Content Management Systems(CMS) Tool For Beginners

In this post, I will be sharing the little I know about Content Management Systems (CMS). The CMS knowledge of websites is important to anyone who wants to have an online presence. Building a website will mean you have some level of creativity and technical knowledge. In one of the previous posts, I mentioned domain and hosting. All will need some skills to add all that to have a complete website online.

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CMS is a level playing ground to create a fully functional website without stress. With the use of resources online, you can understand how to use a CMS to your advantage.

What is CMS

It is an online application that enables users to create, store and present digital content(text, image, video, etc) online without getting involved with the backend. A CMS application is made of three sections, the database, admin area, and visitor area.

The database has all the content that has been added and stores the files. The admin area is where the administrator determines what the site will look like and can add, delete, and edit the content on the database. The visitor area is the front end where the content added to the admin area is displayed.

Examples of CMS

• WordPress
• Drupal
• Joomla
• Magento
• Shopify
• Squarespace
• Wix

Features of a CMS

As I mentioned, CMS is the right tool for any web developer in the field. every CSM software must be up to date with some specific features, such as

• Mult-lang Options

To reach a wider range of visitors, a CMS is supposed to serve all its users no matter the language they speak. As of date, most CMS multi-language options have been offered by a third party. So it will be important to check if your CMS can integrate the language plugin.

• Security

Security is an important feature for any website, be it built on CMS software or raw coded. CMS is easy to implement, but can also cause some security issues due to interactions between the browser and the software. Most features on the CMS have been achieved with the use of plugins and themes. These are third-party applications that have been added to the site.

To help solve this, it is important to always check updates and make sure CMS is up to date. Checking other security options can also boost the security of your website when using CMS software.

• Admin Area

I did mention that a CMS is made of three sections. Every fully functional CMS should be divided into these three sections, which will mean a visitor can only have access to content via the web browser. So it is important to make sure your admin area has the options to manage both your database and frontend.

• Customized Content

Chosen content that needs to be used for Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a priority for any website. Every website wants to be ranked higher in search engine results, so will need customized permalinks and upgrades in user experience.

• Support options

A CMS relies solely on third-party applications, so it is important to make sure your CMS supports the option to integrate these applications. Some CMS have an online community that offers support to its users in case of any difficulties managing the CMS software.

• Responsive Design

Reaching all users, no matter the device used is one of the features to check out when picking a CMS to use. Responsiveness helps content to structure out no matter the devices to fit the screen giving the user a friendly manner when browsing. This feature also helps in SEO as it can boost mobile-friendly optimization for its users.

CMS is of type, the coupled (which hold the back-end link to the front-end) and the Decoupled (whose back-end and front end are separated). So it is all left to the developer on which type to pick, for the decoupled, the different ends can even be built on a different platform. Well, I will conclude that some level of skills is needed when picking a CMS for your website, and don't forget to check if your host plan can handle CMS applications.

Cheers
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@fombae