Reevaluating Web Development: Moving Beyond Traditional CMS Platforms
In the rapidly evolving landscape of web development, many agencies and developers find themselves reevaluating the tools and platforms they rely on. After 15 years of extensive experience managing a diverse client portfolio, our web development agency has reached a pivotal decision: to eliminate the use of content management systems (CMS) altogether and return to a more code-centric approach.
Why the Shift Away from CMS?
For years, CMS platforms like WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla have been the go-to solutions for rapid deployment and easy content management. However, as our team has grown and our projects have become more complex, we’ve encountered increasing limitations and inefficiencies. The desire for more control, cleaner codebases, and a streamlined workflow has been growing.
The New Approach: Building From Scratch
We’ve committed to developing websites using pure HTML, CSS, and JavaScript—currently leveraging Vue.js for frontend development. This shift allows us to craft highly optimized, maintainable, and scalable sites tailored precisely to each client’s needs without the constraints imposed by traditional CMS architectures.
To facilitate ongoing minor updates and client adjustments, we’ve built a specialized agent. This tool enables limited edits—adding or modifying content within predefined design systems and auto-layout templates derived from Figma, our design source. By constraining these edits, we maintain design consistency while empowering clients or support staff to make quick, safe modifications.
Advantages of a Code-Only Stack
Our new workflow has revolutionized our development process, bringing notable benefits:
- Enhanced Cleanliness and Performance: Without the overhead of CMS plugins or themes, websites are leaner and faster.
- Greater Control and Flexibility: Custom code allows for precise tailoring of features and layouts.
- Streamlined Updates: Minor adjustments are quicker and more efficient, whether handled manually or via our AI-assisted tools.
- Improved Developer Satisfaction: The clarity and simplicity of the stack boost team morale and productivity.
Technical Stack Overview
Our infrastructure and toolset include:
- Container Orchestration: Kubernetes ensures scalable, reliable deployment.
- Backend Development: Python and Golang handle server-side logic and integrations.
- Frontend Frameworks: Vue.js (though we’re flexible with React, Svelte, or Angular), coupled with HTML and CSS, power our client-facing interfaces.
- Cloud Platform: Google Cloud Platform provides a robust environment for hosting and management.
- Artificial Intelligence: We employ Machine Learning models,
