Choosing the right platform to build your website is one of the most important decisions you’ll make. It affects how your site is built, how it’s maintained, and how easily it can grow over time.
There is no single “best” platform for every website. The right choice depends on your goals, your technical comfort level, and what you expect your website to do.
This page expands on Step 2 of the Essential Steps to Build a Website, explaining the main ways websites are built and how to choose the right approach for your situation.
Table of Contents
Start With the Goal, Not the Tool
Many people start by asking “Should I use WordPress?” or “Which builder is best?” That usually leads to confusion.
A better starting point is understanding what kind of website you’re building and how you want to manage it over time.
- Will you publish content regularly?
- Do you want full control or maximum simplicity?
- Is this a small site, a growing business, or a complex application?
Once those questions are clear, platform choices become much easier.
Common Ways to Build a Website
Most websites today fall into one of the following build approaches. Each has strengths and trade-offs.
Content Management Systems (CMS)
A CMS lets you manage content without editing code directly. Pages, posts, media, and updates are handled through an admin interface.
- Good for blogs, business sites, and content-heavy websites
- Large ecosystem of themes and extensions
- Requires some maintenance over time
A CMS is a strong choice if you want flexibility and plan to grow your site gradually.
Website Builders
Website builders focus on speed and simplicity. They use visual editors and handle most technical details for you.
- Quick to launch
- Low learning curve
- Limited flexibility and long-term control
Builders work well for small, straightforward sites, but can become restrictive as needs change.
Custom-Coded Websites (HTML, CSS, JavaScript)
A custom-coded site is built directly using web languages. There’s no abstraction layer between you and the code.
- Maximum control and performance
- No unnecessary features or overhead
- Requires technical knowledge
This approach is ideal for developers, learning projects, or sites where simplicity and speed matter more than convenience.
Frameworks and Application-Based Setups
Frameworks are commonly used for interactive or application-like websites. They often involve build tools, APIs, and databases.
- Best for complex functionality
- Highly scalable
- More complexity to manage
If your website behaves more like software than a collection of pages, this approach may make sense.
Static Site Generators
Static sites are generated from source files and served as plain pages. There’s no database or dynamic processing during visits.
- Very fast and secure
- Lower server requirements
- Content updates require a build process
Static sites work well for documentation, blogs, and sites where performance is a top priority.
Headless CMS Setups
A headless CMS separates content management from the front-end display. Content is delivered via APIs.
- Flexible content reuse
- Works across multiple platforms
- Higher setup complexity
This approach is best when content needs to power websites, apps, and other systems simultaneously.
How to Choose the Right Platform
The best platform is the one that fits your situation now while still allowing growth later.
- Choose simplicity if you’re just starting
- Choose flexibility if you expect growth
- Avoid tools that lock you into decisions you don’t understand yet
Many websites fail not because of the platform they chose, but because the platform didn’t match the goal.