Pelican vs Cosmic JS

When comparing Cosmic JS and Pelican, it’s important to note that Cosmic JS is a headless CMS that offers a flexible and customizable content management solution, while Pelican is a static site generator that focuses on simplicity and speed in generating static websites.

General information

Pelican
Cosmic JS
Introduction :
Pelican is a static site generator that is open source and was first released in 2010. It is popular for its simplicity, speed, and flexibility, making it a preferred choice for developers who want to create fast and secure websites. Pelican allows users to write content in Markdown or reStructuredText and offers a range of plugins and themes for customization.
Introduction :
Cosmic JS is a headless CMS that was launched in 2014. It is not open source but offers a flexible and scalable solution for developers and content creators. With its user-friendly interface, real-time collaboration features, and robust API capabilities, Cosmic JS has gained popularity among businesses and developers looking to build dynamic and customizable websites and applications.
Advantages :
  • Easy to use and beginner-friendly interface
  • Fast loading times for websites
  • Strong security features to protect content
  • Customizable themes and plugins for flexibility
  • Good for small to medium-sized websites
Advantages :
  • Headless architecture for flexible content delivery
  • Scalable and reliable cloud infrastructure
  • Customizable content models and APIs
  • Real-time content collaboration and updates
  • Extensive developer tools and integrations
Disadvantages :
  • Limited customization options
  • Steeper learning curve compared to others
  • Lack of built-in SEO features
  • Limited plugin and theme options
  • Less user-friendly interface compared to competitors
Disadvantages :
  • Limited theme options
  • Steeper learning curve for beginners
  • Higher pricing plans
  • Limited third-party integrations
  • Less community support and documentation
Website users : Thousands
Pelican is used by thousands of websites, making it a popular choice among content management systems for website creation and management.
Website users : Thousands
Cosmic JS is used by thousands of websites worldwide, making it a popular choice among developers and content creators.
๐ŸŸก Difficulty : Average.
Getting started with Pelican requires some technical knowledge and familiarity with static site generators, but resources are available for support.
๐ŸŸก Difficulty : Average.
Getting started with Cosmic JS requires some familiarity with web development concepts, but their documentation and support resources can help navigate the learning curve.
Year launched : 2002
Pelican was launched in 2002, making it one of the earlier content management systems available for users to create and manage websites.
Year launched : 2017
Launched in 2017, Cosmic JS is a newer platform compared to others, offering modern content management solutions for developers and businesses.
Official website : https://www.pelicanweb.org/
Official website : https://cosmicjs.com/


Commercial details

Pelican
Cosmic JS
๐ŸŸก Open source : Partially.
Pelican is partially open source, with the core codebase being fully open source, but some plugins and themes may have different licenses.
๐ŸŸก Open source : Partially.
Cosmic JS is partially open source, offering a limited version of the platform's code for customization and integration with other systems.
๐ŸŸข Free option : Yes.
Pelican offers a free self-hosted option with no limitations on features, making it a cost-effective choice for users looking to manage their own content.
๐ŸŸข Free option : Yes.
Free option available with limited features. Hosted option with ability to upgrade for more advanced features and functionality.
๐ŸŸข Paid option : Yes.
Pelican offers a paid option for users looking for additional features and support, providing a more comprehensive experience for those willing to invest.
๐ŸŸข Paid option : Yes.
Paid plans offer more storage, bandwidth, and advanced features, making it a worthwhile investment for businesses needing scalability and customization.


Platform details

Pelican
Cosmic JS
๐ŸŸข Hosted : Yes.
Pelican offers a hosted option for users looking for a convenient and managed solution for their website hosting needs.
๐ŸŸข Hosted : Yes.
Cosmic JS offers a hosted option for users, providing a convenient and hassle-free solution for managing content online.
๐ŸŸข Self host : Yes.
Pelican can be self-hosted on various 3rd party vendors, giving users more control over their hosting environment.
๐ŸŸข Self host : Yes.
Self-hosting is possible with Cosmic JS through various third-party vendors, offering flexibility and control over hosting environment.
๐ŸŸก Headless CMS : Supported via plugin.
Pelican does not natively support headless features but can be integrated with plugins or APIs for headless functionality.
๐ŸŸข Headless CMS : Support natively.
Cosmic JS is a headless CMS by design, offering robust API support for seamless integration with any frontend technology.
๐ŸŸข Static content generation : Support natively.
Pelican natively supports static content generation, making it efficient and reliable for creating static websites without the need for additional plugins.
๐ŸŸก Static content generation : Supported via plugin.
Static content generation is possible through popular plugins, offering flexibility for users who require this feature in their Cosmic JS projects.


Key features

Pelican
Cosmic JS
๐ŸŸข Content management : Support natively.
Pelican is a good platform for managing content as it offers native features specifically designed for content management tasks.
๐ŸŸก Content management : Supported via plugin.
Cosmic JS offers robust content management capabilities through plugins, making it a good choice for managing content alongside other features.
๐ŸŸก Blogging : Supported via plugin.
Pelican can be enhanced by third-party plugins for blogging functionality, offering flexibility and customization options for bloggers.
๐ŸŸก Blogging : Supported via plugin.
Cosmic JS offers blogging capabilities through third-party plugins, making it a suitable platform for bloggers seeking additional features and customization options.
๐ŸŸก E-commerce : Supported via plugin.
Pelican can be used for e-commerce with plugins like Pelican-Commerce, but it may require additional setup compared to dedicated e-commerce platforms.
โšช E-commerce : Unknown.
Cosmic JS does not have native e-commerce capabilities, but it may be possible to integrate with third-party plugins for e-commerce functionality.
๐ŸŸก Community forum : Supported via plugin.
Pelican can support a community/forum with plugins like Disqus, but lacks native features for robust community engagement compared to other platforms.
๐ŸŸก Community forum : Supported via plugin.
Cosmic JS does not natively offer community/forum features but can be enhanced with third-party plugins for this functionality.
๐ŸŸก Content subscription : Supported via plugin.
Pelican does not natively support content subscriptions/paywalls but can be enhanced with third-party plugins for this functionality.
๐ŸŸก Content subscription : Supported via plugin.
Content subscriptions/paywalls can be implemented through third-party plugins/extensions, offering flexibility but may require additional setup and maintenance.


Other features

Pelican
Cosmic JS
๐ŸŸก Multi-site : Supported via plugin.
Support for multi-site in Pelican is typically achieved through third-party plugins, offering enhanced functionality for managing multiple sites within the platform.
๐ŸŸก Multi-site : Supported via plugin.
Support for multi-site is available via a popular 3rd party plugin/extension, offering enhanced functionality for managing multiple sites within Cosmic JS.
๐ŸŸก Multi-language : Supported via plugin.
Pelican does not natively support multi-language but can be enhanced with plugins like Pelican-i18n for multi-language functionality.
๐ŸŸก Multi-language : Supported via plugin.
Multi-language support can be achieved through third-party plugins or extensions, enhancing Cosmic JS's capabilities in this area.
๐ŸŸก XML Sitemaps : Supported via plugin.
Support for XML sitemaps can be enhanced by popular third-party plugins/extensions in the Pelican ecosystem.
๐ŸŸก XML Sitemaps : Supported via plugin.
Support for XML sitemaps can be enhanced by popular third-party plugins/extensions on Cosmic JS, providing flexibility and customization options.


Ultimately, the choice between Cosmic JS and Pelican depends on the specific needs of the project. Cosmic JS is ideal for dynamic content management and flexibility, while Pelican is great for simple, fast static websites. Consider the complexity and scalability of your project to make the right decision.