Content Management Systems (CMS)

A Content Management System (CMS) is software that helps users create, manage, and modify content on a website without the need for technical knowledge. In other words, a CMS lets you build a website without needing to write code from scratch (or even know how to code at all).

A CMS can help companies manage content without the need for a full-time content development team. They can also help streamline workflows and centralize resources by integrating with a company's digital asset repository.

Features

Some key features of a CMS include:

  • Online editor - Allows users to drag and drop content onto a page and publish it
  • Real-time editing - Allows editors to see the final format of their content while editing.
  • Built-in SEO tools - Can help optimise content and simplify the SEO process.

Most popular CMS

The most popular CMS for new website owners (in alphabetic order) are:

  • DotNetNuke - Requires a Windows web server
  • Drupal - Requires a Linux Server running Apache
  • Joomla - Requires a Linux Server running Apache
  • Moodle - Requires a Linux Server running Apache
  • WordPress - Requires a Linux or Windows server running PHP

CMS requirements

Depending on whether the CMS is running on Linux or Windows requirements can differ:

  • Database - can be MySQL or Microsoft SQL server
  • Core language - can be either PHP, Classic ASP or ASP.net

Overview

WordPress is by far the most popular CMS for newbies and it does have the largest collection of plugins (addons) for extending website features. Other CMS like Drupal have a following of more experineced website owners, while Moodle seems to be the choice of educational facilities. Amongst tutors Moodle can be favored for its online course and exam management but it does have limitations when creating simple doorway content, But there are learning management systems (LMS) available for WordPress.

The more serious players can find the popular CMS cluttered with too many features and a possible security risk due to their source being available as open-source in which case they tend to roll their own, designing their CMS to better suit their requirments, much like ArtisWiki.

 

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