Content Management System

A Content Management System (CMS) allows a website owner to update the site without the need for any technical knowledge. A simple example would be an online form in which you type the text you want to appear on a certain page.

However, it's not just about text. Any element on a page can be altered using a CMS including images, prices, or even the colour of the links.

The CMS is accessed from an administration area of the website, and this area is normally password-protected. This is sometimes known as a backend. It can be as simple or as complex as you like, depending on your individual needs and budget.

A CMS requires a database and scripting capability. PHP with a MySql database is a common combination. ASP with MsSql or Access is another possibility, although Microsoft hosting may be slightly more expensive. Your hosting plan will have to support whatever scripting language and database you want to use, and it will usually be more expensive than hosting that allows only static pages.

Who needs a Content Management System?

Large websites can be updated more easily using a CMS. Manually changing each page of a 100+ page site could soon become a laborious task, and a CMS would make this much quicker. It would also be useful for smaller sites that are frequently updated, particularly if those working on the site have no experience of HTML.

If your site contains only a few pages, and the information that they contain is unlikely to need to be altered, content management is probably overkill. But if you want control over your site without having to pay a developer every time you need to add some news to the front page, it's worth looking into getting a content management system.