Content Management Systems An Overview


If we go by the term Content Management System word to word, then it basically means a system of managing the content. It is defined as a collaborative platform with different features and functionalities that allow the creating, designing, publishing and maintaining web content easily and effectivel

What is a Content Management System (CMS)?

A Content Management System is a software application used to create and design the web content online. It allows the users to manage the digital content easily by providing access to features like database handling, smart reporting, archiving, designing and animation features etc. These are generally used in Enterprise Content Management (ECM) and Web Content Management (WCM).

To design a web content programmer generally need knowledge of programming languages like Html and CSS. Other new languages like Angular and NodeJS are also there to build more effective web pages. But for naive creators with no knowledge of such languages can easily use features of a CMS and create web pages, websites and no programming knowledge is required.

Structure

A CMs mainly has two major components. First is the Content Management Application (CMA) which is used to allow user to create and design the web pages using drag and drop features. It helps in creators to add, modify, delete content from the web pages.

Second is the Content Delivery Application (CDA), is usually responsible for compiling the information and updating the webpage. It works after the user makes all the changes ready to be published online.

Common Features

Security

When it comes to a website, then a CMS must be capable of handling the issues related to safe and secure launching and running of websites over the internet. Website crashes, url crash, attacks by external means on websites related to money transactions are very common. The CMS should have regular security updates to prevent such happenings.

When it comes to a website, then a CMS must be capable of handling the issues related to safe and secure launching and running of websites over the internet. Website crashes, url crash, attacks by external means on websites related to money transactions are very common. The CMS should have regular security updates to prevent such happenings.

Multi Linguistic

According to a fact presented by Translate Media, around 75% of the internet users recommend the web content to be translated to their native language, to understand it better. Also, large organizations with clients spread worldwide need to present their offering in native languages to expand their client hold, for this digital content also must be translated accordingly. This helps in advertising and digitizing globally. For this CMS should support −

  • Full Unicode support
  • Import and export of text as xml

Content Distribution

With very fast change in digital devices and platforms. The content also needs to be customized accordingly. The same layout and design cannot work for a desktop, a digital advertisement board, a smartphone, a tablet, and ATM screen, etc. Also, IOT devices are new to all this. For this CMS should become more user friendly, a variant called decoupled CMS.

Search Engine Optimization

SEO is an essential feature of all CMSs and is used to make internet search results faster in order to draw up the correct web page from tons of content available on the internet. An SEO friendly CMS has features like −

  • Allow metadata changes
  • SEO friendly URLs
  • Duplicate URLs with rel=canonical tag
  • Should have xml sitemap create function
  • Must have alt tag
  • Supports pagination
  • Support 301 redirects not 302

Platform Independent

The latest evolution of CSS into CSS3 makes web pages more responsive and user friendly. The same web page appears different according to the device in which it is opened. Responsive content is a must have feature of every CMS today.

How CMS Works?

  • A CMS software can be downloaded on your personal computer device.
  • Once installed, you can use it to create web pages.
  • Arrange web pages accordingly.
  • Publish web pages on one click.

Popular CMSs

WordPress

It is the most popular CMS and is used by 37.7 % of all websites on the internet. It is free and open source written in PHP and paired with MySQL or MariaDB databases. Its template feature is known as themes.

Shopify

It offers and ever-expanding e-commerce CMS features and is used by around 2.5% of the websites on the internet.

Joomla

Joomla is also written in PHP and is one of the best alternatives to WordPress.

Updated on: 03-Aug-2020

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