Debunking 7 Common Myths about Open Source CMS

Open source projects have been a central part of the tech industry for decades, with the term being coined just before the turn of the millenium by the Open Source Initiative. Since then, countless projects have been created that base themselves on the common values of unrestricted access, collaborative innovation, and inclusion. 

Today, open source initiatives are more present than ever in our daily lives.

However, several misconceptions remain about what open source is and how it can support businesses and non-profit organizations in achieving their goals. There are also misunderstandings about how well open source solutions can keep pace with proprietary competitors in a constantly changing business landscape.

This blog post aims to debunk some of the most common misconceptions surrounding open source projects, and provide insights into how open source alternatives can deliver value to end users. 

One of the most common misconceptions about open source content management systems is that they are free, or free of associated costs. While access to open source platforms is indeed free of the subscription or licensing fees that proprietary software comes with up front, setting up an open source CMS and optimizing its performance to the point where it delivers its true value does require investment on the part of the end user. 

These costs arise from working with licensed agencies who are trained in supporting customers to create high-performing content management systems that deliver long-term value. Agency fees and maintenance costs are a few of the costs that users should budget for or take into account when deciding which solution to qualify. 

Learn more about the TYPO3 Partner program and its network of expert agencies

The fact that open source content management systems are universally accessible, with security being handled collaboratively can sometimes be seen as a potential risk. Unlike proprietary systems that are “closed” to anyone beyond customers, open source platforms rely on open collaboration. This collaborative spirit is actually a key strength when it comes to how open source CMS’s handle security. 

Platforms like TYPO3 regularly perform security updates, with new patches addressing potential vulnerabilities, as the entire community has a stake in ensuring the product is as safe as possible. Security-related changes are regularly published to ensure full transparency. 

Most importantly, their capacity for collaboration in responding to threats and vulnerabilities is also a key asset. Initiatives like the CVE Numbering Authority help cultivate a transparent approach to communicating breaches and vulnerabilities that enable the entire community to be safer. 

Furthermore, as far as built-in security is concerned, CMS’s like TYPO3 come with robust capabilities ranging from access controls, data protection, and more.

Part of the proprietary CMS offering is to highlight the integration potential of their solution with some of the most used third party platforms. Whether it be external CRM solutions or data analytics tools, access to these third-party software is critical for any customer given the integrated nature of most businesses operations. 

Likewise, open source software offers those same capabilities. New updates regularly include fresh integration capabilities, offering users the ability to easily connect their content management system with the rest of their tech stack. 

Another common misconception is that open source content management systems don’t have an established professional support network for end users. In fact, many open source CMS’s offer robust support options in the form of official trainings, and community-led satellite events around the world that aim to get end users acquainted with the product, whether they be editors, developers, or integrators, along with easily accessible documentation that enables users to learn more about how to best use each respective platforms. For example, the TYPO3 community organizes numerous camps across Europe that welcome individuals seeking to learn how to make the most of their use of the platform. 

Furthermore, certified agencies that work with specific CMS’s often have their own parallel training and development initiatives, where their customers’ staff is trained to use the CMS in a way that is tailored to each respective organization. 

Learn more about TYPO3’s training programs

How do open source content management systems stay ahead of the curve when it comes to innovation? The assumption that they don’t can sometimes be based on the notion that a lack of a centralized strategy leads to those projects falling behind in terms of innovation. 

This notion is wrong on a few. Firstly, as we’ll see in the next section, open source CMS projects do have clear strategies and work towards fulfilling clearly defined objectives as part of their roadmaps. Additionally, the collective nature of open source means that all members of the project have a stake in its continued success, with constant innovation being core to that goal. 

Stakeholders regularly respond to market demands by adding new functionalities to product upgrades and rolling out innovative new features that enable them to deliver real value to end users. 

Learn about TYPO3 v14 and the latest innovations driving the new release

As alluded to in the previous point, well-run open source projects not only have clear strategic roadmaps, but their roadmap development is made public, with information on decisions and strategic objectives being made public to both the community and wider industry. 

Developing a sound strategy is key to the success of any open source project, as it takes the buy-in of its key stakeholders, including project members and associated agencies, who play an active role in helping the project grow and achieve its objectives. 

This myth exists and continues to persist as a result of some of the aforementioned misconceptions about the security, scalability, and support frameworks of open source projects. In the case of TYPO3, it couldn’t be further from the truth. TYPO3, thanks to its renowned scalability and extensive use among large-scale organizations, is ideal for enterprise customers seeking to enhance their digital presence.

With a feature offering that combines scalability with wide ranging integration capabilities and multilingual website management, and strong performance, enterprises consistently choose TYPO3, along with other open source content management platforms to be the backbone of their web presence. Additionally, enterprise-grade organizations consistently leverage the multisite capabilities of platforms like TYPO3 to maintain and grow complex websites through a unified backend.

Open source solutions, both in the content management space and beyond continue to evolve to meet consumer needs in a transparent and collaborative manner. These projects adhere to a series of values that enable them to grow and meet new challenges in both public and private sectors. With community-driven innovation at the core, open source platforms remain a reliable choice for organizations seeking to qualify new service providers.