I'm working on a website for a photographer friend who needs a user-friendly CMS for managing a blog, updating images, and receiving contact requests. I'm currently using WordPress but really dislike its interface and workflow. I'm looking for a modern alternative where I can fully code the frontend using HTML and JavaScript (with animations), while providing him with a simple and clean CMS in the background. Ideally, the CMS should be lightweight, flexible, and easy for him to use without forcing me into a rigid UI or page builders. Any suggestions?
5 Answers
Sanity or Payload CMS could be great fits too! They are designed for flexibility and user-friendliness, perfect for a photographer's needs. Sanity might have a tad more of a learning curve, but it's very robust for your use case.
If you're going the PHP route, consider Concrete CMS. It's user-friendly and well-structured from a software engineering perspective. Just be prepared to use modern coding standards to make the most of it.
If you really want to avoid complexity, JustBlogged has been created specifically for simple blog cases. With its clean and modern design, you could customize everything while it handles the backend without any headaches.
Strapi and Directus are solid options! Both are headless CMSs that give you a nice admin panel for your friend while you can create the frontend exactly how you want it. Strapi is pretty popular with a cleaner UI. On the other hand, Directus offers more flexibility with data modeling. Either would work great for blogs and image management!
You should definitely check out Kirby CMS! It's got a fantastic developer experience and amazing documentation. The ability to easily customize the backend is a huge plus, and it's perfect for managing a blog.

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