comparing ProcessWire to . . .

[FBachofner]

I came across ProcessWire about nine months ago and have finally just spent some time over the last few days digging a bit into tutorials, documentation, etc.  I am comparing it to a few other systems.  [bTW, as many of you did, I have used ModX previously.]

I'm trying to figure out ProcessWire's "relation" to a couple other fairly well regarded CMS/CMFs.

Granted it is an oversimplification, but would it somewhat fair to say the following:

ProcessWire = (read: similar to) OctoberCMS minus (Laravel, Twig)

or

ProcessWire = (read: similar to) Bolt.CM minus (predefined content types, Twig)

Please do not infer these simplified comparisons as a criticism of PW, quite the contrary.  The elegance and simplicity of ProcessWire seems incredible; leaving stuff out (like Laravel and/or Twig) is a good thing, IMO.

[elabx]

The only thing I have found in the forums is this post comparing Perch and Processwire.

Though from that list we can tick live preview/drafts

Edit: 

Also found this topics with interesting discussions regarding Perch and other CMSs.

https://processwire.com/talk/topic/2936-processwire-v-perch/

https://processwire.com/talk/topic/1433-if-you-had-to-use-another-system

https://processwire.com/talk/topic/2554-other-cmss

I would add that my opinion about Perch in particular goes along with the line of thought in this post:

It is probably not as easy to add PW to a site which exists as a static HTML prototype as it is with Perch. That is something Perch does exceptionally well. Here comes the “but”: as long as the site you're maintaining with it stays really small and not too complicated, it is perfectly fine for it. If the site grows and gets more complex (and most sites tend to do that over time), the effort you have to put into it with Perch grows as well, although I have to stress that this is my personal impression.

[dragan]

This is a big oversimplification too: PW = Craft minus Twig.

With PW's commercial modules ProDrafts and ProFields (Repeater Matrix) PW now covers two of the main advertised features of Craft too. (live preview / split view and matrix fieldtype). 

The multilanguage handling of Craft is inferior, imho. You have to create a folder full of template files for each addtl. language. And not being able to use plain PHP however I see fit, is a drawback for me. I just don't agree that PHP is "too verbose for templating", but that's maybe just personal taste.

[tpr]

Since you can add Twig or other template engine through modules I don't think it's a minus. Actually rather a plus since it's optional and the core is smaller. Besides my very first project I use a template engine in PW.

[diogo]

I think the main difference of PW to those two is the flexibility that the tree offers in terms of creating your own relations between pages, and how powerful the API is in returning them from any point.

this:

$pages->find("template=skyscraper, year<1950, floors>=10, sort=-year, sort=-floors");

and this:

$items = $pages->find("template=product, stock>0, (featured_from<=today, featured_to>=today), (highlighted=1)");

and this:

$items = $pages->find("template=product, company=[locations>5, locations.title%=Finland]");

[Beluga]

PW = Framework + a CMS as a little bonus

[elabx]

I think the main difference of PW to those two is the flexibility that the tree offers in terms of creating your own relations between pages, and how powerful the API is in returning them from any point.

this:

$pages->find("template=skyscraper, year<1950, floors>=10, sort=-year, sort=-floors");

and this:

$items = $pages->find("template=product, stock>0, (featured_from<=today, featured_to>=today), (highlighted=1)");

and this:

$items = $pages->find("template=product, company=[locations>5, locations.title%=Finland]");

Agree, the API is unbeatable.

I haven't tried every CMS but at least the ones I have tried, everytime it was time for "Hey Mr.CMS, could you please get me this content from over there?".

Either there was no clear answer or a solution that wasn't really up to my liking. For example, in Perch, there is perch_custom_content that returns an array with the data which I instantly started hating. Call me lazy, I just don't like how you have to iterate over array within array. You could imagine my shock when I saw Page and PageArray objects working with chained methods and the beautiful one liners you can do with PW.

The closest I have experienced to PW somewhere else is with Kirby's own $pages and $page variables that also work much like PW's I think. But, what eventually moved me away from Kirby was discovering PW page and its page tree that just looked like the answer to all my data organization/displaying/retrieving problems. 

 And not being able to use plain PHP however I see fit, is a drawback for me. I just don't agree that PHP is "too verbose for templating", but that's maybe just personal taste.

Had never really though about this.

My first site with Processwire had to had an ajax and cached Instagram feed. It was implemented horribly, with the libraries in template dir and a php file for ajax right outside site folder, but IT JUST WORKED. No new things to learn, no weird tricks, just plain PHP working as it is intended. I think that's very helpful for people still in the process of learning backend techonolgies, but that can be proficient doing the front end. 

In Perch they also have a kind of template tags, which I was never really convinced of using. 

[FBachofner]

Hi tpr:

Since you can add Twig or other template engine through modules I don't think it's a minus. Actually rather a plus since it's optional and the core is smaller. Besides my very first project I use a template engine in PW.

I think that is actually what both dragan and I are saying.  We are saying PW is "minus" Twig because it is not included by default, not because it is a shortcoming.

Simpler is better, especially if extensibility is not compromised.

Meanwhile, I don't think one can remove Twig from OctoberCMS or Bolt.CM without compromising those systems ability to work (although I may be wrong).

[FBachofner]

Hi elabx:

The only thing I have found in the forums is this post comparing Perch and Processwire.

Thanks for pointing out Perch.  It looks cool, but I really hate managing licenses (even when they are relatively inexpensive).

Hi Beluga:

PW = Framework + a CMS as a little bonus

I love it!    A "positive" (additive?) spin on describing PW.  [ Not that I was being negative, mind you. ]