature of the update; whether it’s incremental or critical.

Built from scratch

Craft CMS team clearly states that we don’t make any assumptions about your content. You get full control of your website and you can craft it the way you want. On the other hand, Perch has the following features to offer:

Preview

You get to see the changes only after when they are saved in the draft. A bit old fashioned to be honest but it goes with Perch’s tagline of ‘a very little CMS’

Custom Fields

The feature lets you create custom fields throughout the page.

Localization

Perch lets you localize your webpages by creating separate pages or duplicating regions for each language.

Updates

Updating in Perch is a bit cumbersome. You need to replace the old files with the new ones.

Retrofit or build from scratch

You can retrofit an existing website or build a minimal website from scratch.

Documentation comparison of Craft & Perch

Documentation is a crucial part of a CMS. It is important to define the features and inner workings of a CMS so that the new users know how to use it. It’s a map for the CMS users. Documentation, if not done properly, might mislead your users. There is nothing more off-putting than lack of documentation. Users are trying to find their way around the new CMS and if there is no good map, they’ll probably get lost and bounce-off faster than light from a mirror.

Craft

As far as the documentation is concerned Craft excels at it. You will immediately find everything you’re looking for. From update logs and feature definitions to essential how tos; Craft’s documentation has got it all.

Perch

Being the older CMS of the two, extra years in development hasn’t added much in favour of Perch CMS. Perch documentation is enough to get a hold of the basics but it disappoints when you’re half-way into the development process. Especially when you’re trying to give additional functionalities to your CMS with add-ons.

Community Support comparison of Craft & Perch

Documentation can only do so much, the real knowledge and solutions are derived from the dedicated communities formed around the CMS. The community makes up for the lack of documentation and helps you solve on-site issues.

Craft

Craft has a proactive community of dedicated developers and users that help to keep Craft as current as it can be. The Craft community just keeps growing as more people fall in love with the CMS.

Perch

Perch doesn’t aim to be a big CMS and hence it remains that way with 0.1% of the market share. It has a simple and functional CMS to offer but it’s not backed by convenient documentation and a good community support.
  • Perch Slack channel is no longer active
  • 3725 followers on Twitter
  • 615 fans on Facebook

User Interface comparison of Craft & Perch

User interface determines how you interact with the content. Both the CMSs provide you with a dashboard to edit and manipulate your content using the interface. The simpler the interface the lesser the struggle to understand it.

Craft

Craft focuses on providing powerful and bespoke results. The interface hence is equipped with essential functionalities to handle large amounts of data gracefully. Although it is considered to be highly-technical and dev-friendly, Craft CMS offers a conveniently easy drag and drop interface for layout design.

Perch

Perch on the other hand stays true to its principle of being basic with the user interface too. It is comprehensive and doesn’t require extensive technical expertise. However to people who want more control over their content it is basically under equipped.

Development Cycle comparison of Craft & Perch

Craft uses an unconventional and complex data structure, hence the bigger learning curve. Singles, structures, and channels as data structures give you unmatched control and editing capabilities. For front-end development Craft utilizes Twig templating engine for advanced templates and data manipulation. Perch uses PHP functions for the development as compared to Twig in Craft. The content structure is pretty straight forward, it features pages, regions, and shared regions for data manipulation. For the added functionality of reusing content throughout the page you need to upgrade to larger version of Perch which is Perch Runway. Both the CMSs have their benefits but it is rather important and practical to go with the CMS which is flexible and future-proof. While Perch is a straight forward CMS which doesn’t try too hard to be something it’s not, it is only good for small projects and businesses with a tight budget. On the contrary, Craft CMS provides necessary functionalities paired with high-end security. It is a capable and viable choice for both developers and content editors. Looking at the security track record of Craft we’ve always chosen Craft CMS over every other CMS for our clients. In case you are confused about how