What is a Content Management System? Everything you need to know about website building tools

14.08.2024
CMS system

Contrary to popular belief, creating a website doesn't require knowledge of HTML, PHP, CSS, or other web technologies. You can build one quickly and easily, without programming skills, using ready-made IT solutions. Find out which ones.

Creating websites without coding is possible thanks to content management system solutions. This software offers a range of features that enable the efficient construction of both standard and custom websites, and the convenient management of their content.

Content management system

A Content Management System (CMS) is software that allows users to create and modify websites and conveniently manage website content without the need for any specialized technical skills. CMS websites are built from scratch without coding, using only available, ready-made components. They can have a wide range of functionalities – from informational websites to complex portals for electronic services, and even e-commerce platforms.

Building or modifying a website in a CMS system is done from the administration panel, accessible to users via a web browser and any device, without the need to install software. The visual, functional, and technical aspects of the website are configured. The CMS also enables independent SEO optimization of the website to increase its visibility in search engines.

User accounts are created from the administration panel in the CMS system, with various permissions – from full permissions for visual, functional, and technical moderation, to defined permissions limited to content management across the entire website or specific subpages. The most common roles include an administrator, managing the website and user access, and an editor, responsible for updating website content. To access the panel and begin working within the scope of the granted permissions, simply enter the previously assigned login and password.

Types of CMS systems

Many CMS systems are available on the market, varying in their functional scope and the software's user model. Some content management systems are designed for building relatively simple websites, such as blogs, that don't require processing large amounts of data. Others, however, incorporate a range of mechanisms necessary for complex portals designed not only for online communication but also for collaboration requiring the acquisition and processing of data, often sensitive data.

Based on their available functionalities, content management systems can be divided into:

  • personalized – adapted to a specific type of online activity, such as information websites, blogs, discussion forums, corporate websites, e-services, or e-commerce sites,
    universal – with a wide range of available functionalities for many areas of online activity.

Depending on the software usage model, the following divisions are used:

  • Commercial CMS – available under a paid license, developed and continuously developed by a team of programmers without the ability to interfere with the source code or make changes, which increases security.
  • Software as a Service (SaaS) – provided as part of a subscription by the manufacturer responsible for the development and maintenance of the software on the server.
  • Open source – available free of charge and created by the community, with access to the source code for any user to make changes, which may limit security.

Sometimes, a CMS system is designed for an individual order. In such cases, we are dealing with a proprietary solution with precisely defined mechanisms tailored to the specific client's industry and business profile.

Multiportal environment

In the context of CMS systems, multi-portal platforms are worth mentioning, offering a comprehensive environment within the Content Management System (CMS) family. An example of such a system is web360, an innovative software solution for building and maintaining multiple online portals in a single environment. Portals are easily created from pre-built components and can be quickly replicated, taking into account both content and functionality. Thanks to the advanced page layout editor, making changes to templates does not require coding knowledge, and the results of your work are visible in real time.

The web360 Multi-Portal Platform is a tool:

  • promotion, which is based on a consistent image of all existing portals of a given company, institution, or university;
  • external and internal communication, thanks to the ability to separate internet zones for the surrounding area and intranet zones accessible after logging in to employees or other selected user groups (e.g., contractors);
  • collaboration conducted using various types of interactions enabled by specially designed built-in mechanisms.

In relation to the adopted classification of CMS systems, the web360 Multiportal Platform is software:

  • commercial, meaning created by the manufacturer, who is responsible for its maintenance and development, while providing users with the required technical support,
  • universal, yet personalized, because in addition to the typical website building functionalities, it also offers a range of domain-specific features, included in three packages dedicated to the higher education sector (EDU web360), the public sector (PUBLIC web360), and business (ENTERPRISE web360).

Summary

CMS systems are practical tools that provide a wide range of possibilities for creating websites, as well as comprehensive management of their structure and content from an intuitive administration panel. Depending on the type of software, websites can have a very diverse range of functionalities – from simple information pages to complex portals for achieving business or statutory goals. Making changes, such as adding or removing subpages, editing content, modifying headers or links, and even meta tags crucial for the Google algorithm, can be done independently, without the support of programmers. The best CMS systems are scalable and flexible, allowing them to grow with the client's needs and providing a high degree of operational flexibility.


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