What is Content Management System (CMS)?
A Content management System is the collection of procedures implemented as web application use to manage the information in a collaborative environment. These procedures are based on automated or computerized system.
Consider the definitions of the Content Management System as listed below:
- A content management system is software that keeps track of every piece of content on your Web site. Content can be simple text, photos, music, video, documents, or just about anything you can think of.
- CMS is the web application used to manage that is add, update, and delete the information from the website without knowing any technical information about markup languages or web technologies.
- CMS is a database driven, dynamic website that provides site owner with an administrative panel to manage the site content (Text, multimedia content) efficiently and effectively.
The focus of the Post is on WEB BASED CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
Why there is a Need of CMS?
Content Management System (CMS) is based on the web 2.0 concept which states that the trend will focus on the user generated content. Now look around yourself and see the other examples of user generated content as mentioned below:
1. Blog
Blog is the abbreviation of Web log. The act of writing content on the blog is known as blogging. The owner of the blog who actually manages the content is known as blogger. So the concept of blog is based on the user generated content.
2. Article Directories
To Articles directories, people submit articles for the sake of promotion of their websites. But they generate unique and informative content. The whole idea is based on the user generated content
3. Forums
Forums are based on the group discussions, which are categorized according to the topic and user s discuss and share ideas in the form of group discussions.
4. Social networking sites
Social networking is the group of people who are interacted on the basis of mutual understanding or common interest. For example if the network is based on movies and entertainment then the content of social networking sites is all about movies and entertainment.
Again the concept is based on User generated content.
Top 5 Web Content Management Systems (WCMS)
CMS web applications are type of web projects which are open source and are customizable according to the user needs and requirements.
- Open source means that their source code is open and you can modify it according to your requirements.
- Following are the Top CMS which relates to different categories
| Index | CMS | Categorized as |
| 1. | Word Press | Specialized CMS: Blogging |
| 2. | Drupal | General |
| 3. | Joomla | General |
| 4. | Symphony CMS | General |
| 5. | Pligg | Specialized CMS: Social networking |
Word Press
- Word press is the one example of implementation to web 2.0 trend.
- Word press is the open source blogging platform. Anyone can down the word press project files which are customizable and can be coded further. But intentionally it is meant for making your own blog website without coding.
- Word press is based on PHP platform and My Sql. You can modify and enhance its database by establishing connection to My Sql. If you want coding less connection use Easy php.
- Word press offered extensive range of features which are beneficial for the user.
- Latest Version is available for download Word Press 2.9.2
Following are the listed down features of Word press:
| Index | Features | Availability /Description |
| 1. | GNU (General Public License) Free | Yes |
| 2. | Customization (Open source) | Yes |
| 3. | Word press Project Download and installation | Yes |
| 4. | Theme installation | Yes |
| 5. | Custom CSS | Yes |
| 6. | Multi Author support | Yes |
| 7. | Web Hosting Requirement | Yes |
| 8. | Google Mail Integration Support | Yes |
| 9. | Admin Panel/ Dash Board | Yes |
| 10. | Plug in installations | Yes |
| 11. | Really Simple Syndication | Yes |
| 12. | Avatar Support | Yes |
| 13. | Spam Protection | Yes |
| 14. | Import and Export Blog posts | Yes |
| 15. | Sitemap support | Yes |
| 16. | Inserting Multimedia Items | Yes |
| 17. | Social Media Compatibility | Yes |
| 18. | Categories and Tagging | Yes |
Drupal
- Drupal is web based CMS written in PHP with database support of My Sql.
- Drupal is the Open source web based CMS which is defined for any kind of website for managing content.
- Latest Version is available for download Drupal 7.0 Alpha5
Following are the listed down features of Drupal:
| Index | Features | Availability /Description |
| 1. | Collaborative Book | It is a remarkable feature that allows creating Virtual Book and allowing individuals to contribute in writing the content. |
| 2. | URL Friendliness | Drupal uses rewriting concept via Apache’s mod_rewrite to make the pretty URL which are friendly for both users and search engines. |
| 3. | Modules | Drupal core functionality is divided into number of modules or you say plug ins. “View” is the one example of Drupal module which enables designers to control how lists or table of content are presented? |
| 4. | Online Help | Yes |
| 5. | Personalization | The concept of personalization is perfectly implemented both the in the content and presentation prospect. |
| 6. | Role based Permissions | Yes |
| 7. | Searching Capabilities | All content is fully based on the Index Searching. |
| 8. | Authentication | Local and External Authentication source like Blogger, Jabber or Live Journal is supported by Drupal. |
| 9. | Content Templating | Drupal’s theme separates content from the presentation layer thus provide the better opportunities for visualizing the content. |
| 10. | Blogger Support API | Yes |
| 11. | Generate RSS Support | Yes |
| 12. | News Aggregator | Built in Powerful XML reader support |
| 13. | Permalinks | All the content has support with permalinks so that people may browser for any content online without the fear of broken links. |
| 14. | Platform Independence | Yes |
| 15. | All O/S supported | Yes |
| 16. | Administration Panel | Analysis, tracking, statistics, logging and reporting with complete web based administration support in Drupal. |
| 17. | Caching | This mechanism reduces servers load and increased performance and scalability |
Joomla
- Joomla is the award winning Content Management System
- Joomla enables you to developed powerful websites and online web applications.
- A few Examples of Joomla CMS are as mentioned:
- Corporate Web sites or portals
- Corporate intranets and extranets
- Online magazines, newspapers, and publications
- E-commerce and online reservations
- Government applications
- Small business Web sites
- Community-based portals
- Personal or family homepages
Latest Version is available for download Joomla
Following are the features list supported by Joomla:
| Index | Features | Availability /Description |
| 1. | User Management | Powerful registration support is available; there are nine user groups with different type of permissions for add, edit, read or write. |
| 2. | Media Manager | Media manager is the tool available for managing all kind of media. The tool is added with the content editor. |
| 3. | Language Manager | There is a support for multiple languages available in Joomla.
Multiple languages are supported in a single website or web application. For example website on single language and admin panel on other language. |
| 4. | Banner Management | It’s very easy to manage banners of the website with impressions, special URL’s using Banner manager in Joomla. |
| 5. | Database driven sites | Yes |
| 6. | News, Product & services section support | Full support Available |
| 7. | Layouts | Fully customizable , left, right, center |
| 8. | Forums/ Poll/ Voting | Yes |
| 9. | All OS supported | Yes |
| 10. | Contact Management | Extensive support in Joomla, Easy to find the contact of the person. |
| 11. | Syndication RSS, News feed Management | Yes |
| 12. | Web Services | Remote procedures call, via HTTP, XML. |
| 13. | Complete Image Library | PNG, PDF, Docx, xls, Gif, jpeg |
Symphony CMS
- Symphony CMS gives you remarkable support to build anything you want from small websites to large web applications.
- It being easy to developed or build a simple blog, news website or social networking website.
- In Symphony, the data logic and presentation layer all are independent. In other words you can make changes with a less effort.
- Moreover it keeps the system small thin and precise.
- Symphony CMS is based on XSLT content Management System.
- You may seem Symphony CMS lacking in features because it came for supporting developers to add new features rather than pre-installed features.
- Latest Version is available for download Symphony CMS
Please review the features of “Symphony CMS” mentioned below:
| Index | Features | Availability /Description |
| 1. | XSLT templating | Yes |
| 2. | Interface | Simple and Clean |
| 3. | Forums support | Yes |
| 4. | Debugging support | Extensible Support. |
| 5. | Output content support | Html, x-Html, CSV, PDF and support other format. |
| 6. | Top CMS features | Forums, blogs, portfolio |
| 7. | MVC principles | Yes |
| 8. | Features based on Four Attributes | Fields: Atomic data types e. g person name
Sections: Logical container of fields Data Sources: XML snippets Events: Actionable logic such as posting comment. |
Pligg
- Pligg is very famous open source web based CMS.
- Pligg is the free social networking web based CMS that encourages online visitors to come on the site, share content and connects with other users.
- So it is specialized in Social networking community.
- Latest is Version available for download Pligg
Following are the features supported by Pligg as mentioned below:
| Index | Features | Availability /Description |
| 1. | Groups | Social networking is the group of people who share information with common interest. So the articles are shared among groups or topical wise in groups. |
| 2. | Private Message | A social networking site without chat is incomplete, so pligg provides private messaging feature. |
| 4. | Advanced Comment System | Article commenting system, Other user’s commenting rating is also supported by pligg. |
| 5. | User Management | Yes/ Based on individualization. |
| 6. | Avatar | Yes |
| 7. | RSS feed | Yes |
| 8. | SEO enabled | Yes |
| 9. | Multiple languages support | Yes |
| 10 | Smart Templates | Yes |
| 11. | Customization | You don’t need to edit the pligg code, Because there is wide range of modules available which can enhance your pligg functionality |
Conclusion:
When we talk about data what is its meaning? A data is an entity which is raw material. When it is arranged in a way that it provides useful meaning is known as Information. In today’s era it is known that data is the most valuable entity in the world. An organization success is heavily based on the data. Internet is the primary source of information in today’s world.
Thus Information, data, content are the different words but have the same context. Web 2.0 theory is based on the user generated content so that every user gets benefited from the internet as a resource.
In order to manage the content, “Content Management System” is the application software used to manage the content of the website or desktop application. Cyber designz as a professional web design company strictly follow these trends and technologies & provides the cost effective web solutions for your business needs.
