I'm building a portfolio site for my dad's artwork and I want to choose the right backend solution. While I have extensive experience with WordPress, I'm looking to try something new since WordPress feels a bit excessive for this simple project. I want a backend/dashboard that allows my dad to easily log in and add new pieces of art, including titles, descriptions, and the ability to assign them to one of three galleries, along with tagging for better organization. I'm also considering adding a simple blog in the future. I'm evaluating options like Strapi, Payload, Grav, and even the possibility of creating something from scratch using PHP, although I'm concerned that might be overkill too. I want to avoid paid options and could use some advice on what might work best for this project. Any recommendations?
5 Answers
You might want to check out Contentful as it's been working well for me as a headless CMS. Make sure the free tier covers your requirements though! Strapi sounds good too, especially if you're looking to enhance your skills. Also, have you thought about using WordPress in a headless way? It might not be as lightweight but could fit your use case better.
Grav or Kirby could be solid options for a lightweight CMS. They're user-friendly and perfect for your dad's needs without all the fuss that comes with larger systems.
What makes Grav or Kirby a better pick compared to Strapi or Payload?
Building a whole CMS might be overkill for this project. Consider creating a CRUD application using something simpler like React with a light backend. It might save you a lot of time and headaches!
Have you looked into Processwire? It's a great upgrade from WordPress—easy to learn and quite enjoyable to build with. Kirby is also highly rated by many developers.
Thanks, I hadn’t considered Processwire seriously, but it looks interesting!
Have you thought about a static site combined with a simple upload form? You could use a free database like Supabase to handle uploads easily. This way, your dad can add content without much hassle, and you'd get to dive into some database concepts if that interests you!
Yeah, I'm curious about headless WordPress, but I've read it's just the regular WP install stripped down, not really a light version. Any thoughts on that?