12 Leading Software for Website Development in 2024 [Expert Picks]

Your website is your digital storefront. But which tools will build it best? This guide dissects the top software for website development, from versatile content management systems to streamlined website builders and powerful e-commerce platforms. Check it out now! 

Types of Website Development Software

Website development software can be broadly categorized into several types:

• Content management systems (CMS): These are user-friendly platforms. They empower individuals to create, organize, and update website content. Importantly, this can all be done without needing to be a coding expert.
• Website builders: These tools simplify the creation process. Think of them as digital construction sets. Users drag and drop elements to generate their site, no coding is required.
• E-commerce platforms: Online stores have unique needs, and this specialized software caters to them. It handles everything from product listings and shopping carts to secure payments.
• Code editors: For those who do write code, these are essential tools. They provide a streamlined environment for creating and editing the code that powers websites.
• Integrated development environments (IDEs): IDEs are like code editors on steroids. They offer advanced features, including debugging tools and code completion suggestions, which speed up the development process for professional programmers.

[H2] 12 Best Software for Website Development

Before delving into the specifics of each website development software, let’s get a quick overview of all the best options available: 

Top Content Management Systems (CMS)

1. WordPress

WordPress dominates the global content management system (CMS) market. It powers over 40% of websites worldwide. Renowned for its flexibility, intuitive user interface, and vast array of plugins, it offers unparalleled customization options. 

The platform proudly presents the following key features:

• Thousands of themes and plugins
• Easy-to-use editor
• Strong SEO capabilities
• Large and active community
• Regular updates and security features

It’s particularly suitable for bloggers, small to medium-sized businesses, and e-commerce ventures using WooCommerce. While WordPress itself is free, premium themes, plugins, and hosting can incur costs.

Pros and cons of WordPress:

Pros:

• Highly customizable with plugins and themes
• User-friendly interface suitable for beginners
• Strong community support
• Scalable for small blogs to large enterprise websites

Cons:

• Can become slow with too many plugins
• Requires regular updates and maintenance
• Security vulnerabilities if not properly managed

2. Joomla

Joomla is a powerful yet user-friendly CMS, offering a perfect balance between simplicity and functionality for website creation.  It offers more built-in features than WordPress, but it can be slightly more complex to use. 

Joomla’s key features include:

• Advanced user management
• Multilingual support out of the box
• Extensive template and extension library
• Strong SEO tools
• Flexible content management

Joomla is suitable for medium to large businesses, community and membership sites, and complex websites requiring advanced user management. Although Joomla itself is free to use, premium templates, extensions, and hosting incur additional costs. This makes Joomla a strong choice for those needing robust functionality and flexibility, despite its complexity for newcomers.

Pros and Cons of Joomla

• Pros:
  • Powerful and flexible CMS
  • Great for complex websites with multiple users
  • Strong built-in features
  • Good community support
• Cons:
  • Steeper learning curve compared to WordPress
  • Fewer themes and extensions
  • Can be complex for beginners

3. Drupal

Drupal is a high-performance CMS renowned for its flexibility, scalability, and ability to handle demanding websites and applications. It’s particularly favored by developers for its advanced capabilities and robust performance. 

The platform underscores the following key features:

• Highly customizable
• Advanced user permissions
• Strong security features
• Multilingual support
• Extensive module library

Drupal is particularly well-suited for large enterprises, government websites, and other complex, high-traffic websites that require a high degree of customization and security. While the core software is free to use, additional costs may be incurred for premium modules and hosting services, which can enhance the overall functionality and performance of Drupal-based websites.

Pros and cons of Drupal:

• Pros:
  • Extremely flexible and customizable
  • Strong performance and scalability
  • Excellent security features
  • Great for complex, large-scale websites
• Cons:
  • Steep learning curve
  • Requires technical expertise
  • Smaller community compared to WordPress

Best Website Builders

1. Wix

Wix stands out as a user-friendly website builder, celebrated for its intuitive drag-and-drop interface and vast collection of professionally designed templates. It empowers individuals and businesses to craft visually appealing websites without needing any coding skills.

Key features of Wix include:

• Drag-and-drop interface
• Hundreds of designer-made templates
• App market for added functionality
• Mobile optimization
• Built-in SEO tools

Wix is an excellent fit for small businesses aiming to establish an online presence, individuals seeking to create personal websites or portfolios, and basic e-commerce sites. With a free plan available and premium plans starting at $14 per month, Wix caters to various budgets.

Pros and cons of Wix

Pros:

• Extremely user-friendly
• No coding required
• Wide range of templates and apps
• Good customer support

Cons:

• Limited customization options compared to CMS platforms
• Free plan includes Wix branding
• Not suitable for very complex websites

2. Squarespace

Squarespace is a website builder renowned for its visually striking, designer-quality templates. It’s a perfect fit for individuals and businesses who value aesthetics and a user-friendly experience.

Key features of Squarespace involve: 

• Stunning templates
• Drag-and-drop editor
• Built-in blogging and e-commerce tools
• Mobile-responsive designs
• 24/7 customer support

Squarespace is an ideal choice for creative professionals showcasing their portfolios, small businesses aiming to create an elegant online presence, and basic online stores. With plans starting at $12 per month for personal websites, Squarespace serves various needs and budgets.

Pros and cons of Squarespace

• Pros:
  • Beautiful, professional templates
  • User-friendly interface
  • Good integration with e-commerce and blogging tools
  • Reliable customer support
• Cons:

• Limited customization compared to CMS platforms
• Can be expensive for larger sites
• Less flexibility for advanced users

3. Weebly

Weebly is an affordable and accessible website builder, perfect for those who want to launch their online presence quickly and easily. Its intuitive interface, coupled with a various array of templates and features, makes it a great option for individuals and small businesses on a budget. 

Weebly emphasizes the following key features:

• Drag-and-drop builder
• Mobile-responsive themes
• Integrated e-commerce tools
• App center for added functionality
• Built-in SEO features

Weebly caters to the needs of small businesses seeking to create simple yet effective websites, individuals looking for an easy way to build personal websites, and those interested in setting up basic online stores. With a free plan and affordable premium plans starting at $6 per month, Weebly provides a cost-effective option that suits a range of requirements.

Pros and cons of Weebly:

• Pros:
  • Easy to use
  • Good range of templates
  • Integrated e-commerce capabilities
  • Free plan available
• Cons:

• Limited customization options
• Less powerful than some competitors
• Fewer templates compared to Wix and Squarespace

Leading E-commerce Platforms

1. Shopify

Shopify is the go-to e-commerce platform for businesses aiming to scale their online presence. Its intuitive interface and robust features enable seamless growth, from startups to established enterprises.

Shopify’s arsenal includes:

• Comprehensive e-commerce tools
• Wide range of themes and apps
• Secure payment gateways
• Abandoned cart recovery
• Multichannel selling (social media, marketplaces, etc.)

If you’re a small to large e-commerce business, an entrepreneur with a startup, or a retailer aiming to expand your online presence, Shopify is a strong contender. Its plans start at $29/month with a range of options to suit your budget and requirements.

Pros and cons of Shopify:

• Pros:
  • Easy to use, even for beginners
  • Extensive range of e-commerce features
  • Great customer support
  • Scalable for small to large businesses
• Cons:
  • Can be expensive, especially with add-ons
  • Limited customization compared to open-source platforms
  • Transaction fees unless using Shopify Payments

2. BigCommerce

BigCommerce stands out as a powerful e-commerce platform meticulously designed for businesses of all sizes. It provides an extensive toolkit for building and expanding online stores, making it a top choice for businesses venturing into the e-commerce landscape.

What sets BigCommerce apart is:

• Advanced e-commerce functionalities
• Flexible product management
• SEO and marketing tools
• No transaction fees
• Integration with various payment gateways

Businesses that thrive with BigCommerce include medium to large e-commerce enterprises seeking a comprehensive platform, those looking for a scalable solution to support their growth, and stores with extensive product inventories. About pricing, BigComemrce plans start at $29.95 per month

Pros and cons of BigCommerce

• Pros:
  • Robust e-commerce features
  • No transaction fees
  • Scalable for growing businesses
  • Good SEO capabilities
• Cons:
  • Higher cost compared to some competitors
  • The learning curve for advanced features
  • Limited design options without coding

3. WooCommerce

WooCommerce, an open-source e-commerce plugin for WordPress, empowers users to transform their WordPress sites into thriving online stores. Its seamless integration with WordPress makes it a popular choice for businesses seeking a unified platform for content and commerce.

Its appeal lies in:

• Seamless integration with WordPress
• Extensive range of plugins and themes
• Customizable checkout process
• Built-in blogging capabilities
• Large community and support

WooCommerce shines for existing WordPress users who want to add an online store, small to medium-sized e-commerce businesses seeking flexibility, and developers or users with technical expertise. While WooCommerce itself is free, businesses should factor in the costs of premium plugins and hosting.

Pros and cons of WooCommerce:

• • Pros:
    • Highly customizable
    • Free to start with various paid add-ons
    • Strong community support
    • Flexible and scalable
• Cons: 
• • Requires some technical knowledge
  • Can be complex to set up and maintain
  • Additional costs for hosting and premium plugins

Best Code Editors and IDEs

1. Visual Studio Code

Visual Studio Code (VS Code) is a free, open-source code editor developed by Microsoft, known for its high degree of customization and broad support for various programming languages and frameworks. It has become a favorite among developers due to its versatility and extensive features.

Key features of VS Code include:

• IntelliSense for smart code completion
• Debugging and Git integration
• Extensive plugin ecosystem
• Cross-platform support
• Built-in terminal

VS Code is suitable for developers of all levels, from beginners to experienced professionals. It caters to projects of all sizes and supports cross-platform development, making it a versatile choice for a wide range of use cases. Best of all, VS Code is completely free to use.

• Pros and cons of VS Code:
  Pros:
  • Highly customizable with plugins
  • Excellent support for various languages
  • Great performance
  • Strong community support
• Cons:
  • Can be resource-intensive
  • Requires configuration for optimal use
  • Some features may require plugins

2. Sublime Text

Sublime Text, a sophisticated text editor renowned for its speed and simplicity, is a go-to choice for developers seeking a lightweight yet powerful tool for code, markup, and prose editing.

Its standout features include

• Goto Anything for quick navigation
• Multiple selections for quick edits
• Command Palette for easy access to functions
• Split editing for working on multiple files
• Extensive customization options

Sublime Text shines for developers seeking a lightweight editor for quick coding tasks or projects requiring minimal setup. Its emphasis on speed and simplicity makes it a favorite among those who prioritize a distraction-free coding experience. The cost for a single-user license is $80, which may be a factor to consider compared to free alternatives.

Pros and cons of Subline Text:

• Pros:
  • Extremely fast and lightweight
  • Highly customizable
  • Intuitive interface
  • Supports a wide range of languages
• Cons:
  • Limited built-in features without plugins
  • Paid license required for continued use
  • Less integrated development features compared to IDEs

3. Atom

Atom, an open-source text editor crafted by GitHub, stands out as a haven for developers who thrive on personalizing their coding environment. Its deep customizability allows for a tailored workflow, making it a favorite among those who seek to optimize their productivity.

At its core, Atom boast: 

• Built-in package manager
• Smart autocompletion
• File system browser
• Multiple panes for split editing
• Cross-platform support

Atom is a compelling choice for developers who enjoy tailoring their tools to perfection. Its strong Git integration, user-friendly interface, and free availability make it a worthy contender in the realm of code editors.

Pros and cons of Atom
Pros:

• Highly customizable with packages
• Strong Git and GitHub integration
• User-friendly interface
• Free and open-source

Cons:

• Can be slower with many plugins
• Requires configuration for optimal performance
• Less performant than lightweight editors like Sublime Text

Criteria for Evaluating Website Development Software

When evaluating software for website development, it is vital to take into account various essential factors to make sure you choose the best tool for your needs:

• User-friendliness:  Even if you’re not a coding whiz, the tools should be intuitive as well as easy to navigate. Look for drag-and-drop interfaces and clear instructions to streamline the website-building process.
• Customization options:  Your website should embody your brand and meet your business objectives. Select a platform that offers a range of design options (themes, templates) and empowers you to customize both the look and feel, as well as the functionality. This ensure a user-friendly and on-brand experience.
• Scalability: As your business grows, your website should be able to keep up. Choose software that is scalable, meaning it can handle increased traffic and functionality as your needs evolve.
• Cost: Make sure the software’s cost fits your budget. Some software might be free, while others have monthly or yearly fees. You should compare prices and features to identify a good deal.
• Support and community:  Check if the software company offers customer support. A helpful community of users can also answer questions and give advice.
• Integration capabilities:  Prioritize website software that offers integrations with your essential tools (email marketing, social media, etc.). This will simplify your website management and create a more cohesive online presence.

Key Takeaways

In a general sense, we find that:

• About CMS: WordPress is the most popular choice due to its flexibility and vast ecosystem, while Joomla and Drupal cater to more complex projects with their advanced features.
• About Website Builders: Wix and Squarespace stand out with their user-friendly interfaces and beautiful designs, while Weebly offers a more budget-friendly option.
• About E-commerce Platforms: Shopify is known for its ease of use and extensive features, BigCommerce for its scalability and powerful tools, and WooCommerce for its integration with WordPress and customization potential.
• Related to Code Editors: Visual Studio Code offers extensive customizability and a wide range of features, Sublime Text excels in speed and simplicity, and Atom caters to developers who love personalization.

The choice of software ultimately depends on the project’s specific needs, the budget, and the users’ technical expertise.