Industrial Strength Wesbites - Introduction to Content Management Systems (CMS)

Suppose you wanted to create a site that allows restricted access to a resource... how would you do it? How would you go about creating a site with even the most basic interactive features—like allowing visitors to add comments or ratings? How does a small-time entrepreneur on a limited budget build an e-commerce site? Hint: Microsoft Frontpage and Adobe Dreamweaver won't cut it.

Once upon a time, you either need to learn a bunch of web-programming languages (like HTML, JavaScript, and PHP) or hire a team of coders and graphic designers to create a dynamic website. Either that, or use some lame WYSIWYG Editor to create a few "brochuresque" static web-pages. This is no longer the rule—thanks to Content Management Systems. The objective of this article is to introduce those with little or no technical ability in web-development to CMSes and how they work.

What is a CMS?

A Content Management System (herein referred to as a "CMS") is an application that runs on your web-host—that is, the server that "hosts" your website and its corresponding files. This software aims to decouple two processes in web development: the way pages are laid out on-screen, and the actual writing/creation the content for those pages. The three most widely-used CMSes today are Wordpress, Joomla, and Drupal—and they're all free to download and install.

How A CMS Works

Let me save you some time. Put down those tired XHTML, Javascript, and PHP "for Dummies" books—you can always come back to them in your time of need. The code has already been written for you. A CMS is a frameworks of code that let you log in to your website, type-up content (much like you would in Microsoft Word) and click publish... but it also lets you control how your page appears to visitors. You can completely change the design or layout of the site by switching to a different theme or skin—like changing your Windows Theme or the skin of your favorite media player. Here's a visual representation of how Joomla CMS works:

Instead of coding multiple static HTML files, advanced websites generate the code needed to display each page on the fly. Basic text and media content is stored in a database, until it is fetched by the layout engine. Anotherwords, there are no pages—until the visitor clicks on a link to load one. This basic principle is important to understand if you're going to learn to use a C.M.S.

Why You Should Learn This

If you're not a programmer, this is the way to create and maintain sophisticated websites in the 21st Century. There are already ~16 million websites published online, which are powered by WordPress alone. A good CMS solution will allow you to:

• Administer your site by logging in from the web-browser
• Easily add, edit, or delete web-pages on your site
• Allow you to quickly configure site navigation and taxonomy
• Control the look and feel of the site by switching themes/templates. No custom design is necessary (except for more advanced customization/branding)
• Enchanced functionality can be added via extensions/plugins that are installed with a click of a button

How To Get Started

The easiest way to get up-and-running with a CMS is to register with a web-host that supports Wordpress, Joomla, or Drupal. I like Bluehost.com because as part of their administrative controls (CPanel), they offer applications that automate the installation of the CMS software with a few of clicks of the mouse.  You simply log in, click on SimpleScripts or Fantastico, select your CMS of choice (I recommend Wordpress for starters), and click install. From there, you will see the instructions on how to log in to administer your site directly from the browser.

Which CMS To Choose

There are hundreds of Content Management Systems available online today. Certain CMS solutions will suit you better than others, depending on your need. Keep this in mind: with each system comes its own learning curve. I intend to cover these details in future articles. If you are completely new to Content Management Systems and personal publishing, I urge you start with Wordpress. Although it wasn't always a CMS, it is one of the most user-friendly solutions out there.

What else would you like to learn about Content Management Systems? Leave me your suggestions below.