Sajjad akbari

Posted on May 16

Why I Don't Use WordPress Anymore (And What I Built Instead)

#webdev #wordpress #fullstack #performance

After years of working with WordPress — themes, plugins, updates, and the infamous wp_options table — I decided to walk away.

Not because WordPress is bad, but because I wanted more control, speed, and technical precision than it could offer.

What I Built Instead

I built a custom CMS called Seokar — engineered from the ground up with performance and SEO in mind.

Here's what makes it different:

⚙️ Architecture

Instead of PHP’s monolithic request-response model, Seokar is powered by a lightweight, high-performance stack:

Backend: Go (or Rust) for blazing fast performance and low memory usage.
Frontend: Svelte for precise control with almost zero runtime overhead.

🧠 Database Strategy

No more bottlenecks like wp_options. I use:

Structured relational schemas designed for real-world queries.
Smart caching layers and direct indexing for content-heavy workflows.

🪓 Granular Output Control

Every byte of HTML is mine — no more bloated markup or rogue inline styles.
Perfect JSON-LD schema generated from content types.
Smart internal linking helpers baked right in.

⚡ Performance & SEO Focus

Lazy-loaded assets.
Critical CSS inlined automatically.
API-first content delivery for Jamstack, mobile apps, or direct SSR.

The Journey: Challenges and Rewards

Let’s be honest — building a CMS is not easy.

There were late nights, long debugging sessions, and lots of rethinking.

But the payoff?

Millisecond-level load time optimizations.
SEO features that are usually plugin soup in WordPress — implemented natively.
And peace of mind: minimal attack surface, no surprise plugin updates breaking my layout.

Should You Do This Too?

You might want a custom CMS if:

Performance and technical SEO are business-critical.
Your content structure or workflow is too complex for WordPress to handle well.
You want real control over your platform — no plugin roulette.
You're a developer (or have a team) that can maintain a custom stack.

But stick to WordPress if:

You need a site up ASAP with minimal dev effort.
Your use case is basic: blog, brochure, portfolio.
You rely heavily on the plugin/theme ecosystem.

Final Thoughts

This isn’t a WordPress hate post.

It’s a reflection on evolving needs and building tools that serve them better.

If you’re thinking of breaking out of the mold — I hope my experience helps.

Would love to hear your thoughts, challenges, and what you built in the comments!

Let’s Connect

Built something custom? I wanna see it!
Still loving WordPress? Tell me why.
Thinking of switching? I’d be happy to help or answer questions.

P.S. If this resonated, drop a ❤️ or share. I’m planning follow-ups on how Seokar handles SEO, speed, templating, and more.

From WordPress Pro to Custom CMS Architect: My Journey to Ultimate Web Performance & SEO Control

By Sajjad Akbari — Lead Full-Stack Engineer & SEO Systems Architect

For over a decade, I lived and breathed WordPress. I’ve engineered everything from bespoke themes for Fortune 500 companies to intricate e-commerce platforms processing thousands of transactions. I’ve wrangled complex plugin integrations, optimized server configurations for high-traffic sites, and pushed the boundaries of what WordPress SEO plugins could achieve. WordPress, powering over 43% of the internet (W3Techs, 2023), is an undeniable force, a testament to its accessibility and vast ecosystem.

However, as my projects grew in complexity and the demand for absolute performance and granular SEO control became paramount, I encountered inherent limitations. This isn't a critique of WordPress for its primary audience, but an acknowledgment that for elite-level, performance-critical applications, a different approach was necessary. This journey led me to architect Seokar CMS – a bespoke, hyper-optimized Content Management System built from the ground up for speed, precision SEO, and uncompromising control.

The WordPress Conundrum: When Ubiquity Meets Bottlenecks

WordPress's strength lies in its massive ecosystem. Need a feature? "There's a plugin for that." This is fantastic for rapid deployment and users without deep technical expertise. But this very strength becomes a double-edged sword for demanding projects.

WordPress Aspect	Apparent Strength	Inherent Limitation for High-Performance Needs	Impact on Business/Technical Goals
Plugin Ecosystem	Vast selection for almost any feature imaginable.	Performance overhead, code quality variance, security risks.	Slower load times, increased attack surface, maintenance nightmares.
Theming System	Thousands of themes, easy customization (to a point).	Often bloated, excessive HTTP requests, difficult deep optimization.	Poor Core Web Vitals, higher bounce rates, deviation from design purity.
Database Structure	Flexible `wp_posts`, `wp_postmeta`, `wp_options`.	Can lead to inefficient queries, `wp_options` table bloat.	Slow backend operations, high TTFB, scalability challenges.
Core Update Cycle	Regular updates, large security team.	Backward compatibility can hinder adoption of modern practices.	Forced to work around core limitations rather than innovate freely.
Ease of Use	Low barrier to entry for content creators.	Abstraction layers can obscure technical SEO fine-tuning.	Sub-optimal schema, URL structures, or crawl budget management.

Delving into the Technical Pain Points:

Performance Ceilings & "Plugin Hell":
- Statistic: The average WordPress site has 20-30 active plugins, with some e-commerce or complex sites running 50+ (Kinsta). Each plugin adds PHP execution time, database queries, and often its own CSS/JS assets.
- Impact: Even with aggressive caching (Varnish, Redis), CDNs, and minification, you're often optimizing around the overhead. A 1-second delay in page load can lead to a 7% reduction in conversions (Akamai).
- Example wp_head() output:
```

<link rel='stylesheet' id='plugin-a-css' href='...' type='text/css' media='all' />
<link rel='stylesheet' id='plugin-b-css' href='...' type='text/css' media='all' />
<script type='text/javascript' src='...' id='plugin-a-js'></script>
<script type='text/javascript' src='...' id='plugin-b-js-defer' defer></script>

```
Database Inefficiency & Query Overload:
- The wp_options table, often used for autoloading settings, can grow excessively, slowing down every single page load.
- Complex queries involving multiple meta_query clauses are notoriously slow.
- Observation: It's not uncommon to see 100+ database queries on a poorly optimized WordPress page. Seokar CMS aims for <5 highly optimized queries for typical content pages.
SEO Granularity vs. Plugin Abstraction:
- While plugins like Yoast SEO or Rank Math are excellent, they provide a generalized solution. Achieving truly bespoke schema markup, hyper-optimized internal linking structures at scale, or dynamic robots.txt rules often requires wrestling with plugin filters or writing fragile custom code.
- Example: Generating highly specific Product schema with dynamic offers, review aggregations, and shippingDetails directly tied to backend inventory logic is far cleaner in a custom system.
Security Vulnerabilities & Attack Surface:
- Statistic: Plugins account for over 55.9% of known WordPress entry points for attacks (WPScan, Patchstack data). While the core is relatively secure, each third-party plugin is a potential liability.
- A minimal, custom codebase inherently reduces the attack surface.
Bloated Code & Development Constraints:
- The WordPress loop, hooks, and filters, while powerful, can lead to code that's harder to reason about and maintain for complex applications.
- True component-based architecture or modern frontend framework integration (beyond simple REST API consumption) can feel "bolted on."

The Catalyst: Why I Ventured Beyond WordPress

My goal wasn't just to build websites, but to craft digital experiences that were technically superior – especially in raw speed, SEO precision, and security. I considered:

Headless WordPress: Better frontend performance, but the backend (WordPress admin and database) limitations often remain. Still reliant on the WordPress ecosystem for many core functionalities.
Static Site Generators (SSGs) like Jekyll, Hugo, Eleventy: Incredible speed, but can be challenging for complex dynamic content, large teams of non-technical editors, or features requiring robust backend logic.
Other Full-Stack Frameworks (Django, Ruby on Rails): Powerful, but often come with their own level of "batteries-included" overhead not tailored specifically for content management and SEO dominance.

None offered the exact blend of absolute control, minimalistic architecture, and deeply integrated, SEO-centric design I envisioned. I needed a system where performance and SEO are not afterthoughts, but foundational pillars.

Introducing Seokar CMS: Engineered for Peak Performance & SEO

Seokar CMS is built on a few core principles, leveraging a modern, high-performance tech stack:

Backend: PHP 8.2+ with a heavily stripped-down, optimized Laravel core (or Node.js with Fastify for certain microservices).
Database: PostgreSQL (chosen for its robustness, advanced features, and performance with complex queries).
Frontend (Optional Integrated): Blade templating with Alpine.js for lightweight interactivity, or fully headless.
Caching: Multi-layered (OpCode, object cache like Redis, edge CDN caching with intelligent tagging/purging).
Search (Optional): Native integration with Elasticsearch or Meilisearch for advanced search capabilities.

Guiding Principles of Seokar CMS:

Principle	Description	Key Technologies/Techniques Employed
Hyper-Optimization for Speed	Every line of code, every database query, every asset is scrutinized for performance. Sub-100ms TTFB target.	Minimalist core, pre-compiled templates, critical CSS, HTTP/3, Brotli, optimized image formats (AVIF, WebP).
Unparalleled SEO Granularity	SEO best practices are baked into the core, not bolted on. Total control over every SEO element.	Programmatic schema, dynamic sitemaps, `hreflang` automation, precise redirect management, log file analysis hooks.
Zero Plugin Bloat	Core functionalities are native. Extensions are tightly integrated, lightweight modules.	Modular architecture, API-first design for extensions.
Fortified Security	Minimal attack surface, modern security practices, dependency scanning.	Strict Content Security Policy (CSP), input sanitization, prepared statements, JWT/Paseto tokens.
Developer-First Ergonomics	Modern tooling, clean APIs, and a clear separation of concerns make development efficient and enjoyable.	CLI tools, Dockerized environments, robust testing suite, clear documentation.
Scalability by Design	Architected to handle high traffic and large datasets efficiently.	Horizontal scaling readiness, stateless application layer, efficient database connection pooling.

High-Level Architecture of Seokar CMS:

graph TD
    A[User Request] --> B{Global CDN / Edge Cache};
    B -- Cache Hit --> C[Serve Content Instantly];
    B -- Cache Miss --> D{Seokar CMS Core};
    D -- Authenticated Request --> E[API Layer (Laravel/Fastify)];
    D -- Public Request --> F[Optimized Content Renderer];
    E --> G[PostgreSQL Database];
    F --> G;
    E --> H{Object Cache (Redis)};
    F --> H;
    G --> E;
    G --> F;
    H --> E;
    H --> F;
    E --> I[Serve JSON/GraphQL API Response];
    F --> J[Serve Optimized HTML];
    J --> B;
    I --> B;

    subgraph "Seokar CMS Application"
        direction LR
        D
        E
        F
        H
    end

    subgraph "Data Persistence"
        direction LR
        G
    end

Deep Dive: Technical Innovations & Advantages of Seokar CMS

Lean Core & Modular Design:
- Unlike WordPress's monolithic wp-load.php which loads a significant portion of the ecosystem on every request, Seokar CMS employs a request-lifecycle that only loads necessary modules.
- Features like Advanced Custom Fields, SEO tools, or Caching are either native or implemented as highly optimized, first-party modules, eliminating the "plugin lottery."

Database Efficiency by Design:

Custom Schema: Instead of the EAV-like wp_postmeta table, Seokar CMS uses a more structured relational schema, often with dedicated tables for specific content types or JSONB fields in PostgreSQL for flexible structured data. This allows for vastly more efficient indexing and querying.

-- Simplified example for an 'article' content type
CREATE TABLE articles (
    id UUID PRIMARY KEY DEFAULT gen_random_uuid(),
    slug VARCHAR(255) UNIQUE NOT NULL,
    title TEXT NOT NULL,
    content JSONB, -- Stores structured content blocks
    seo_meta JSONB, -- Stores title, description, schema hints
    published_at TIMESTAMP WITH TIME ZONE,
    created_at TIMESTAMP WITH TIME ZONE DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP,
    updated_at TIMESTAMP WITH TIME ZONE DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP
);
CREATE INDEX idx_articles_slug ON articles(slug);
CREATE INDEX idx_articles_published_at ON articles(published_at DESC);

*   **Query Optimization:** Every core query is hand-tuned. No more wrestling with `WP_Query`'s sometimes unpredictable SQL generation.

Programmatic & Context-Aware SEO:

Schema Markup: Generated dynamically based on content type and actual content data, ensuring accuracy and richness.

// Simplified PHP example in Seokar CMS for Schema generation
class ArticleSchemaGenerator {
    public function generate(Article $article): array {
        return [
            '@context' => 'https://schema.org',
            '@type' => 'Article',
            'headline' => $article->getTitle(),
            'datePublished' => $article->getPublishDate()->toIso8601String(),
            'author' => [ /* ... author data ... */ ],
            // ... and much more, contextually relevant data
        ];
    }
}

*   **Automated `hreflang` Management:** For multilingual sites, `hreflang` tags are generated automatically and accurately based on content relationships.
*   **Intelligent Sitemaps:** Dynamic XML sitemaps, including image/video sitemaps, that are always up-to-date and segmented for large sites.

Advanced Caching & Asset Delivery:
- Critical CSS Inlining: Automated.
- Optimized Asset Pipeline: Modern JS/CSS bundling (e.g., Vite or esbuild), tree-shaking, code-splitting.
- Image Optimization: Native support for AVIF/WebP with <img> <picture> fallbacks, lazy loading, and responsive srcset attributes, often integrated with services like Imgix or Cloudinary or a self-hosted Thumbor.
- Edge Caching: Deep integration with CDNs like Cloudflare, Fastly, or AWS CloudFront, using cache tags for granular invalidation.
Security First:
- Minimal External Dependencies: Reduces supply-chain attack risks.
- Strict Content Security Policy (CSP) & HTTP Headers: Generated dynamically for optimal protection.
- Modern Authentication: JWT/Paseto tokens for APIs, secure cookie-based sessions for admin.
- Input Validation & Output Encoding: Applied rigorously throughout.

Quantifiable Impact: The Seokar CMS Difference

Building a CMS is a monumental task. Was it worth it? The data speaks for itself.

Metric	Typical WordPress Site (Optimized)	Seokar CMS (Average)	Improvement	Industry Impact of Metric
TTFB (Time To First Byte)	200ms - 800ms+	< 80ms	Up to 10x+	Core Web Vital, SEO ranking signal
LCP (Largest Contentful Paint)	1.5s - 4.0s	< 1.2s	Up to 3x+	Core Web Vital, User Experience
CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift)	0.1 - 0.5+	< 0.01	Significant	Core Web Vital, User Annoyance
Lighthouse Performance Score	70 - 90	98 - 100	Up to 30 pts	Overall performance indicator
Database Queries (Typical Page)	30 - 100+	2 - 7	Up to 15x+	Server load, scalability
Page Size (HTML + Critical CSS)	50KB - 200KB+	10KB - 40KB	Up to 5x	Load time, mobile data usage
Security Patching Frequency	High (due to plugin ecosystem)	Low (focused core updates)	Reduced Effort	Lower maintenance, risk

Note: "Typical WordPress Site" assumes good hosting and standard optimization practices (caching plugin, CDN).

Real-World Scenario: E-commerce Product Page

Feature	WordPress + WooCommerce (Typical)	Seokar CMS (Native E-commerce Module)
Schema Markup (`Product`)	Generic, often incomplete via plugins. Hard to customize deeply.	Rich, dynamic, highly specific to product attributes & variants.
Variant Selection Speed	Can involve AJAX calls, page reloads, or clunky JS.	Instant updates via Alpine.js/Vue/React, often pre-fetched data.
Related Products Query	Often inefficient `meta_query` or separate plugin.	Highly optimized direct SQL query or pre-computed recommendations.
Inventory Sync Latency	Can be delayed, relies on WordPress cron or external syncs.	Near real-time via direct database access or event-driven updates.
Checkout Process Performance	Multiple plugin hooks, potential for bottlenecks.	Streamlined, minimal external calls, optimized for conversion.

The Journey: Challenges, Triumphs, and Lessons Learned

Building a custom CMS from scratch is not for the faint of heart. It involved:

Immense Upfront Investment: Thousands of hours in R&D, architecture, development, and testing.
Reinventing Wheels (Carefully): Deciding what to build custom vs. leveraging existing robust libraries (e.g., using Symfony components within Laravel, or a battle-tested routing library).
Ensuring Editor Experience: Creating an intuitive and powerful admin interface that rivals or exceeds WordPress's ease of use for content creators was a significant challenge. We used tools like TipTap for a rich text editor experience.
Long-Term Maintenance Strategy: Planning for core updates, security patches (for the few carefully chosen dependencies), and feature evolution.

The Triumphs:

The sheer joy of seeing Lighthouse scores consistently hit 99-100.
The ability to implement complex, cutting-edge SEO strategies natively without fighting a system.
The peace of mind from a vastly reduced attack surface and full control over the codebase.
The tangible business results for clients: improved rankings, higher conversion rates, and lower bounce rates.

Strategic Decision: Custom CMS vs. WordPress - A Framework

This isn't an "either/or" for the entire web. The choice depends on project specifics.

Factor	WordPress	Custom CMS (like Seokar)	Recommendation
Project Budget	Lower upfront for simple sites	Higher upfront, potentially lower TCO long-term	WP for tight budgets; Custom for mission-critical.
Time to Market (MVP)	Very Fast	Slower (requires core dev)	WP for rapid MVPs.
Performance Needs	Good (with effort)	Exceptional (by design)	Custom if every millisecond counts.
Technical SEO Complexity	Reliant on plugins, can be limiting	Absolute, granular control	Custom for highly competitive niches or complex SEO.
Unique Feature Requirements	Plugin ecosystem, or custom plugin dev	Native implementation	Custom if features are deeply intertwined with core logic.
Team's Technical Skills	Content editors, basic PHP/JS for tweaks	Requires skilled full-stack developers	Match platform to team capabilities.
Security Sensitivity	Requires constant vigilance, many plugins	Smaller attack surface, controlled dependencies	Custom for high-security applications.
Long-term Scalability	Can scale, but often with complex infrastructure	Designed for scalability from the outset	Custom if anticipating massive growth or complex data models.

Who is Seokar CMS (or a similar custom solution) for?

Businesses where site speed and SEO are direct revenue drivers.
High-traffic publishers demanding reliability and performance.
Companies with unique, complex content models or integration needs.
Organizations with a strong focus on security and data integrity.
Development teams who want full control and a modern development workflow.

WordPress remains an excellent choice for:

Blogs, personal websites, and brochure sites.
Small to medium-sized businesses with standard needs.
Projects with limited budgets or requiring very rapid deployment.
Teams without in-house development expertise.

The Future is Purpose-Built & The Craft is Control

WordPress will continue its reign as a versatile platform for the masses. But for the vanguard of web experiences, where performance is non-negotiable and technical SEO is a competitive weapon, the "one-size-fits-all" approach reveals its limitations.

Building Seokar CMS was an odyssey into the heart of web performance and content architecture. It was about reclaiming control, stripping away the unnecessary, and engineering a system that doesn't just do the job, but does it with unparalleled precision, speed, and elegance. The future of high-stakes web development, I believe, lies in such purpose-built solutions.

What are your experiences? Have you hit the ceiling with established platforms, or found innovative ways to push their boundaries? I'd love to hear your thoughts and discuss the evolving landscape of web development and CMS architecture in the comments below.

#CustomCMS #WebPerformance #TechnicalSEO #WordPress #Laravel #PHP #FullStackDevelopment #SeokarCMS

DEV Community

Why I Don't Use WordPress Anymore (And What I Built Instead)

What I Built Instead

⚙️ Architecture

🧠 Database Strategy

🪓 Granular Output Control

⚡ Performance & SEO Focus

The Journey: Challenges and Rewards

Should You Do This Too?

Final Thoughts

Let’s Connect

The WordPress Conundrum: When Ubiquity Meets Bottlenecks

Delving into the Technical Pain Points:

The Catalyst: Why I Ventured Beyond WordPress

Introducing Seokar CMS: Engineered for Peak Performance & SEO

Guiding Principles of Seokar CMS:

High-Level Architecture of Seokar CMS:

Deep Dive: Technical Innovations & Advantages of Seokar CMS

Quantifiable Impact: The Seokar CMS Difference

Real-World Scenario: E-commerce Product Page

The Journey: Challenges, Triumphs, and Lessons Learned

Strategic Decision: Custom CMS vs. WordPress - A Framework

The Future is Purpose-Built & The Craft is Control

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