Content Management System is a site creation and management system. It is a visually user-friendly interface with which you can add and edit site content.

The fact is that any site is a collection of files (text, program scripts, database, images, etc.). These files are called content. You can’t just put all the files on the Web and get a ready-made website. Content requires a wrapper – thumbnail, page layout, and more.

What is the role of a site engine?

CMS is often referred to as the site engine. To understand why, a simple analogy will help us. Imagine the site is a home. To build it, you need to lay the foundation, put up beams, carry out communications, etc. It is difficult to build a house with your bare hands. It is good when there are additional tools, for example, a crane or a welding machine. The crane will help to lift the heavy beams up, and the welding machine will connect the pipes together. So, the engine is both a crane and welding and many other tools that will come in handy when building a site. We’ll have to work, but it will be easier with him than without him.

A standard site content management system allows:

• fill the site pages with any type of information (photos, videos, texts, documents, etc.),

• quickly change the appearance of both the entire site and a separate page,

• customize additional site elements using plugins or code.

Pros and cons of CMS

The undoubted advantages of CMS are:

• the opportunity to save on the staff of programmers,

• simplicity and ease of use,

• high speed of website creation,

• beautiful design ready-made templates.

Minuses:

• СMS are not suitable for non-standard sites,

• free CMS can be vulnerable.

• CMS types

• CMS are divided into two types: self-written and boxed.

The most popular free CMS: WordPress, Joomla, OpenCart, Drupal, ModX. Thay have special hosting plans for CMS. For example, WordPress hosting is a service that already has WordPress installed. All that remains is to link the hosting to the domain, and you can start creating a website.

Examples of paid CMS: 1C-Bitrix, Shop-Script, NetCat, CS-Cart, etc. A paid CMS platform differs from a free one in additional functionality. Therefore, before choosing a paid or free CMS, explore the possibilities of each.

Comparison of paid and free CMS

• Cost savings You need to constantly renew your license, some systems can be quite expensive

• Many plugins that extend functionality Many plugins that extend the functionality

• Suitable for almost any project Possibilities of paid CMS allows you to create sites with complex solutions

• Attackers can find loopholes in the open-source and hack the site.

• Some modules and plugins may be incompatible with the CMS Most plugins are already on the CMS and do not require additional installation from outside

• Not all free panels have technical support There is the technical support that will help fix the problems that appear.

СMS is a great tool for creating simple websites (landing pages, blogs, news sites) and advanced web projects (online stores and forums).