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Survey Analysis Part 1: Developers and Documentation
Posted by: Adam Zabzdyr in Survey, Drupal vs. Joomla, CMS on
May 20, 2009
The following table displays the questions in which each CMS scored better,
Areas in Which Each CMS Performed Best | |
| Drupal | Joomla |
Client Satisfaction | Availability of Developers |
Experience of Developers | Ease of Finding Qualified Developers |
Documentation | Easy to Learn for Developers |
Module Documentation | |
Core Documentation | |
Ease of Finding Support for Development Related Questions | |
SURVEY RESULTS
The results show a greater supply of Joomla developers (view tables). Respondents felt is was easier to find and access qualified Joomla developers while believing there is great difficulty in finding qualified Drupal developers (view tables). The greater supply could be attributed to the fact that Joomla is easier to learn for developers (view tables), thus requires less practice to use effectively. While there is a smaller supply of Drupal developers they seem to have a greater amount of experience (average 7.14 years of experience for Drupal vs. 6.06 for Joomla)(view table). Drupal developers also report a higher level of client satisfaction than their Joomla counterparts (view tables).
D
rupal outscored Joomla in all of the documentation related questions. Joomla also scored well on these questions, however , requires improvement to match Drupal's scores. An area where Joomla needs significant improvement is in the documentation of its modules.
ANALYSIS OF RESULTS
In terms of selecting a CMS, these results suggest that Joomla is ideal for projects with smaller budgets, while Drupal may better suit larger projects. In our survey Drupal users reported larger average budgets than Joomla users, as seen in the data tables (view tables).
Lower startup costs are the main reason Joomla is better for smaller projects. For small projects, startup costs are a smaller proportion of the total budget, therefore reducing startup costs has a proportionally greater impact on smaller projects than on larger ones. Joomla reduces startup costs in a number of ways. First, it is easier to learn for developers (view table), so they can use the system productively right away. Second, there is a greater supply of Joomla developers and it is easier to find qualified developers for the Joomla CMS. Searching for qualified developers to staff a new project can be a expensive for businesses, both in terms of money and time.
Drupal meanwhile seems better suited for larger projects. Survey responses indicate that Drupal developers are more experienced, on average, than their Joomla counterparts. This seems to indicate that Drupal developers may be somewhat more capable of taking on larger projects. However, data from responses about the availability of qualified developers for each CMS cuts the other way. Respondents indicated that it is easier to find qualified Joomla developers. One interpretation is that once you find a Drupal developer she/he is likely to be more experienced than your average Joomla developer. This MAY indicate that Drupal would be a better choice for a larger project.
CMS | Avg | Median |
Drupal | 7.135714 | 7 |
Joomla | 6.059524 | 5 |
Other | 6.5 | 4.5 |
Total | 6.502604 | 5 |
Stronger evidence that Drupal is better for large projects comes from responses to questions about documentation and support. The more complex a project the more important good documentation and support is to its successful completion. On complex projects development teams will invariably delve into aspects of the system they are unfamiliar with. Drupal scored slightly better on the availability of developer support. While both CMSs got good marks for the documentation of the core system, Joomla falls short in the documentation of its modules (view table).
This is a critical drawback for large projects. Both content management systems large active communities that provide important third party add-ons. These third-party add-ons are an important source of added value for nearly all web development projects using either content management system. However, as development projects get larger the interaction between add-ons becomes increasingly complex. Good documentation allows developers to leverage the work of the community for their own purposes. For large projects that may make use of a lot of third-party code, clear, accessible documentation is a major asset.
Our next blog post will concentrate on the Performance/Functional Aspects results.
SURVEY DATA TABLES
Budget Range | Midpoint Value For Avg. Estimation | Responses | Total Budget Value |
Below $2,500 | $1,250 | 22 | $27,500 |
$2,500 - $4,999 | $3,750 | 5 | $18,750 |
$5,000 - $9,999 | $7,500 | 10 | $75,000 |
$10,000 - $19,999 | $15,000 | 6 | $90,000 |
$20,000 - $49,999 | $35,000 | 2 | $70,000 |
$50,000 -$99,999 | $75,000 | 8 | $600,000 |
$100,000 - $249,999 | $125,000 | 5 | $625,000 |
$250,000 - $499,999 | $375,000 | 2 | $750,000 |
$500,000 + | $500,000 | 1 | $500,000 |
Total Value of Budgets | 61 | $2,756,250 | |
Average Budget For Drupal Users | $45,184.43 | ||
Average Budget for Joomla Users | |||
Budget Range | Midpoint Value For Avg. Estimation | Responses | Total Budget Value |
Below $2,500 | $1,250 | 45 | $56,250 |
$2,500 - $4,999 | $3,750 | 15 | $56,250 |
$5,000 - $9,999 | $7,500 | 8 | $60,000 |
$10,000 - $19,999 | $15,000 | 4 | $60,000 |
$20,000 - $49,999 | $35,000 | 5 | $175,000 |
$50,000 -$99,999 | $75,000 | 1 | $75,000 |
$100,000 - $249,999 | $125,000 | 1 | $125,000 |
$250,000 - $499,999 | $375,000 | 0 | $0 |
$500,000 + | $500,000 | 2 | $1,000,000 |
Total Value of Budgets | 81 | $1,607,500 | |
Average Budget For Joomla Users | $19,846.68 | ||
| Strongly Agree | Somewhat Agree | Somewhat Disagree | Strongly Disagree | Total |
Drupal Users | 62.75 % | 31.37 % | 5.88 % | 0 % | 100 % |
| 32 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 51 |
Joomla Users | 30.77 % | 38.46 % | 15.38 % | 15.38 % | 100 % |
| 4 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 13 |
All Users | 55.56 % | 31.94 % | 8.33 % | 4.17 % | 100 % |
| 40 | 23 | 6 | 3 | 72 |
Overall my clients are satisfied with Joomla | |||||
| Strongly Agree | Somewhat Agree | Somewhat Disagree | Strongly Disagree | Total |
Drupal Users | 19.23 % | 38.46 % | 34.62 % | 7.69 % | 100 % |
| 5 | 10 | 9 | 2 | 26 |
Joomla Users | 63.16 % | 28.95 % | 5.26 % | 2.63 % | 100 % |
| 24 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 38 |
All Users | 41.33 % | 33.33 % | 20 % | 5.33 % | 100 % |
| 31 | 25 | 15 | 4 | 75 |
| Strongly Agree | Somewhat Agree | Somewhat Disagree | Strongly Disagree | Total |
Drupal Users | 15.91 % | 43.18 % | 34.09 % | 6.82 % | 100 % |
| 7 | 19 | 15 | 3 | 44 |
Joomla Users | 7.14 % | 14.29 % | 50 % | 28.57 % | 100 % |
| 1 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 14 |
All Users | 13.04 % | 37.68 % | 34.78 % | 14.49 % | 100 % |
| 9 | 26 | 24 | 10 | 69 |
It is easy to find qualified developers who know Joomla | |||||
| Strongly Agree | Somewhat Agree | Somewhat Disagree | Strongly Disagree | Total |
Drupal Users | 8.7 % | 69.57 % | 21.74 % | 0 % | 100 % |
| 2 | 16 | 5 | 0 | 23 |
Joomla Users | 50 % | 35.29 % | 11.76 % | 2.94 % | 100 % |
| 17 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 34 |
All Users | 28.36 % | 53.73 % | 14.93 % | 2.99 % | 100 % |
| 19 | 36 | 10 | 2 | 67 |
| Strongly Agree | Somewhat Agree | Somewhat Disagree | Strongly Disagree | Total |
Drupal Users | 24 % | 50 % | 22 % | 4 % | 100 % |
| 12 | 25 | 11 | 2 | 50 |
Joomla Users | 5.88 % | 41.18 % | 29.41 % | 23.53 % | 100 % |
| 1 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 17 |
All Users | 18.18 % | 49.35 % | 23.38 % | 9.09 % | 100 % |
| 14 | 38 | 18 | 7 | 77 |
Joomla is easy to learn for developers | |||||
| Strongly Agree | Somewhat Agree | Somewhat Disagree | Strongly Disagree | Total |
Drupal Users | 13.04 % | 43.48 % | 21.74 % | 21.74 % | 100 % |
| 3 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 23 |
Joomla Users | 45.71 % | 37.14 % | 17.14 % | 0 % | 100 % |
| 16 | 13 | 6 | 0 | 35 |
All Users | 28.79 % | 40.91 % | 21.21 % | 9.09 % | 100 % |
| 19 | 27 | 14 | 6 | 66 |
| Very Good | Satisfactory | Unsatisfactory | Very Bad | Total |
Drupal Users | 25.58 % | 48.84 % | 23.26 % | 2.33 % | 100 % |
| 11 | 21 | 10 | 1 | 43 |
Joomla Users | 0 % | 72.73 % | 18.18 % | 9.09 % | 100 % |
| 0 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 11 |
All Users | 21.31 % | 50.82 % | 22.95 % | 4.92 % | 100 % |
| 13 | 31 | 14 | 3 | 61 |
How Would You Rate the Availability of Joomla developers | |||||
| Very Good | Satisfactory | Unsatisfactory | Very Bad | Total |
Drupal Users | 31.82 % | 54.55 % | 13.64 % | 0 % | 100 % |
| 7 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 22 |
Joomla Users | 50 % | 40.63 % | 6.25 % | 3.13 % | 100 % |
| 16 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 32 |
All Users | 36.51 % | 49.21 % | 11.11 % | 3.17 % | 100 % |
| 23 | 31 | 7 | 2 | 63 |
It is Easy to find support for most Joomla development related questions | |||||
| Strongly Agree | Somewhat Agree | Somewhat Disagree | Strongly Disagree | Total |
Drupal Users | 12.5 % | 41.67 % | 37.5 % | 8.33 % | 100 % |
| 3 | 10 | 9 | 2 | 24 |
Joomla Users | 55.56 % | 30.56 % | 11.11 % | 2.78 % | 100 % |
| 20 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 36 |
All Users | 34.78 % | 40.58 % | 18.84 % | 5.8 % | 100 % |
| 24 | 28 | 13 | 4 | 69 |
| Very Good | Satisfactory | Unsatisfactory | Very Bad | Total |
Drupal Users | 42.86 % | 46.94 % | 10.2 % | 0 % | 100 % |
| 21 | 23 | 5 | 0 | 49 |
Joomla Users | 15.38 % | 53.85 % | 30.77 % | 0 % | 100 % |
| 2 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 13 |
All Users | 36.76 % | 45.59 % | 16.18 % | 1.47 % | 100 % |
| 25 | 31 | 11 | 1 | 68 |
Documentation (Joomla) | |||||
| Very Good | Satisfactory | Unsatisfactory | Very Bad | Total |
Drupal Users | 13.64 % | 54.55 % | 27.27 % | 4.55 % | 100 % |
| 3 | 12 | 6 | 1 | 22 |
Joomla Users | 26.47 % | 52.94 % | 17.65 % | 2.94 % | 100 % |
| 9 | 18 | 6 | 1 | 34 |
All Users | 20.31 % | 54.69 % | 20.31 % | 4.69 % | 100 % |
| 13 | 35 | 13 | 3 | 64 |
| Strongly Agree | Somewhat Agree | Somewhat Disagree | Strongly Disagree | Total |
Drupal Users | 36 % | 52 % | 8 % | 4 % | 100 % |
| 18 | 26 | 4 | 2 | 50 |
Joomla Users | 15.38 % | 38.46 % | 38.46 % | 7.69 % | 100 % |
| 2 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 13 |
All Users | 31.51 % | 46.58 % | 16.44 % | 5.48 % | 100 % |
| 23 | 34 | 12 | 4 | 73 |
The Joomla core is well documented | |||||
| Strongly Agree | Somewhat Agree | Somewhat Disagree | Strongly Disagree | Total |
Drupal Users | 8.7 % | 52.17 % | 21.74 % | 17.39 % | 100 % |
| 2 | 12 | 5 | 4 | 23 |
Joomla Users | 17.14 % | 48.57 % | 22.86 % | 11.43 % | 100 % |
| 6 | 17 | 8 | 4 | 35 |
All Users | 14.93 % | 50.75 % | 20.9 % | 13.43 % | 100 % |
| 10 | 34 | 14 | 9 | 67 |
| Strongly Agree | Somewhat Agree | Somewhat Disagree | Strongly Disagree | Total |
Drupal Users | 28 % | 54 % | 16 % | 2 % | 100 % |
| 14 | 27 | 8 | 1 | 50 |
Joomla Users | 8.33 % | 50 % | 25 % | 16.67 % | 100 % |
| 1 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 12 |
All Users | 21.43 % | 54.29 % | 18.57 % | 5.71 % | 100 % |
| 15 | 38 | 13 | 4 | 70 |
Joomla modules are well documented | |||||
| Strongly Agree | Somewhat Agree | Somewhat Disagree | Strongly Disagree | Total |
Drupal Users | 7.69 % | 30.77 % | 38.46 % | 23.08 % | 100 % |
| 2 | 8 | 10 | 6 | 26 |
Joomla Users | 14.29 % | 48.57 % | 34.29 % | 2.86 % | 100 % |
| 5 | 17 | 12 | 1 | 35 |
All Users | 10.14 % | 43.48 % | 33.33 % | 13.04 % | 100 % |
| 7 | 30 | 23 | 9 | 69 |
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1 Comments 
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Owen McNamara
August 07, 2009 220.237.255.14 Votes: +0 |
Thanks for the excellent survey. I have been looking into this recently for my own websites. report abuse
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