Which Development Model Should I Choose for My Kentico EMS Site?
With the release of Kentico 12 and our updated MVC support, developers have a big question they have to answer. For their new projects, which development model should they choose? We have been publishing many articles and best practices on this topic, including deep dives into the tech, interviews with community experts, and technical webinars to help companies along the way. Sometimes, people just want a simple chart to help them decide. In this article, we’ve got you covered on how to choose the model for your next project!
You’ve heard about Kentico 12’s new MVC support. You know it has a slick drag-and-drop page builder for marketers, support for EMS features, and is pretty much the most awesome release we’ve ever had. You’ve heard us say MVC is the future, while Web Forms is checking into the nursing home. The message is clear:
You should be building your sites with MVC.
But let me guess: You don’t know MVC. Or maybe you have some MVC experience, but you aren’t sure how things work exactly with Kentico. Or you just don’t know which model is the right fit for your new project. Since we released Kentico 12, we’ve fielded many questions around this topic. Companies know they want to shift to MVC, but maybe aren’t ready or sure of when to do it.
Don’t worry, I have a nice flowchart coming to help you out!
NOTE
As with most things involving Kentico development, there are a few notes to point out:
- Kentico has committed to supporting Portal development (Web Forms) through 2022. This means how long you plan on supporting the project is the most important decision you will need to make. If you plan to support your site past 2022, you MUST choose MVC to ensure support.
- Kentico will continue to produce documentation and best practices on using MVC with the platform. You will still need to ensure your team is familiar with the basics of MVC by traditional training methods.
Which Development Model Should I Choose for My Kentico EMS Site?
As you can see, most roads lead to MVC. It's the safest, most future-proof model you can choose. If you get to the end of the process and still land on Portal, that's OK. Just know it won't have support past 2022. If your timeline is tight (accelerated), you have have to go Portal just to meet the demand. Again, this only applies if you don't plan to support the site past 2022. If you don't know either model, evaluate your team and their skills to determine what it will take to bring them up to speed on each model.
Moving forward
Selecting a development model isn’t a simple choice. Many factors will come into play when you are deciding Portal vs MVC. Hopefully, this workflow helps you reach a decision a little easier. In the end, you should be moving towards MVC for your projects. It’s the best path for the future, ensuring you support from Kentico for years to come. Good luck!