CMS & Website Platform Development
CMS and website platform development, whichever system you run
From Webflow, Wix and Squarespace to Drupal, Joomla, Magento and headless CMS options, we build, customise and rescue sites on the platform that suits your team, and we are comfortable inheriting the one you already have.
Website Development
What is CMS and website platform development?
CMS and website platform development is the building and customising of websites on content management systems and website builders, such as Webflow, Wix, Squarespace, Drupal, Joomla, Magento or a headless CMS. It covers templates, content models, custom features, integrations and migrations, so editors can manage content while developers handle the structure.
Plenty of businesses already run on a platform other than WordPress or Shopify, and plenty are better off on one. A designer-led brand site may suit Webflow. A small business may be well served by Squarespace or Wix. A large publisher or government body may rely on Drupal. An established merchant may run Magento. Each has strengths, limits and a pool of specialists, and the right answer depends on the job.
We build and maintain across these platforms and give independent advice on which to use, including when to move off one. Where a builder reaches its limits, we add custom code, integrations or a headless approach rather than forcing the platform to do something it dislikes.
Headless CMS options such as Strapi, Contentful and Sanity separate content from presentation, so editors work in a clean interface while a Next.js or React front end delivers fast, flexible pages. We use them when a site serves several channels or needs freedom the platform cannot offer.
Challenges
The problems we are usually brought in to solve
A builder that has hit its ceiling
Teams outgrow what a website builder can do, such as complex search, custom logic or integrations, and workarounds start to pile up.
An ageing Drupal, Joomla or Magento install
Unsupported versions and abandoned extensions create security risk and make upgrades daunting.
Designs that fight the template
A strong design cannot be built faithfully in a rigid theme, so the live site drifts away from the approved look.
Content trapped in one system
Editors maintain the same content in several places because the CMS cannot serve the website, app and other channels from one source.
Few people who know the platform
Niche platforms are hard to hire for, and a single departing developer can leave the site stranded.
Unclear total cost
Licences, extensions, hosting and developer time on some platforms add up in ways that were not obvious when the choice was made.
Capabilities
What the service covers
Webflow builds
Design-led sites with CMS collections, interactions and clean exports of structure, plus custom code where Webflow needs help.
Wix and Squarespace sites
Straightforward, well-structured sites for small businesses, set up for speed, search and easy editing by the owner.
Drupal development
Content models, custom modules, access control and multilingual builds for content-heavy and institutional sites.
Joomla development
New builds, extension work and upgrades for sites that already run on Joomla.
Magento and Adobe Commerce
Store builds, extension development, performance tuning and upgrades for catalogue-heavy merchants.
Headless CMS builds
Strapi, Contentful and Sanity content models with a Next.js or React front end, previews and structured delivery.
Platform selection advice
A written comparison of options against your content, team, budget and growth plans, including the cost of running each.
Rescue and upgrade projects
Stabilising unsupported installs, replacing abandoned extensions and planning safe upgrades or a move to another platform.
Our process
How an engagement runs
Every engagement has a named lead, a written scope and working software to review every one to two weeks.
- 01
Review needs and options
We list your content types, editors, integrations and growth plans, and compare candidate platforms on capability and running cost.
- 02
Recommend and agree
You receive a written recommendation with reasons and a budget range, and you decide whether to stay, upgrade or move.
- 03
Model content and design
Content types, templates and page designs are agreed before building, so editing stays simple and consistent.
- 04
Build, integrate and test
We build on a staging copy, connect integrations, test on devices and check accessibility, speed and search structure.
- 05
Launch and support
We deploy, check redirects and tracking, train your editors and agree a support arrangement if you want one.
Technology
Technology we use
Chosen per project for fit, maintainability and your team's ability to own it.
CMS and commerce
- Webflow
- Wix
- Squarespace
- Drupal
- Joomla
- Magento
- Strapi
- Contentful
- Sanity
Frontend
- Next.js
- React
- Vue
- JavaScript
- Tailwind CSS
Backend and data
- PHP
- Node.js
- MySQL
- PostgreSQL
Hosting and delivery
- Vercel
- AWS
- Nginx
- GitHub Actions
Use cases
Where it makes the biggest difference
A Webflow marketing site
A design-led site with CMS-driven case studies and blog, interactions built as designed and tracking configured for campaigns.
Moving off a website builder
A site that outgrew Wix or Squarespace rebuilt on a platform with room for search, custom features and integrations.
Upgrading an old Drupal site
A planned upgrade or migration for a content-heavy site on an unsupported version, keeping URLs and content structure.
A Magento store that needs performance work
Caching, extension clean-up and hosting changes that cut load times on category and product pages.
Headless CMS for several channels
Content stored once in Contentful or Sanity and delivered to a website, an app and email templates.
Choosing a platform before building
A short written comparison of options so you commit to a system you can afford to run for years.
Industries
Industries we apply this to
Why Softweb Planet
Why teams choose us for this work
No platform agenda
We build on many systems, so advice about staying, upgrading or leaving one is independent.
Rescue experience
We stabilise unsupported installs first, then plan an upgrade or migration, so the business is protected while decisions are made.
Custom code where it counts
When a builder reaches its limits, our developers extend it or go headless rather than accept a poor workaround.
Search protected throughout
URL maps, metadata and structured data are handled as part of every platform change.
What you can expect
- A platform choice you understand and can justify
- Editors who can work without developer help
- Upgrades and migrations that keep search visibility
- A clear view of what the site costs to run
CMS & Website Platform Development FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Yes. We build and maintain sites on Webflow, Wix and Squarespace, set up for speed, search and easy editing. We also tell you when a builder will stop being enough, for example when you need custom logic or deep integrations, and what a move to another platform would involve.
Yes. We build new Drupal and Joomla sites, develop modules and extensions, and upgrade older installs. Many organisations run these platforms for content-heavy or institutional sites, and we can keep them secure and supported or plan a move to something easier to maintain.
Yes. We build and tune Magento stores, develop extensions and handle upgrades and performance work. Magento suits large catalogues and complex rules, but it is heavy to run, so we also review whether Shopify or WooCommerce would serve you better at lower cost.
A headless CMS stores and manages content but does not control how it looks. A separate front end, such as Next.js, displays it on websites or apps. Use one when content must reach several channels or when you want design freedom and speed beyond a traditional theme.
Choose by editors, content types, integrations and running cost. Builders suit small sites, WordPress suits most content-led sites, Shopify suits stores, Drupal suits complex content and permissions, and headless suits multi-channel needs. We give a written comparison so the choice rests on facts.
Neither is better for everyone. Webflow gives designers precise visual control and managed hosting, while WordPress offers a wider ecosystem, more plugins and easier hiring. Webflow can be limiting for complex features and shops. We compare them against your team and goals before recommending one.
Yes. We audit what you have, recommend a platform, rebuild the design and content, and map every URL so search visibility survives. Builders often cannot export cleanly, so we plan content migration carefully and run both sites side by side until the new one is verified.
Yes. We first stabilise the site with backups, a staging copy and critical security fixes, then assess whether to upgrade in place or migrate. Unsupported versions carry real risk, so we explain options and costs plainly and let you choose the pace.
Cost depends on the platform, the number of templates, custom functionality and whether content is migrated. Builder projects usually cost less than Drupal or Magento builds. After a short discovery phase we provide a fixed quote, and we flag licence and hosting costs separately so total cost of ownership is clear.
Yes. We run short training sessions at handover and provide written guides specific to your site, covering how to add pages, edit content types, manage media and publish safely. We stay available for questions afterwards, and can supply an ongoing support plan if you would like one.
Keep exploring
Related services and solutions
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