Articles

Adobe Experience Manager Article

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/critics/tom-cranstoun">Tom Cranstoun</a>, “The AEM Guy,” is the principal consultant at Digital Domain Technologies Limited and a CMS Critic contributor. <hr /> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/adobe-experience-manager">Adobe Experience Manager's</a> transformation from its open source foundations to today's composable enterprise platform reveals compelling insights into where digital experience platforms are heading. Having observed AEM implementations across global brands for thirteen years, including Nissan-Renault, Twitter, Ford, and Jaguar Land Rover, the platform's trajectory points toward a fundamental shift in how enterprises approach content management.  <figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:84.25%"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/06/image-1750016427416.png" /></figure>Graph source: builtwith.com<h3 id="beyond-traditional-cms-thinking">Beyond Traditional CMS Thinking</h3>AEM's unique architecture – built on open-source foundations including <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://jackrabbit.apache.org/jcr/index.html">Apache Jackrabbit</a>, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://felix.apache.org/documentation/index.html">Felix</a>, and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://sling.apache.org/">Sling</a> – has always enabled modular deployment. Today's 35,000 active implementations demonstrate this composability in practice, but Adobe's strategic direction suggests something far more transformative: an ecosystem approach that transcends traditional platform boundaries.<h3 id="the-ecosystem-revolution">The Ecosystem Revolution</h3>Adobe has introduced three innovations that signal this transformation: Franklin (Edge Delivery Services), the Universal Editor, and AEM Document Authoring. These aren't incremental CMS features – they represent a complete rethinking of content workflows.<ul><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/adobe-experience-manager-evolves-franklin-launches-next-gen-composability-feature">Franklin </a>represents perhaps the most radical departure from conventional approaches. Content creators can write in Google Docs or Microsoft Word, then publish directly to Adobe's edge network as fully rendered web pages. The entire frontend becomes open source – downloadable, modifiable, and customizable without backend dependencies. This acknowledges that content creation often happens outside traditional CMS interfaces. Quick fact: Named after <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosalind_Franklin">Rosalind Franklin, </a>who helped discover the helix structure of DNA, the initiative aligns with Adobe's tagline of “Creativity is in our DNA.” </li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://experienceleague.adobe.com/en/docs/experience-manager-cloud-service/content/implementing/developing/universal-editor/getting-started">The Universal Editor</a> takes a complementary approach, enabling in-browser editing of live websites regardless of the underlying CMS. While proprietary, it can connect to any content system with appropriate markup, creating intriguing cross-platform integration possibilities.</li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.aem.live/developer/da-tutorial">AEM Document Authoring (DA)</a> bridges the gap between document-based editing simplicity and full CMS capabilities. Recent implementations demonstrate its viability – Cognizant Netcentric launched the first client website using DA for <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.netcentric.biz/insights/2025/04/edge-delivery-services-aem-document-authoring">Bimota</a> motorcycle brand in just three weeks from concept to DNS switch. DA functions as "the rocket engine accelerating Edge Delivery Services," providing enterprise-grade features like versioning, localization, and workflow management while maintaining streamlined content creation.</li></ul>More significantly, Adobe positions these tools as part of a broader digital experience ecosystem rather than CMS features. The AI-powered Firefly system integrates across Photoshop, Lightroom, AEM, and Franklin through Adobe I/O – itself built on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://github.com/adobe-apiplatform/incubator-openwhisk">Apache OpenWhisk,</a> an open source serverless platform. Creative professionals can save directly from Photoshop into AEM, while developers compose workflows across multiple Adobe services through standardized APIs.<h3 id="industry-transformation">Industry Transformation</h3>This revolution carries profound implications beyond Adobe's product roadmap. Traditional boundaries between content management, digital asset management, and creative tools are dissolving. Organizations increasingly need flexible integration points rather than comprehensive suites.The Bimota implementation exemplifies this shift. Rather than requiring months of traditional CMS setup, the motorcycle brand achieved complete digital presence in three weeks by combining document-based content creation with enterprise-grade delivery infrastructure. This speed-to-market advantage becomes particularly valuable for brands launching new products or entering new markets.AEM's trajectory illustrates a broader industry pattern: success in enterprise software now requires balancing proprietary innovation with open standards and community contributions. Adobe maintains core differentiators while contributing to shared infrastructure that benefits the entire ecosystem.Document Authoring's positioning between simple document editing and full CMS complexity addresses a persistent industry challenge. Many organizations struggle with tools that are either too simple for enterprise needs or too complex for content teams. DA's approach – combining familiar editing interfaces with backend enterprise features – suggests a middle path that could influence how other vendors design content creation tools.<h3 id="the-path-forward">The Path Forward</h3>Enterprise content management appears headed toward greater modularity and specialization. Organizations will likely assemble solutions from best-of-breed components rather than selecting monolithic platforms. This creates opportunities for both established players like Adobe and emerging specialists focusing on specific workflow elements.Adobe's investment in open-source infrastructure suggests the company understands this dynamic. By providing solid foundational technologies while competing on higher-level integration and user experience, Adobe positions itself as an ecosystem orchestrator rather than a platform vendor.The Universal Editor's cross-platform capabilities hint at even more interesting possibilities. If content editing becomes platform-agnostic, the competitive landscape shifts from CMS features toward content workflow optimization and delivery performance.Looking ahead, successful digital experience platforms will likely share certain characteristics: API-first architecture, headless capabilities, strong integration ecosystems, and the flexibility to work alongside rather than replace existing tools. AEM's journey provides a template for this transformation.<h3 id="why-it-matters">Why it Matters</h3>The future belongs not to platforms that try to do everything, but to those that do specific things exceptionally well while enabling seamless integration with complementary tools. Adobe's current direction – rearchitecting while maintaining operational continuity – suggests they understand this principle and are building accordingly.The shift from monolithic platforms to composable ecosystems represents more than a technical evolution; it's a fundamental reimagining of how enterprises create, manage, and deliver digital experiences. Adobe Experience Manager's transformation offers a glimpse into this future, where success comes from orchestrating ecosystems rather than controlling platforms. <hr /><h4 style="text-align:center" id="looking-for-guidance-on-adobe?-talk-to-an-expert.">Looking for guidance on Adobe? <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/contact">Talk to an expert.</a></h4><hr /> <h3 id="upcoming-events">Upcoming Events</h3> <img style="width:31.83%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/01/cms-connect-2025-logo.png" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-connect-25"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect25">CMS Connect 25</a></h4>August 5-6, 2025 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present the second annual summer edition of our signature global conference dedicated to the content management community! CMS Connect will be held again in beautiful Montreal, Canada, and feature a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. Join vendors, agencies, and customers from across our industry as we engage and collaborate around the future of content management – and hear from the top thought leaders at the only vendor-neutral, in-person conference exclusively focused on CMS. Space is limited for this event, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect25">so book your seats today.</a>

What's ahead for Adobe Experience Manager? An ecosystem revolution. Here's why

tom-cranstoun

<hr /> The digital experience landscape wouldn’t exist without <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/adobe-acquia-optimizely-top-latest-forrester-wave-for-content-management-systems">Adobe</a> – and more precisely, its <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/adobe-experience-manager">Adobe Experience Manager</a> (AEM) platform. AEM has long held the crown in the kingdom of DXPs (<a target="_blank" href="https://business.adobe.com/resources/reports/gartner-mq-digital-experience-platforms-2024.html">just as Gartner</a>), and leading global enterprises depend on its scale of features to power the most complex and demanding digital strategies.While ubiquitous, the Adobe name also conjures that oft-demonized word: monolith. It is an epic ecosystem of interconnected, often Frankensteined solutions that can feel overwhelming and unwieldy – and its AEM platform is no exception. Amidst the publishing and marketing automation suites snuggling under the Adobe umbrella, AEM has always enjoyed an elite (if not pricey) reputation, making it the domain of serious enterprises. However, it can also be incredibly challenging and time-consuming, requiring curated expertise from certified practitioners. All of this can impact the velocity of getting digital projects to market. And in an era where real-time responsiveness is key, any delay can translate into lost revenue or even market share. Given these pain points, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.vshift.com/">VShift</a> – a customer engagement and digital experience agency and <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/jp-morgan-joins-mach-alliance-reinforcing-growth-of-composability-in-the-digital-financial-services">MACH Alliance</a> member – has developed a new <a target="_blank" href="http://vshift.com/ideas/vshift-introduces-the-aem-digital-experience-accelerator">AEM Digital Experience Accelerator</a>. The proprietary program is targeted at AEM users, helping them deliver more engaging digital experiences with Adobe and do it all faster, easier, and more cost-effectively.“In our experience with complex organizations, we kept hearing the same pain points – cost, time-to-market, internal friction,” said <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/al-collins-255a371/">Al Collins</a>, Founder &amp; CEO of VShift. “We developed the VShift AEM Digital Experience Accelerator to make our clients’ experience with AEM better and help them get the most out of their Adobe investments. Our new program offers a streamlined process, an easier way of launching customer experiences, and an increased capacity to innovate at a fraction of the time and costs usually involved.” The accelerator program was announced at last week’s <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/clarks-kraft-heinz-take-top-honors-in-mach-impact-awards-at-mach-three">MACH THREE Conference</a> in New York City, this year's venue for the world’s leading composable technology conference. As a MACH-certified agency, VShift has cultivated deep expertise with enterprise-scale organizations in highly regulated industries like financial services, insurance, and healthcare – focusing its solutions through a composable lens. The company also has a proven track record of crafting and delivering digital platforms for companies like Freddie Mac and Prudential.<h3 id="accelerating-the-value-of-aem-with-composability">Accelerating the value of AEM with composability</h3>Accelerators are aptly named, but there are numerous benefits beyond speed. Such is the case with VShift’s AEM Digital Experience Accelerator. First and foremost, it expedites digital product or website development-to-launch programs – and according to VShift, this can effectively reduce the timeline to weeks. It can also be customized to an organization’s specific needs, helping them meet their explicit business goals.With increased velocity and less internal friction between content owners and tech teams, brands can move faster. The accelerator also provides great flexibility for changes, allowing teams to swap out components or switch directions in a snap (composable thinking at work). <figure class="media"><div data-oembed-url="https://youtu.be/F-1e6DPT7CE"><div style="position:relative;padding-bottom:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:56.2493%"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/F-1e6DPT7CE" style="position:absolute;width:100%;height:100%;top:0;left:0" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div></figure> That “swapability” is what helps make VShift’s Digital Experience Accelerator a MACH-worthy solution. It also reflects those attributes by minimizing vendor lock-in and decreasing the oppressive need for specialized AEM-certified resources to execute. This is a persistent drag for many organizations when it comes to managing their AEM footprint and properly staffing for new projects and digital initiatives.  All these benefits add up to enhanced productivity and cost-effectiveness, enabling organizations to maximize their AEM investments and cut costs by supporting customer experiences with more affordable, composable solutions. Marketing and content teams can also realize huge benefits by harnessing more control while navigating within their organization’s security policies. <h3 id="a-complete-market-ready-solution-for-aem-success">A complete market-ready solution for AEM success</h3>VShift’s accelerator is now available as a complete package that includes a ready-to-deploy cloud-hosted environment with orchestration and integration tools. Users will have the ability to rapidly design and prototype their projects via <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/figma">Figma</a> and AEM’s headless platform and connectors. For any organization developing a website, app, or digital product, customizability is a key part of the experience. To that end, VShift’s accelerator promises a customizable prebuilt core UI component library. There’s also an AI-enhanced starter kit for a content model, complete with tags and an automated builder/loader for speeding up the content modeling and deployment process. From a connective integration perspective, VShift delivers some slick capabilities via its accelerator. This includes its own “universal” <a target="_blank" href="https://graphql.org/">GraphQL-based</a> connector. They also provide a web app structure that includes a baseline for pages and functionality. On the visual editing front, VShift provides composable choices. Organizations can leverage AEM’s <a target="_blank" href="https://experienceleague.adobe.com/en/docs/experience-manager-cloud-service/content/implementing/developing/universal-editor/introduction">Universal Editor </a>or use a non-Adobe visual editor to handle digital composition in a composable framework. VShift also offers value-added composable modules and services like authentication-as-a-service or search-as-a-service.To realize the full value and potential, VShift’s accelerator is accompanied by intuitive guides and documentation, as well as an expert team with deep AEM experience and composable tech.“We spend about two to three months customizing the VShift AEM Digital Experience Accelerator to a company’s needs," Collins added. "Then we turn over the reins, leaving our clients with thorough reference documentation and allowing content creators and tech teams to launch engaging customer experiences faster, easier, and cost-effectively.” <h3 id="why-it-matters">Why it matters</h3>Accelerators have become a vital panacea for monolithic software. This new breed of pre-built frameworks provides a mature foundation and progressive architectures for building complex websites and applications faster and more efficiently. While the landscape varies, accelerators are proving invaluable as enterprises and agencies look to maximize value from platforms like AEM in an increasingly composable world. Despite its monolithic posture, Adobe continues to be an industry-leading staple across a multitude of market segments. Even with its less-than-rosy <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/cut-paste-delete-why-adobes-canceled-merger-with-figma-is-good-for-innovation">attempt to acquire Figma</a> and rule over the entire digital experience journey, the tech mammoth remains ever-relevant and persistently innovative. In fact, its skunkworks around <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/adobe-experience-manager-evolves-franklin-launches-next-gen-composability-feature">AEM Franklin</a> (also known as Project Helix or Composability) is showing real promise by enabling AEM pages using <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/google-cloud-platform">Google Drive</a> or <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/microsoft-azure">Microsoft Office</a> via <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/microsoft-sharepoint">Sharepoint</a>. Instead of components, Franklin uses “blocks” like text, images, and buttons to generate new pages quickly and even create reusable templates. Cool stuff. As a MACH-certified DX agency, VShift is reinforcing the value of Adobe for its customers and the market at large. Its new AEM Digital Experience Accelerator is bridging the best of all worlds by providing a pathway to greater composability and flexibility. The big benefits are clear: faster time to market and lower costs. But it’s also addressing the challenge of legacy software, and helping organizations continue to mine value from their AEM investments. We’ve written at length about the constant challenge of defining “composable” in a market of conflicting ideologies. In my recent coverage of the <a target="_blank" href="https://cmscritic.com/clarks-kraft-heinz-take-top-honors-in-mach-impact-awards-at-mach-three">MACH THREE Impact Awards</a> – of which I participated as a judge for the second year – I go into deeper detail on this reality and how the MACH Alliance continues to maintain tacit guardrails for the industry. Regardless of how any headless CMS or enterprise DXP projects its unique flavor of “composable,” the only measure that matters is how it impacts the customer. VShift’s accelerator – and other offerings like it – focus on the most challenging layers of a digital stack, where legacy systems are still mandated or represent a significant investment. It strives to address key pain points and deliver a complete solution with a clear set of composable principles baked in. Maybe that's the “shift” in VShift. To learn more about its accelerator, <a target="_blank" href="http://vshift.com/ideas/vshift-introduces-the-aem-digital-experience-accelerator">click here. </a> <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-conferences">Upcoming conferences</h3> <img style="width:29.67%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-connect-2024-logo.png" alt="CMS Connect 24 logo" /><h4 id="cms-connect-24"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmsconnect24">CMS Connect 24</a></h4>August 6-7, 2024 – Montreal, CanadaWe are delighted to present our first annual summer edition of our prestigious international conference dedicated to the global content management community. Join us this August in Montreal, Canada, for a vendor-neutral conference focused on CMS. Tired of impersonal and overwhelming gatherings? Picture this event as a unique blend of masterclasses, insightful talks, interactive discussions, impactful learning sessions, and authentic networking opportunities. <img style="width:29.58%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2024/01/cms-kickoff-2025-logo.png" /><h4 id="cms-kickoff-25"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff25/tickets">CMS Kickoff 25</a></h4>January 14-15, 2025 – Tampa Bay Area, FloridaJoin us next January in the Tampa Bay area of Florida for the third annual CMS Kickoff – the industry's premier global event. Similar to a traditional kickoff, we reflect on recent trends and share stories from the frontlines. Additionally, we will delve into the current happenings and shed light on the future. Prepare for an unparalleled in-person CMS conference experience that will equip you to move things forward. This is an exclusive event – space is limited, so secure your tickets today.

VShift Introduces AEM Digital Experience Accelerator to Help Launch Faster on Adobe

matt-garrepy

<div>
It's hard to follow an act like the <a href="https://www.oscars.org/" target="_blank">Academy Awards</a>, especially after Sunday's "<a href="https://pagesix.com/2022/03/27/will-smith-chris-rock-to-work-out-slap-incident-after-oscars-2022/" target="_blank">slap heard 'round the world.</a>"
But hey, we'll give it a shot – and do it with decidedly less controversy and no long-winded speeches:
Today, we're proud to announce the winners of the 2021 CMS Critic People's Choice Awards!
From our entire editorial staff, we'd like to start with a big THANK YOU to our amazing community of CMS vendors and their incredibly passionate users. We had some, shall we say, "colorful" conversations across social media during the nomination period, and we enjoyed every opportunity to engage with our readers.
It was incredible to see the outpouring of love from people around the globe for their products of choice. That kind of brand loyalty seems increasingly rare. It says a lot about the people using these technologies, and the investment that CMS and DXP platforms are making to really listen to users – and bring them together. 
Before we announce the winners, let's do a quick review of the rules so you know how we got here:
<ul>
<li>First, our annual People's Choice Awards celebrate the top platforms that YOU – our readers – select. As they say, we have no dog in this race.</li>
<li>In late December of 2020, we invited everyone to nominate their favorite platforms across a set of categories on our website. </li>
<li>The top three nominees were selected and featured for general voting in each category.</li>
<li>Participants were able to vote only once, and companies that offered incentives of any kind were disqualified (there were no such shenanigans, BTW). </li>
<li>While we don't offer any golden statues, we do feature the winners on our website for posterity. And of course, you always have bragging rights. </li>
</ul>
We had a fantastic response to the People's Choice Awards this year, and participation has been off the charts since we released the final nominee list. It's always great to see this level of community engagement, and because this is a democratized experience, you never know what to expect from voting – so be prepared for some surprises.
Enough rambling, right? Let's draw back the curtain and proudly present the winners of the 2021 CMS Critic People's Choice Awards!
 
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<img style="max-width:600px;max-height:156px" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2022/03/contentstack-logo-white-bg.webp" alt="Contentstack logo" /> 
 
<h2>Best Enterprise CMS: Contentstack</h2>
This year's "Best Enterprise CMS" award goes to <a href="https://www.contentstack.com/" target="_blank">Contentstack</a>, a leader in headless and agile content management. Contentstack has huge momentum, and it's great to see emphatic support from its community of users. 
 
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<img style="max-width:600px;max-height:156px" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2022/03/adobe-experience-manager-logo-1.webp" alt="Adobe Experience Manager logo" /> 
 
<h2>Best DXP: Adobe Experience Manager</h2>
Given that <a href="https://www.adobe.com/cy_en/marketing/experience-manager.html" target="_blank">Adobe</a> has been the undisputed leader in <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/key-takeaways-from-gartners-2021-magic-quadrant-for-digital-experience-platforms/">Gartner's Magic Quadrant for Digital Experience Platforms</a> for the fifth year in a row, winning our "Best DXP" honors wasn't a shocker. The Adobe brand is ubiquitous and recognized as a top contender across multiple technology categories. It also has a deep ecosystem of tools and partners. 
 
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<img style="max-width:400px;max-height:90px" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2022/03/joomla-logo-white-bg.webp" alt="Joomla logo" width="auto" height="auto" /> 
 
<h2>Best Free CMS: Joomla</h2>
Surprised that <a href="https://www.joomla.org/" target="_blank">Joomla</a> carried this category? Don't be. They've cultivated an enthusiastic fan base with a rising fervor for their favorite platform. Joomla continues to have a strong community of open source users, making it one of the top three most popular content management systems in the world - and winner of our "Best Free CMS" category. 
 
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<img style="max-width:400px;max-height:100px" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2022/03/grav-logo-smallsvg.webp" alt="Grav logo" width="auto" height="auto" /> 
 
<h2>Best Flat File CMS: Grav</h2>
This was a tight race with <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/top-flat-file-cms-platforms-for-building-simple-websites-fast/" target="_blank">Kirby</a>, but in the end, <a href="https://getgrav.org/" target="_blank">Grav</a> took top honors. A consistent winner of our People's Choice Award for "Best Flat File CMS," Grav is also featured in our <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/top-flat-file-cms-platforms-for-building-simple-websites-fast/">Top Flat File CMS Platforms</a> article.
 
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<img style="max-width:400px;max-height:90px" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2022/03/joomla-logo-white-bg.webp" alt="Joomla logo" width="auto" height="auto" /> 
 
<h2>Best Open Source CMS: Joomla</h2>
Despite the far-casting shadow of WordPress, <a href="https://www.joomla.org/" target="_blank">Joomla</a> won big with its community – in no small part to its continued investment in innovation. In fact, 2021 saw a host of new features added to the "Best Open Source CMS" platform, including the <a href="https://www.joomla.org/4/" target="_blank">Joomla! 4.0</a> release with notable improvements. We would like to congratulate the Joomla development team on their win in two categories.
 
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<img style="max-width:400px;max-height:100px" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2022/03/alfresco-logo.webp" alt="Alfresco logo" width="auto" height="auto" /> 
 
<h2>Best ECM (Enterprise Content Management): Alfresco</h2>
<a href="https://www.alfresco.com/" target="_blank">Alfresco</a> took home the gold for the "Best Enterprise Content Management" solution, proving its continued authority in the ECM space. Alfresco has enjoyed a successful run over the last few years, including <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/hyland-acquires-alfresco-focuses-on-cloud-and-global-expansion-of-enterprise-cms/">an acquisition by competitor Hyland in 2020</a>. Despite being under the Hyland umbrella, the company still maintains its brand identity. 
 
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<img style="max-width:400px;max-height:100px" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2022/03/hikashop-logo-resized.png" alt="HikaShop logo" width="auto" height="auto" /> 
 
<h2>Best E-Commerce Solution: Hikashop</h2>
This was an interesting one, but the people have spoken: <a href="https://www.hikashop.com/" target="_blank">HikaShop</a>, the e-commerce solution for Joomla, was triumphant over two worthy competitors – <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/top-10-open-source-ecommerce-platforms/">WooCommerce</a> and PrestaShop. While the competition was tight, there were surprisingly more fans from the Joomla community throwing their support in the ring. 
 
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<img style="max-width:400px;max-height:90px" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2022/03/shopify-logo-white-bg.webp" alt="Shopify logo" width="auto" height="auto" /> 
 
<h2>Best Headless Commerce: Shopify</h2>
<a href="https://www.shopify.com/" target="_blank">Shopify</a> has been giving Amazon a run for its money and earning loyal fans along the way. As the leading platform for building e-Commerce solutions – and doing it headlessly – Shopify has become one of the strongest and most trusted brands on the planet for creating online stores and digital commerce experiences.
 
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<img style="max-width:600px;max-height:156px" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2022/03/contentstack-logo-white-bg.webp" alt="Contentstack logo" /> 
 
<h2>Best Headless CMS: Contentstack</h2>
We have to hand it to the Contentstack crowd: you really brought the rain! Congratulations on cleaning up in both the "Best Enterprise CMS" and "Best Headless CMS" categories! While most notably a headless platform, Contentstack is also one of the <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/mach-alliance-releases-study-on-adoption-of-mach-technologies-by-tech-leaders-qa-with-sonja-keerl/">founding members of the MACH Alliance</a>. 
 
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<img style="max-width:200px;max-height:100px" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2022/03/yootheme-logo.webp" alt="YOOTheme logo" width="auto" height="auto" /> 
 
<h2>Best Website Builder: YOOtheme</h2>
Always a perennial fan favorite, the "Best Website Builder" category has evolved to include some amazing tools that are getting progressively easier to use. This year, the crown goes to <a href="https://yootheme.com/" target="_blank">YOOtheme</a> - the popular page builder for WordPress and Joomla. While other popular platforms like Webflow and Gantry were in the running, YOOtheme won out with a sizable margin. Congrats to the community of fans that made YOOtheme a winner!
 
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<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2022/03/hugo-logo-wide.svg" alt="Hugo logo" /> 
 
<h2>Best Static Site Generator: Hugo</h2>
The battle was hard-fought – and Gatsby has certainly been a fixture in our coverage over the last few years – but <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/top-jamstack-static-site-generators-for-2021/">Hugo</a> brought the votes... so congratulations! As a leading static site generator, Hugo has touted its incredibly fast framework for building websites. It's clear that its community of users is continuing to grow and thrive, and showing the love for their favorite JAMstack frontend generator.  
 
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<img style="max-width:400px;max-height:100px" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2022/03/uniform-logo-white-bg.webp" width="auto" height="auto" /> 
 
<h2>Best Composable System: Uniform</h2>
We had a battle royale brewing in the newly minted "Best Composable System" category between <a href="https://uniform.dev/" target="_blank">Uniform</a>, <a href="https://www.sitecore.com/" target="_blank">Sitecore</a>, and <a href="https://www.acquia.com/" target="_blank">Acquia</a> – but there can be only one! Congratulations to Uniform for taking the throne and becoming our inaugural winner in this new and exciting segment. With big wind (and big investment dollars) at their back, Uniform is already making bold moves from a hiring and acquisition perspective, and we'll be looking for big things in 2022.  
 
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<h2>And that's a wrap for the 2021 People's Choice Awards! </h2>
<div>See that? Not a single moment of uncomfortable stage antics. That's just another benefit we have over the Oscars. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>While the pandemic threw us all for a loop, it's great to be back to a more normal and predictable cycle with our awards program. We look forward to this event every year because it gives us an opportunity to engage with our readers and learn about what platforms are scoring high in their books. At the end of the day, it's about honoring not just the winners, but our entire CMS community. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>There were some tight races going on in the year's competition, and a few surprises that gave us a moment to pause. But that's what makes the People's Choice Awards so exciting: in any given year, fans can come out of the woodwork and elevate their platform to the top echelon. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Tomorrow, we'll be posting our Editor's Choice Awards. You're bound to see some alignment in certain categories, and you might be in for a few surprises as well. Our editorial staff made their picks based on a wide range of factors, and we're excited to share them with you. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Thanks again to everyone for participating in the 2021 People’s Choice Awards. See you later this year!</div>

Oscar Who? We're Celebrating the Winners of the 2021 CMS Critic People’s Choice Awards 

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Image of the 2021 CMS Critic People's Choice Awards logo with the Text "2021 Winners" to the right, all against a background image of fireworks.

If you've been waiting to cast your vote for your favorites in the People's Choice Awards, now is the time to do so.Voting has officially opened and you may now <a href="/cms-critic-awards/">cast your vote</a>! So head on over to our <a href="/cms-critic-awards/">awards page</a> and submit your favorites.If you are in the running, we have created a handy badge you can use to spur interest...Simply download the graphic (shown below) and link it to <a href="/cms-critic-awards/">https://www.cmscritic.com/critics-choice-cms-awards/</a>.For those who missed it, here are the nominees in each category:<h3><a href="/cms-critic-awards/">Best Open Source CMS</a></h3>2013 Nominees ( <a href="/announcing-the-peoples-choice-for-best-open-source-cms-nominees">read the announcement </a>):<ol><li><a target="_blank" href="https://modx.com/">MODx</a></li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.dnnsoftware.com/">DNN Platform</a></li><li><a href="/products/liferay">Liferay</a></li><li><a href="/products/processwire/">Processwire</a></li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://e107.org/">e107</a></li></ol><h3><a href="/cms-critic-awards/">Best Free CMS</a></h3>2013 Nominees ( <a href="/announcing-the-peoples-choice-for-best-free-cms-nominees/">read the announcement </a>):<ol><li><a target="_blank" href="https://processwire.com/">Processwire</a></li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://tiki.org/HomePage">Tiki</a></li><li><a href="/products/concrete-cms">Concrete5</a></li><li><a href="/products/wordpress/">WordPress</a></li><li><a href="/products/umbraco/">Umbraco</a></li></ol><h3><a href="/cms-critic-awards/">Best Small to Midsize Business CMS</a></h3>2013 Nominees ( <a href="/announcing-the-people-s-choice-for-best-small-to-midsize-business-cms-nominees/">read the announcement </a>):<ol><li>Adobe Business Catalyst</li><li><a href="/products/ingeniux/">Ingeniux</a></li><li><a href="/products/kentico/">Kentico</a></li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.percussion.com/">Percussion</a></li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.progress.com/sitefinity-cms">Sitefinity</a></li></ol><h3><a href="/cms-critic-awards/">Best Enterprise CMS</a></h3>2013 Nominees ( <a href="/announcing-the-peoples-choice-for-best-enterprise-cms-nominees/">read the announcement </a>):<ol><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.adobe.com/solutions/web-experience-management.html">Adobe Experience Manager</a></li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.hannonhill.com/products/cascade-cms/index.html">Cascade Server</a></li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.optimizely.com/">EpiServer</a></li><li><a href="/products/liferay/">Liferay</a></li><li><a href="/products/sitecore/">Sitecore</a></li></ol><h3><a href="/cms-critic-awards/">Best eCommerce Solution </a> (New for 2013!)</h3>2013 Nominees ( <a href="/announcing-the-people-s-choice-for-best-ecommerce-solution-nominees/">read the announcement </a>):<ol><li>3dcart</li><li>Aspxcommerce</li><li><a href="/products/bigcommerce/">BigCommerce</a></li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://business.adobe.com/products/magento/magento-commerce.html">Magento</a></li><li><a href="/products/shopify/">Shopify</a></li></ol><h3><a href="/cms-critic-awards/">Best Website Builder</a></h3>2013 Nominees ( <a href="/announcing-the-people-s-choice-for-best-website-builder-nominees/">read the announcement </a>):<ol><li>Adobe Business Catalyst</li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.jimdo.com/">Jimdo</a></li><li><a href="/products/squarespace/">Squarespace</a></li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.ucoz.com/">UCoz</a></li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.webydo.com/">Webydo</a></li></ol><h3><a href="/cms-critic-awards/">Best Forum Solution </a> (New for 2013!)</h3>2013 Nominees ( <a href="/announcing-the-peoples-choice-for-best-forum-solution-nominees">read the announcement </a>):<ol><li><a target="_blank" href="http://vanillaforums.org/">Vanilla Forums</a></li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://nodebb.org/">NodeBB</a></li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.simplemachines.org/">Simple Machines Forum</a></li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.vbulletin.com/">VBulletin</a></li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.invisionpower.com/">Invision Power Board (IPBoard)</a></li></ol><h3><a href="/cms-critic-awards/">Best Social Networking Solution</a></h3>2013 Nominees ( <a href="/announcing-the-people-s-choice-for-best-social-networking-solution-nominees/">read the announcement </a>):<ol><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.dnnsoftware.com/products/evoq-engage">Evoq Social</a></li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.phpfox.com/">PHPFox</a></li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.oxwall.com/">Oxwall</a></li><li><a target="_blank" href="http://www.socialcore.com">SocialCore</a></li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://socialengine.com/">Social Engine</a></li></ol><h3><a href="/cms-critic-awards/">Best Hosted/Cloud CMS </a> (New for 2013!)</h3><ol><li><a target="_blank" href="http://acquia.com/products-services/acquia-cloud">Acquia Cloud</a></li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://agilitycms.com/">Agility CMS</a></li><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.paperthin.com/products/commonspot-cms.cfm">CommonSpot</a></li><li>Gutensite</li></ol>Best of luck to all who are in the running!

It's Official! Voting is Now Open for the People's Choice Awards!

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This year has been an amazing one and we've had tons of nominations for all kinds of great projects in all of our categories. Over this month until voting begins on September 1, 2013, we're going to announce the nominees for each category in the awards.
Without further delay, here are this years Peoples Choice Nominees for Best Enterprise CMS in our <a href="/cms-critic-awards/">Critics Choice CMS Awards</a>.
<h3>Liferay</h3>
Liferay Portal is an open source enterprise portal written in Java and distributed under the GNU Lesser General Public License and proprietary licenses. It is primarily used to power corporate intranets and extranets.
<a href="/products/liferay/">Learn more.</a>
<h3>Adobe Experience Manager</h3>
Adobe Experience Manager is last year's Critics Choice for Best Enterprise CMS and was nominated again this year for Peoples Choice. Adobe Experience Manager is part of the Adobe Digital Marketing Cloud and is an easy-to-use enterprise CMS with a heavy marketing side.
<a href="http://www.adobe.com/solutions/web-experience-management.html">Visit their Website</a>
<h3>Cascade Server</h3>
Cascade Server is a web content management system that uses push technology and is developed by Hannon Hill. Cascade Server is built with Java, and comes bundled with Apache Tomcat as its Servlet container.
<a href="/products/cascade-cms/">Learn more.</a>
<h3>Episerver</h3>
EPiServer is a .NET Content Management and E-commerce product company providing robust, flexible and highly customizable software solutions for the next generation of websites.
<a href="/products/episerver/">Learn more.</a>
<h3>Sitecore</h3>
Sitecore is a web content management system software company that provides enterprise website, intranet, portal and marketing automation software.
<a href="/products/sitecore/">Learn more.</a>
Congratulations to all of these fabulous nominees. Voting begins on September 1, so be sure to check back and vote for your favorites!

Announcing the Peoples Choice for Best Enterprise CMS Nominees!

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