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What is a CMS?
Posted by Josh in Development on 30 Apr 2011 - 4:38 PM
Typically, a website is built by a webmaster. When you need updates, you go back to the webmaster to have those made -- either by paying a monthly retainer or at an hourly rate on an as-needed basis. But what if you need those updates to be made immediately at 2AM or if your webmaster is out-of-town for two weeks? That is when a CMS comes in handy.
CMS stands for Content Management System. Having an online Content Management System allows you to manage your website whenever and wherever you want (provided that you have Internet access). There are a variety of CMS solutions out there to pick from depending upon your needs. From Wordpress and Joomla to Drupal and ExpressionEngine there is a wide assortment of tools, modules, and add-ons for each to tailor to your individual website’s needs. Or, if you want something in-between, a skilled web developer can custom-build one specifically for your website.
Typically, building a website with a CMS costs more upfront because it takes more time to setup, but you’ll save down the road by not paying a monthly web retainer or hourly fees for minor web edits that you can do yourself. Depending on how often your site needs updating, those expenses can add up very quickly.
Of the sites that do need a CMS, not all require the same type. I have built websites that range from not needing updating but once a year, to sites that are updated daily and often several times a day. Not every website even needs a CMS.
So, What Type of CMS Does My Site Need?
Do you plan to update your website at all? If so, do you want to make the changes yourself in a simple web editor or do you want to have a webmaster make the changes for you?
If you answered yes and you want to make the changes yourself, unless you are comfortable with XHTML/CSS/PHP, your website will need a CMS.
Check back soon for more details on deciding what the best CMS solution is for your website’s needs.
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