Drupal vs JAMstack

Editor's note (2025): This comparison was written in 2020. The landscape has evolved — modern frameworks like Next.js and Gatsby now offer hybrid rendering strategies that blur the lines discussed here. For our current approach to web development, see our web development services and 3D web experiences built with Three.js.

The Drupal Content Management System vs JAMstack Site Building Methodology

Choosing the right platform for your website can be a difficult task. To make things a little easier for you, here is a rundown of the differences between two popular approaches: the Drupal content management system, and the JAMstack site building methodology. Each approach offers a distinct workflow and each has pros and cons tailored to different needs.

The Pros & Cons of JAMstack vs Drupal

JAMstack lets you build static websites which offer similar capabilities to database-driven sites such as Drupal but offers some key benefits. These capabilities could make your decision on which framework to build your site with far easier. The benefits of using JAMstack to create your site include:

• Top of the Line Performance: JAMstack offers one of the fastest time to first byte over any other web development methodology. This comes from the way that it serves pre-built files over a content delivery network allowing you to generate pages on deployment rather than on request.
• High Levels of Security: By decoupling your front-end and CMS you drastically reduce potential attack areas. Since pages are pre-generated and simply read by the browser, there are less serverside processes that can be exploited by attackers.
• Simple Workflow for Developers: Developers love working with JAMstack for the way it simplifies debugging and allows for highly streamlined development. It also significantly reduces the clutter of dynamic websites like Drupal by only keeping what’s needed with none of the unncessary bloat found on traditional platforms.
• Easy Scalability: When you build a site with JAMstack you can scale your site as your business grows. Without the necessity for server-side page generation server costs remain low even as traffic grows.
• Low Maintenance: Drupal sites require ongoing maintenance in the form of updates and security patches to stay up to date. JAMstack on the other hand produces static website files which never become outdated as they rely on time-tested languages such as HTML, CSS, and JS which are understood and supported by all major browsers.

While JAMstack has many advantages over Drupal it does also have a few limitations which can lead to stumbling blocks in specific use cases. These limitations include:

• User-Generated Content: For websites that require user authentication and large amounts of community contributed content a dynamic database connection will likely be required. Drupal can handle this out of the box whereas a JAMstack website will require custom coding to connect to a backend service and provide dynamic functionality.
• Requires a Developer: New features you wish to add to your site must go through a developer when you use JAMstack. This is because it does not offer plug and play modules, but instead uses custom coded solutions. In practice this is often the same with Drupal websites, but Drupal does give you a head start with its large set of community contributed modules.

Using Drupal and JAMstack Together

One method of overcoming the limitations of JAMstack involves using JAMstack alongside Drupal or another popular CMS platform. This allows the primary pages and components of your site to be run staticly enabling the performance and security JAMstack is known for. Then, any pages or components which require frequent updates or database-driven features can be pulled from Drupal. This brings you the best of both worlds, so you can enjoy all the benefits of JAMstack while still allowing the complex data management and content editing features of Drupal.