A CMS is a “Content Management System”.  A content management system creates an interface that a person uses to build or manage a website without having to know any code.  It allows the user to login from a web browser and make changes to the website like adding pictures and making text changes.  Depending on the system the level of customization can vary. It can be easy to change the font size, colors, and many other design options.

There are three popular open source CMS systems available today (there are others less popular). Drupal, Joomla, and WordPress.  Wordpress is the most popular system in use today with over 24 million active websites. Around 24% of websites using a content management system use WordPress.  These CMS systems share a common model.  They all use  “Themes” which provide page designs for the user and “Plugins” (WordPress), “Modules” (Drupal), or “Extensions” (Joomla) that extend its base functionality.  The user adds personal content into the template to create the website. Using a CMS a person can build a simple website without knowing any code at all.

Once the user has learned how the system works they are able to upload images and change text easily and from any major web browser. The CMS also speeds up the creation of a website by using page builder systems.  That can divide and place content quickly and easily. Page templates can be used and plugins can be installed to further customize the site.

A proper CMS system can save professional web designers many hours of coding by providing the frame work of things common to all websites.  For a person who doesn’t know any code at all it gives them the ability to create and publish great looking websites.

~ Layer7web