Comparisons done fairly #

This page is for reviewers, journalists and creators who compare Exponential with another CMS. Comparisons help readers decide, and they go wrong in predictable ways. The project itself compares only what it can source (Comparing Exponential factually); this page applies the same discipline to your coverage.

Contents #

1. The rules
2. Criteria that can be checked
3. Performance comparisons
4. A comparison table template
5. Words to avoid

The rules #

1. Same criteria, both sides. Every row of your table has a value for every product.
2. Each product by its own sources. Describe the other product from its own documentation, as you describe Exponential from this one.
3. Same date, comparable versions. Name the versions and the date you checked.
4. Facts in the table, opinions in the text. Say which is which.
5. Disclose interests. If you work with, are paid by or sponsor any of the products, say so (Disclosure and sponsorship ethics).
6. Ask both sides when a row is unclear.

Criteria that can be checked #

Performance comparisons #

The project publishes figures for its own stack and no comparison with other products. If you compare speed:

• run both products on the same hardware, with comparable pages, caches configured as each project recommends;
• publish your method, versions, configuration and raw results;
• say what you did not test.

Without that, do not write "faster than" (Verifying numbers).

A comparison table template #

COMPARISON: Exponential <version> and <Other CMS> <version>        checked <date>

CRITERION            EXPONENTIAL                         OTHER CMS                    SOURCES
License              GPL v2 or later                     <its license>                <links>
PHP versions         8.0 - 8.5                           <...>                        <links>
Databases            SQLite, PostgreSQL, MongoDB,        <...>                        <links>
                     MariaDB, Oracle, MySQL
Multisite            built in                            <...>                        <links>
Shop                 built in                            <...>                        <links>
Right-to-left        yes                                 <...>                        <links>
Security reporting   private, first answer within        <...>                        <links>
                     one business day
Disclosure           <your relationship to each product>

Words to avoid #

Related pages #

• Writing a fair review
• Objection: "Why not another CMS?"
• Comparing Exponential factually
• Free documentation: this page is free to copy, translate and improve under the GNU FDL 1.3.