A content management system (CMS) is a computer program that allows editing, modifying and publishing content as well as maintenance from a central interface.
These systems could have manual or automated procedures to handle workflow in a collaborative environment.
CMS software are often used for building and running sites with variety of content types, e.g. blogs and news. CMSs help to avoid hand coding in the most cases.
Main features
The main and core function of CMSs is presenting information in sites. Simple content management systems offer several features, but large or enterprise systems have more powerful and complex functions. Some of the features are:
– content publishing
– revision control
– search
– indexing
– workflow managemetn
In addition to these features, CMSs could esrve as central document and media repository.
Web content management system
A web CMS represents application for managing and publishing content on Web pages. This can include text and embeded contents (images, video…). These systems could allow searching, indexing, language changing and many other features that make interaction with visitors easier.
Component content management system
Specialization of a component content management system (or CCMS) is the creation of documents from component parts. E.g. some CCMS may enable users to assemble individual component topics into a document structure if it uses DITA XML. The component can be easily used later withing another document. This way, we ensure that all documents contains the same content.
Enterprise content management systems
An ECM is used for organizing documents, records or contacts related to processes of a commercial organizations. One of its primarily function is to structure the information content in enterprises.
A CMSs could have two elements:
– CMS or content management application represents the front-end user interface for manage content of a website
– CDA or content delivery application compiles the information and is used for website’s updating.
