How to Choose a Java CMS

When you’re deciding on a new CMS platform to meet all of your content management needs, there will be a lot of things you need to consider. One of the most important is the technical foundation you will be relying on.

CMS platforms have several different variations, but it all starts with the underlying architecture. Architecture is what will determine how well the platform does and what improvements will be made to it later. 

If you’re looking for an enterprise-grade platform, then you may have heard that a Java-based CMS is one of your best options. Let’s take a look at why you should choose a Java CMS and what factors you should consider in picking the best one for your organization. 

Why Choose a Java CMS?

Java remains one of the most popular programming languages on the planet. It has one of the greater support libraries, and in general, it is easier to hire developers and IT operations who are experienced with enterprise Java systems.

PHP has been one of the more traditional languages for CMS platforms, but the reality is that PHP-based CMSs are dying, as too are those based on .NET. Meanwhile, Java remains number one and is growing stronger, especially as an enterprise-grade platform. Compared to PHP-based CMSs, for instance, Java performs better, is more secure and has better scalability. Also, because it remains a popular programming language, Java is great for the long-term maintenance of your CMS. 

Benefits of a Java CMS

If you’re looking to leverage the power of a Java CMS for your next content management system, there are a few benefits you should know:

Java’s Popularity

Java is one of the oldest and most popular languages, especially at the enterprise level. Businesses should have no trouble leveraging it for their tech stack or finding talented developers to work with the CMS. Plus, existing teams can access an entire ecosystem, including an extensive list of libraries and frameworks to deliver their solutions.

Security

Java virtual machine (JVM) has several built-in safety and security features, including type-safe reference casting, array bounds checking, and structured memory access. As a result, Java programs are more secure. JVM enforces structured access to memory, limiting the CMS’s ability to be exploited when software is deployed to production.

Scalability

Java CMSs rely on JEE architecture to scale horizontally and distribute workloads. With flexible deployment and the ability to leverage cloud services like AWS, a Java CMS can handle any traffic spikes or increased demands as required.

Flexibility

Java provides the flexibility to be deployed across platforms. If an organization wants to deploy the CMS to Windows, Linux, or another OS, a Java CMS can handle the requirements.

Factors to Consider

If you’re going to be considering a Java-based CMS, then there are also a few other factors that you need to consider.

A Java CMS Should Not Require You to Program in Java 

While Java provides an excellent foundation and an extensive list of frameworks and libraries to support you, your CMS shouldn’t restrict you to just Java or Java-based frameworks. Today, a modern CMS needs to be an API-first, headless platform. A headless CMS can connect with any front end via APIs (REST, GraphQL), and the benefit of this is that it doesn’t restrict the development team to integrations with only a specific set of tools. A modern CMS needs to be framework agnostic so that the development team can choose the UI framework and tooling that fits best.

A modern headless CMS should have the flexibility to access content via APIs, whether that is GraphQL or REST and pull data from external sources to augment the CMS. It’s also ideal for a Java-based CMS to provide support for single-page applications (SPAs), support mobile apps, and any headless use case.

Open Source Is the Way to Go

A Java CMS should ideally be open source as it provides a lot more options. Successful and widely adopted open source CMS platforms are completely transparent, so they generally are more robust, secure, and cost-effective. Developers can download and try them for free. If your company has a smaller budget for content management and don’t need production support, then this is a great option as it provides you with the best value, allowing you to roll into production without any vendor cost. Enterprises that want 24x7 support options can pay the open source vendor, and prices are generally much more affordable with open source vendors because their cost of sales, marketing, and development are fundamentally lower than proprietary software vendors (including SaaS vendors).

Open source CMS platforms tend to be used by companies and developers around the world. If you’re looking to hire someone to help manage your CMS platform, then it’s much easier to provide access for someone to assist. When coupled with the fact that Java is a popular programming language, as mentioned earlier, your options increase tenfold for locating support.

Open source platforms promote larger communities and thus provide more options for integrations. Developers can collaborate with others within the community to solve problems faster or discover new ways to improve the way the CMS functions without your organization. It also leads to more innovation, provides more security and also prevents vendor lock-in you get with closed source or SaaS-only platforms. 

Not All Java CMS Are Created Equal

Having the underlying base of a Java CMS is terrific, but not all Java-based CMS are created equal. The ideal platform will have a few specific features. A high-quality Java CMS should be based on a microservices architecture that is stateless and serverless, enable lightweight deployment, and fully support containerization.

Some CMS platforms may have these features as add-ons, but the core Java CMS platform should have these embedded within its architecture. Containerization is a pivotal aspect in the management of DevOps, making the connection between developers and other parts of an organization. 

With serverless support, content delivery becomes dynamic, and scalability is simple. Removing the need to manage servers eliminates the need for local storage and dedicated instances, creating an on-demand infrastructure that is much easier to manage and a lot more secure. 

Spring & Groovy Support

Just as important as the foundations of the CMS, you also need to be aware of the underlying framework and scripting language support. Spring, the leading enterprise Java framework simplifies enterprise development and increases developer productivity. With fewer lines of code and increased developer productivity, management of your CMS platform becomes even easier. This allows your development team to focus on core tasks that truly impact the bottom line.

Groovy, the leading scripting language for Java is a version of Java that offers enterprise capabilities. Groovy performs many tasks behind the scenes making it more agile and dynamic. It seamlessly integrates with existing Java objects and libraries and feels natural for Java developers. The code is also more concise compared to Java. 

CrafterCMS: The Best Choice for a Java CMS

When it comes to a CMS for enterprise needs, there is no better option than a well architected, open source Java-based CMS. The flexibility provided by enterprise Java is undeniable, and best suited to modern content management and digital experience development requirements.Your Java CMS needs to meet a wide range of criteria before you select it, however, and CrafterCMS will meet the requirements you need for content management today and in the future. Selecting a Java-based CMS shouldn’t be taken lightly. 

See why you should put CrafterCMS on your Java CMS shortlist.