CiviCRM misconceptions: “Just another plugin”

Written By Allen Shaw

Here's another CiviCRM misconception I'm hearing about:

CiviCRM misconception #2: “It's just another WordPress plugin / Drupal module / etc.”

The premise here is that since CiviCRM operates as a plugin in WordPress (or a module in Drupal), that installing and managing it will be like most other plugins/modules.

But if you've tried that, you'll know it's not that simple.

  • Typical plugins install — and upgrade — easily with one click via WordPress's plugin management feature. CiviCRM installation is significantly more involved.

  • Typical plugins offer a few features and no more. CiviCRM offers a whole raft of features (and thus, more complexity).

  • Typical plugins will run properly on any server that supports WordPress. CiviCRM has a few additional system requirements.

Naturally, there are plenty of good reasons to clear those hurdles and put CiviCRM to work in your organization.

But knowing that the hurdles exist in the first place can make the whole "getting started" experience a lot smoother.

All the best,
A.

Allen Shaw
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