Discussion Forum assignment unit 5

University of the People

CS2205: Web Programming 1

Instructor: Crystal Cummings

May 11, 2022

What is Content Management System (CMS)?

CMS stands for “content management system”. As the name suggests, CMS allows users to
create and manage websites and their contents without requiring extensive technical knowledge.
CMS makes it easy to manage dynamic content. The content management system makes it
possible to maintain any website that requires regular updates. With CMS free software support,
which is created and maintained by developers around the world, any user can create websites.
Not all CMS options are free but CMS gives people the independence to focus less on the
technical details of a website for uploading and maintaining content (Jacob & Hillen, 2021).

Building a website from scratch can be ideal for users with advanced technical knowledge but
those who do not have coding skills or the time, or the resources can benefit from using CMS.
CMS comprises two principal parts: CMA (content management application) and CDA (Content
delivery application). Together, the CMA and CDA handle the back-end infrastructure, database
queries, and all the code so that the user can focus on the front end. CMS replaces writing
extensive code with buttons, and drag and drop options. All the changes including changing the
permalink structure or installing new extensions can be done using an intuitive interface
(Fitzgerald, 2022).

According to Jacob & Hillen (2021), some of the main functions and characteristics of CMS
include:

 Text and code editing.

 Creating and publishing pages.
 Extensive library of media for images and videos.
 E-commerce support through stock control and sales system.
 Extending the functionalities of the websites through installations of plugins and add-ons.
 Commentary moderation and much more.

Features of content management may include the following:

 Ease of collaboration- CMS allows multiple users to access the back end

simultaneously. This allows for improved workflow and productivity.
  Role-based content management – users with different types of roles can work on the
appropriate digital content with built-in user roles and permissions (Fitzgerald, 2022). For
example, writers can only write, publish and manage specific contents but will not have
permission to change or delete other significant functionality of the site.
 Security features – CMS has built-in features and add-ons to secure websites.
 Cloud content – Many content management systems offer content management to the
cloud. This centralizes the content allowing the content to be accessed anywhere.
 Predesigned Templates – Many CMS platforms offer a selection of predesigned
templates, which can be customized to affect the behavior of a site (Fitzgerald, 2022).

Other features that many CMS platforms offer include easy access, simple updates, blogging
functionality, and content scheduling.

Following are some of the Benefits CMS offers:

 CMS is user-friendly – content can be created and published by users without any
coding knowledge.
 Improved collaboration and organization among different teams – Organization
among teams can be a breeze with the features like workflow management, content
storage, and scheduling capabilities of CMS. Location does not matter since browser-
based CMSs can be accessed from anywhere. Teammates in different locations can
collaborate and access the same content (The who, what, and types of content
management systems, 2022).
 Tools for optimization of content and search engine – CMS provide plug-ins to
optimize search engines to improve site traffic. It also adds plug-ins and tools to improve
search ranking (The who, what, and types of content management systems, 2022).

With all the features offered by CMS, users can spend more time producing content without
worrying about working with multiple files or code. Work can be shared easily with remote
colleagues.

Some of the different types of content management systems are:

 Coupled CMS – A coupled CMS is an all-in-one solution that offers a fully accessible
back end that can be used to modify a website’s database and publish front-end content.
The one drawback of Coupled CMS is that it requires the installation and maintenance of
specific technologies (The who, what, and types of content management systems, 2022).
WordPress is an example of coupled CMS. If delivering content to a website without a
developer is the primary goal, then a traditional coupled CMS is a cost-effective solution
(What is a decoupled CMS, n.d.).
 Decoupled CMS – decoupled CMS uses an API to access the back end. Decoupling the
front-end from the back-end makes it possible to run multiple, adaptable applications on
the front end while maintaining a consistent back end. If the business’s goal is to be
innovative, future-proof by allowing integration with new technologies and applications,
 and offer better security and scalability, then decoupled CMS fits the bill. WordPress,
Sitecore, Drupal, and Episerver are all examples of traditional CMSs that deliver
decoupled versions (What is a decoupled CMS, n.d.).
 SaaS CMS – SaaS CMS is hosted in the cloud and provides an end-to-end solution
without requiring actual setup, or installation. SaaS offers all the services without the
overhead of web hosting. It is user-friendly and very convenient to manage content and
distribute content (The who, what, and types of content management systems, 2022).
WordPress again provides tools for SaaS CMS. Magento or BigCommerce are examples
of SaaS CMS for building an online business from scratch.
 Headless CMS – As the name suggests, a headless CMS only supports the back-end by
accessing a database and requires a custom-built, front-end web application to store
content. This type of CMS provides flexibility for organizations over how content is
accessed (The who, what, and types of content management systems, 2022).
ContentStack, Agility CMS, and Magnolia are some of the examples that provide
Headless CMS.

   

Reference

Fitzgerald, A. (2022, April 1). What is a CMS and why should you care? HubSpot
Blog. Retrieved May 6, 2022, from https://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/7969/what-
is-s-cms-and-why-should-you-care.aspx

Jacob, R, & Hillen, L. (2021, February 12). Content management system (CMS): what it is and
the 5 best. Rock Content. Retrieved May 6, 2022, from https://rockcontent.com/blog/content-
management-system/

The who, what, and types of content management systems. Oracle. (2022). Retrieved May 6,
2022, from https://www.oracle.com/content-management/what-is-cms/

What is a decoupled CMS? (n.d.) Retrieved May 6, 2022,

from https://www.contentstack.com/cms_guides/decoupled-cms/