django CMS vs Orchard Core
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted content management systems options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | django CMS | Orchard Core |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 93 · Excellent | 92 · Excellent |
| Category | Content Management Systems | Content Management Systems |
| License | BSD-3-Clause | BSD-3-Clause |
| Language | Python | C# |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | docker, bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 10,670 | ★ 8,187 |
| First released | 2009 | 2018 |
| Replaces | Adobe Experience Manager, Sitecore | Sitecore, WordPress |
What are django CMS and Orchard Core?
django CMS
django CMS is an open-source content management system built on Python's Django framework. It offers front-end editing, a plugin architecture, and strong multilingual support for enterprise sites.
- Front-end editing
- Plugin-based content
- Strong multilingual support
- Django ecosystem integration
Orchard Core
Orchard Core is an open-source, modular, and multi-tenant application framework and CMS built on ASP.NET Core. It enables building content-driven sites and SaaS-style multi-site setups.
- Multi-tenant by design
- Modular architecture
- GraphQL API
- Decoupled and headless modes
django CMS vs Orchard Core: key differences
Django CMS is written in Python, while Orchard Core is built with C#. Django CMS is the more established project (first released 2009), while Orchard Core arrived in 2018.
Why pick each one
Choose django CMS if…
- Great for Python teams
- Scalable enterprise architecture
Watch out for
- Requires Django knowledge
- More setup than PHP CMSes
Choose Orchard Core if…
- Powerful multi-tenancy
- Modern .NET architecture
Watch out for
- Steep learning curve
- Smaller ecosystem than Umbraco
Frequently asked questions
Is django CMS or Orchard Core better?
Neither is universally better. django CMS has the larger community; both share a hard setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are django CMS and Orchard Core free and open-source?
Yes. django CMS is licensed under BSD-3-Clause and Orchard Core under BSD-3-Clause. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run django CMS and Orchard Core with Docker?
django CMS: yes. Orchard Core: yes.