What is a content management system?

To understand how a CMS works, you must first understand what it is like to build a website from scratch. When creating a website, you would begin with making HTML, a markup language that defines the structure of your content. HTML consists of a series of elements, which you use to enclose or wrap different parts of the content to make it appear a certain way, or act a certain way.  

After creating an HTML file, you would then use Cascading Style Sheet or CSS, which describes how a page should look to the browser and renders it accordingly. CSS can be used for various stylistic purposes, including changing text and background color on a page, removing the underline from links and animating images, text and other HTML elements. 

Finally, you would write JavaScript to add advanced functionality to your site. JavaScript is a text-based programming language used both on the client-side and server-side that allows you to make web pages interactive. Where HTML and CSS are languages that give structure and style to web pages, JavaScript gives web pages interactive elements that engage a user. Incorporating JavaScript improves the user experience of the web page by converting it from a static page into an interactive one. 

After adding JavaScript, the HTML file would need to be uploaded to your server and stored in your database. You would have to download the file from the server, open it, and manually change the HTML code whenever you wanted to make a change. Then, before uploading the file to the server, you must ensure that no links have been broken. 

Building a website from the ground up is ideal for website developers and other advanced users. Even if you don't know how to code and don't have the time or resources to build and maintain a website from scratch, you can still use a CMS. 

A CMS, as previously stated, is a software application that contains tools and functions that allow you to create websites as well as add, delete, modify, and archive digital content without requiring any special technical knowledge. Even beginners can create a website with a CMS that includes an easy-to-use dashboard, pre-made templates, content management and marketing tools, and a diverse set of plug-ins. 

A CMS consists of two core components: the content management application (CMA) and the content delivery application (CDA). These applications essentially handle all the code, database queries, and infrastructure on the back-end, allowing you to focus on the front-end of your website. So, if you want to make changes to your site, such as changing the permalink structure or installing extensions, you can go to the relevant section in your admin panel. This is how the CMA works: all these changes are made through an easy-to-use interface that hides the code from you, the end user. When you're finished editing, the CDA compiles the code, displays it to your front-end visitors, and saves it. For example, instead of manually uploading a page to your server, you can simply hit the Publish button to publish a new blog post. 

As explained, there are many benefits of using a CMS, and to list a few of those benefits, we have gathered four of the main reasons why:

No coding knowledge required

CMS systems have revolutionized web design by allowing non-developers and users to create websites without coding. You can create and manage content, change the design of your site, and install extensions to add functionality. As a result, even users with limited technical resources and time can create powerful websites for their businesses.

Easy Collaboration

Multiple users can access and work on the CMS back-end at the same time. This means marketers can create content anytime, IT professionals can implement security protocols, and developers can add custom code to their themes. In short, a CMS can help improve the workflow and productivity of your entire team.

User roles and permissions

A CMS allows you to collaborate with built-in user roles and permissions as efficiently and securely as possible. This means that content creators can have all the rights they need to create, publish, and manage content, but they cannot remove plugins or significantly change the site’s functionality.

SEO Features and extensions

CMS platforms offer built-in features and add-ons to help you improve your site for search engines. Using built-in or third-party tools, you can:

• Customize page titles and meta descriptions

• Choose SEO-friendly URL structures

• Add image alt text

• Optimize page load times

Designing and managing your website with a content management system can help it grow over time. As mentioned earlier, a CMS keeps all your web content in one place, supports collaboration between teams, allows quick and easy updates, and provides templates and extensions to customize your website. 

You can read more about content management systems on our insights page.