MODX Revolution
We mainly use MODX Revolution to build websites. MODX Revolution is an application for building Content Managed (CMS) sites.
Why do we use MODX Revolution?
MODX Revolution is more flexible so we’re confident when talking to a prospect that we’ll be able to say ‘yes’. In fact, we're so impressed with MODX that we've become a MODX Agency Partner.
There are plenty of web authoring / publishing systems available. Open Source applications with the current highest market share are WordPress, Drupal and Joomla. If we were building a blog or a relatively straightforward website and we had minimal HTML experience we’d use WordPress. If we wanted a site with a little more sophistication, with some secure content that users wanted to login to, and we still had limited HTM skills, we’d use Drupal.
You’ve undoubtedly heard the phrase that ‘your website is your shop window’. Think of a Content Management System (CMS) as the shelving system to display your wares in the window. WordPress and Drupal are the equivalent of buying your shelving flat-packed from IKEA. Nothing wrong with that and are the perfect choice in some circumstances. But the flat-packed shelving only comes in certain sizes and colours and if it doesn’t quite fit the space in your window you can spend hours with the rubber headed mallet trying to get them to fit. MODX Revolution is equivalent to a set of power tools and raw materials to build custom shelving that will always be a perfect fit and often can be quicker to install compared to bending the flat-pack to fit.
What about plugins?
An often cited benefit of WordPress, Drupal and Joomla is the development community and the number of available plugins to extend functionality. Have you ever visited a restaurant where there’s a choice 40 mains including 6 variations of chicken? Choice doesn’t mean better and often means worse plus you have the dilemma of deciding. Back to our shelving analogy if you want flat-packed shelves with rounded corners you’ll need to scour the Internet to see if any of the 1,000 pluggable rounded corners are the right diameter. Surely it’s better to master the router and round the corners as required. The last time we visited WordPress there were 806 plugins for comments. You try and work out the best plugin to display comments.
You’re not locked in
MODX Revolution is an Open Source packaged application which means:
- There are lots of organisations that implement and support it so you’re not locked in to OCTA - we’d rather lock you in through the quality of our service
- It’s not a bespoke CMS written by a boutique web agency that doesn’t have the resources to improve it
- There are no hideously expensive licence fees - it’s free
If the CMS is so flexible am I locked out from future upgrades?
No. Fortunately this is where the flat-packed versus handmade shelving analogy breaks down. MODX Revolution is built in a way that it can be customised and yet still be upgraded to the latest version whilst your made to measure shelves with rounded corners remain intact.
