Open source development for Australian organisations
18+ years of experience
ISO 27001 Certified
WCAG Accessibility Experts
64+ industry awards
Platform choice is a long-term decision. Most organisations get one shot to get it right.
Butterfly works across the full open source stack — WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, Wagtail, PHP, and Python. Every recommendation starts with your requirements. The right platform is the one that fits how your organisation works, meets your compliance obligations, and gives your team genuine control long after launch.
WordPress Website Development
Suited to organisations that need strong editorial control, flexible design, and a mature extension ecosystem. Our platform of choice for most projects in the $20k–$100k range
Drupal Website Development
Enterprise-grade content governance, granular access controls, and a strong security track record. The right choice when content complexity or compliance requirements rule out a lighter CMS.
Joomla Website Development
Complex content taxonomies, layered permissions, and deep system integrations for organisations that need more than WordPress without the overhead of a fully custom build.
Wagtail Website Development
Built on Python and Django, Wagtail suits organisations with complex content architectures, multi-site environments, or headless delivery requirements that PHP-based CMSs handle poorly
PHP Development
The language underneath WordPress and Joomla and the foundation for custom applications, API integrations, and platform extensions when a standard CMS is not enough.
Python Development
Custom web applications, data-driven platforms, and bespoke system integrations for organisations whose requirements go beyond what any CMS handles well.
Transforming the digital presence of a leading cancer research hospital
Peter Mac
Case study
Peter Mac partnered with Butterfly to redevelop its website with a focus on accessibility, clarity, and patient experience. The result: a fully WCAG-compliant platform that simplifies navigation, supports diverse users, and strengthens Peter Mac’s global presence in cancer care.
Platform-agnostic. Sector-specialists. Melbourne-based.
No agency in Australia combines ISO 27001 certification, WCAG 2.2 expertise, and deep delivery experience across the full open-source stack. Most agencies specialise in one or two platforms. We work across all six, and we have been doing it for organisations in government, healthcare, education, and not-for-profit since 2006.
Years
Industry Awards
Projects
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Frequently asked questions about choosing the right tech stack
How does Butterfly decide which platform to recommend?
Platform recommendation starts with your requirements around content volume and complexity, user access needs, integration requirements, team size, and budget. We are not advocates for any single platform. We will tell you honestly which option suits your brief, including cases where a standard CMS is not the right answer at all.
What is the difference between a CMS platform and a custom web application?
A CMS platform, be it WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, or Wagtail, provides a structured content management layer that your editorial team controls. A custom web application, built in PHP or Python, suits requirements that go beyond content management: complex workflows, data processing, eligibility logic, and integrations that must be built from the ground up. Many projects combine both.
Which platforms do you recommend for government and regulated sectors?
Drupal is widely used in the Australian government, partly through GovCMS, and suits organisations with complex access control and security requirements. WordPress and Joomla are strong choices for government organisations with standard content management needs and accessibility obligations. For large-scale custom platforms, Wagtail or Python/Django may be more appropriate. We assess this during discovery.
Do all your platforms meet WCAG accessibility standards?
Yes. WCAG 2.2 AA compliance is a baseline across every platform we deliver, CMS builds and custom applications alike. Accessibility is built into the information architecture and front-end from the first wireframe, not audited at the end. Learn more about our accessibility services.
Do you work with organisations migrating from one platform to another?
Yes. Platform migrations, including Drupal 7 to Drupal 10, older Joomla versions to Joomla 4 or 5, and full CMS replacements, are a defined part of our service. We audit your existing platform, assess content and integration dependencies, and manage the migration with a structured approach that protects your SEO and your team.
How do your platforms handle security requirements?
Every platform we deliver is built within our ISO 27001-certified information security management system, which covers secure coding practices, access controls, vulnerability monitoring, and dependency patching. For organisations in healthcare, government, and not-for-profit, where data protection is a compliance obligation, this provides a documented level of assurance that most agencies cannot offer.
Do you host and support the platforms you build?
Yes. We host on Australian AWS infrastructure with CI/CD pipelines, security monitoring, and regular patching, managed by our Melbourne team. Post-launch support runs through a dedicated local desk, and we work with clients on a structured roadmap to keep their platform moving. Learn more about our web hosting and support services.