CMS (Content Management System), definition

The CMS is a program used by computer developers to create, manage and modify content on websites, blogs or dynamic e-commerce sites. Contrary to coding, it is presented in the form of a graphic interface, through which it is enough to carry out the necessary actions, without having to write a single line of code!

To achieve this result, the CMS is based on two main pillars: 

• A Content Management Application (CMA) - which allows you to add and manage the content of a site;
   
• A Content Delivery Application (CDA) - a process that runs in the background and is designed to take content entered into the CMA, store it and make it visible to site users.
   
• The CMS is customizable in the sense that it allows you to download plugins (or extensions) and themes, of which there are thousands.
   

What is a CMS plugin?

The plug-in is a set of code files that enriches the CMS environment, allowing developers to add one or more features to a website.
 

What is a CMS theme?

As far as themes are concerned, they are again a set of code files and in most cases images that allow you to create the appearance of a CMS website.
 

What are the most used CMS?

Presentation of the most commonly used CMS by web developers. Let's start with Drupal, WordPress, Sitecore, Sitefinity, the Content Management Systems used by our IT development agency, and for the following good reasons.
 

Drupal 

This open source CMS, therefore, free, allows to create websites and web applications in a flexible environment. That is, its tools are flexible enough to offer a dynamic user experience, thanks to versatile and structured content. To such an extent that world-class companies, such as NASA, Tesla, Sony Music or Nokia, have chosen Drupal to manage their online content.

Considered one of the most powerful CMS on the market, Drupal is extensible thanks to a wide range of add-ons, designed to extend its functionality. In addition, there are themes, which allow you to customize the presentation of content, exceptionally good page loading times and state-of-the-art security tools. 

Companies appreciate the built-in analytics modules, but also the marketing and e-commerce features offered by Drupal.
 

WordPress

With 39.5% of existing websites to its credit, WordPress is undeniably the leading CMS on the market! Open source, self-hosted, it has quickly gone from being a blog publishing platform to an essential and highly appreciated content management tool.

This evolution is not a coincidence, because WordPress has succeeded in adapting to all platforms: websites, e-commerce, e-learning sites, etc. Add to that its gigantic library of extensions and themes and you have a CMS that can be used for anything (or almost!).

With this status of star of CMS, WordPress is supported by a strong community and forums all over the world.

Sitecore

The Sitefinity CMS is implemented to meet the needs of creation, management and hosting of websites. However, it has an interesting feature, because it is a Web CMS, that is to say that it is based on the web. More clearly, it does not require any purchase or installation of software or specific hardware for its use. 

With Sitefinity CMS, the content and pages become multilingual, so it becomes possible to manage multiple sites, share content, all through a single instance. In addition to the platform and the infrastructure, the administrator can manage people and publications in a complete and simplified way.  

Sitefinity

The Sitefinity CMS is implemented to meet the needs of creation, management and hosting of websites. However, it has an interesting feature, because it is a Web CMS, that is to say that it is based on the web. More clearly, it does not require any purchase or installation of software or specific hardware for its use. 

With Sitefinity CMS, the content and pages become multilingual, so it becomes possible to manage multiple sites, share content, all through a single instance. In addition to the platform and the infrastructure, the administrator can manage people and publications in a complete and simplified way.  

How to choose the right CMS for a web development project?

Here are the factors to analyze when choosing the most appropriate CMS for your IT development project: 

The type of website

Does the CMS you are interested in have the right tools to support your type of website?
 

Cost

Most CMS are open source, so they are free. However, plugins, themes, etc. are paid and sold individually. Depending on your needs and the evolution of your site, the budget can become very high.
 

Scalability

For a site capable of evolving regularly, choose a CMS renowned for its repertoire of extensions and templates.
 

SEO

What level of optimization are you looking for in terms of SEO? The ideal CMS must be able to optimize your pages in order to meet the criteria of the search engine robots.
 

Marketing

A good CMS must allow you to easily and quickly carry out e-mail marketing and social media actions.
 

Security 

A CMS must be able to offer enhanced security and be updated regularly.

Need assistance to review the above criteria? Select the most appropriate CRM for your application or website development project? Esokia can help you!