Bolt CMS
Bolt starts out by giving you the usual options of “pages and posts”, but it doesn’t stop there. Anyone familiar with creating custom post types for WordPress will find it easy to create new content types to their heart’s content. You can define what kind of content goes into each content type: text, images, lists, lists of images, and so much more. See the documentation for more details. Templating is done using the ever flexible Twig template engine. Basically, it’s a lot easier than reading and memorizing new PHP functions, so I’m all for it. Bolt also features an as-yet-small but growing library of extensions. Full documentation is provided for anyone who wants to make their own, so check it out, and go wild!Drawbacks
Many of the settings are changed by editing text files (including navigation menus). Sure, you can edit these files from the admin interface, but this could prove intimidating for some users. In fact, this CMS has a bit of a learning curve in general. The admin interface lacks polish. It appears to be built with an older version of Bootstrap, so it looks... fine, but it’s not always easy to understand.General impressions
Bolt CMS is powerful, and highly customizable. That power comes at the cost of ease-of-use, however, so train your clients to use it with care. Oh, and maybe don’t give them full admin access. People with experience creating WordPress themes shouldn’t have too much trouble switching, though. Use it on those occasions when you need power and flexibility, and have clients who are willing to get their hands dirty.Anchor CMS
Anchor CMS is geared towards exactly one thing: blogging. This single-minded focus is reflected in the feature-set, and indeed, the very design of the admin interface. Speaking of which, the Admin interface is very, very polished. Nothing like working in an environment that’s just plain pleasant to look at. Post formatting is done with markdown (no live preview, sadly), and posts come with the usual options for post categories, tags, custom fields, etc. Also included are interfaces for creating additional “site variables”, and editing your blog’s metadata. Theme creation is a bit more WordPress-like. You’ll need to be comfortable with mucking about, and learning the various PHP loops and so on that display the content.Drawbacks
As of yet, there are no extensions. This is a planned feature though, and I can’t wait to see what people come up with.General impressions
This is another one that is great for web professionals, and any clients you can convince to learn markdown. It’s simple, pretty, starts with a great idea, and executes it perfectly. Anchor CMS is focused on doing exactly one thing, and it does it well.Pico
Pico differs from the other two CMS options on this list in one major way: it’s a flat-file CMS. No, I don’t mean that it stores all of its information in a flat-file database. There is no admin UI. There are no pretty screens for writing content or changing settings. All of your content goes into flat text files, formatted with markdown, and organized by directory. You create and edit content, change settings, and switch themes using your favorite file manager and text editor. Obviously, this makes it a no-frills kind of system, best used for simple sites that might otherwise just be a collection of static pages. Essentially, Pico provides just enough power to make managing sites with largely static content easier. Additionally, it allows you to more easily expand said sites by separating content from layout markup. Templates and themes are made, like Bolt CMS, using the Twig template language. As previously stated, content formatting is done with markdown, but you can also add as much raw HTML as you like.Drawbacks
Obviously, there’s a bit of a learning curve. Tell most clients that they’ll have to edit their site with a text editor, and they might freak out a little. Then, there’s always the chance they might edit something in the wrong directory, and so on.General impressions
Pico is powerful, with a few features that go beyond those I listed. It is, however, probably not suited to most client projects. If you need to manage a small-medium size website with laregly static content, however, it just might be for you.Ezequiel Bruni
Ezequiel Bruni is a web/UX designer, blogger, and aspiring photographer living in Mexico. When he’s not up to his finely-chiselled ears in wire-frames and front-end code, or ranting about the same, he indulges in beer, pizza, fantasy novels, and stand-up comedy.
Read Next
10+ Best Resources & Tools for Web Designers (2024 update)
Is searching for the best web design tools to suit your needs akin to having a recurring bad dream? Does each…
By WDD Staff
3 Essential Design Trends, April 2024
Ready to jump into some amazing new design ideas for Spring? Our roundup has everything from UX to color trends…
How to Plan Your First Successful Website
Planning a new website can be exciting and — if you’re anything like me — a little daunting. Whether you’re an…
By Simon Sterne
15 Best New Fonts, March 2024
Welcome to March’s edition of our roundup of the best new fonts for designers. This month’s compilation includes…
By Ben Moss
LimeWire Developer APIs Herald a New Era of AI Integration
Generative AI is a fascinating technology. Far from the design killer some people feared, it is an empowering and…
By WDD Staff
20 Best New Websites, March 2024
Welcome to our pick of sites for March. This month’s collection tends towards the simple and clean, which goes to show…
Exciting New Tools for Designers, March 2024
The fast-paced world of design never stops turning, and staying ahead of the curve is essential for creatives. As…
Web Tech Trends to Watch in 2024 and Beyond
It hardly seems possible given the radical transformations we’ve seen over the last few decades, but the web design…
By Louise North
6 Best AI Productivity Apps in 2024
There’s no escaping it: if you want to be successful, you need to be productive. The more you work, the more you…
By Simon Sterne
3 Essential Design Trends, February 2024
From atypical typefaces to neutral colors to unusual user patterns, there are plenty of new website design trends to…
Surviving the Leap from College to Real-World Design
So, you’ve finished college and are ready to showcase your design skills to the world. This is a pivotal moment that…
By Simon Sterne
20 Mind-Bending Illusions That Will Make You Question Reality
Mind-bending videos. Divisive Images. Eye-straining visuals. This list of optical illusions has it all. Join us as we…
By Max Walton