Build a CMS Website

The topics this chapter covers are:

• What is CMS ?• What you can do with CMS • The benefits and disadvantages of using a content management system

• What is CMS ?

• CMS works by storing pictures and text into a database. That allows you to create and maintain a website.

• When a webpage is requested, the CMS system accesses the database and renders the webpage.

• Because the data is separated from the code, changes to the data can be made using a web interface that requires no knowledge of HTML or ftp.

• It is open source which means that it’s free.

You need four things to build a CMS website:

• 1. A basic understanding of how websites work – for example, you should know that websites are comprised of web pages, web pages tend to include a navigation menu with items linked to other web pages and web pages can include various elements such as text, images,hyperlinked text, audio and video.

• 2. An understanding of how CMS works – which, of course, is where these tutorials come in.

• 3. The CMS(Joomla, Wordpress) software – and part of this course demonstrates how to download and install it

• 4. An account with a web host – which is an organization

WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH CMS • Simple sites On its own, CMS is great for creating simple sites with pages of text and images.• Complex sites CMS greatest strength is the enormous number of third party add-ons called extensions.• Specialist sites Some extensions allow you to create specialist sites such as magazine sites, e-commerce, membership sites and forums.• Custom applications

If you need to develop some functionality that goes beyond the standard features of CMS, andno extension exists that does the job, then you can create a custom application. As the CMSframework is open source, web programmers can modify any existing functionality and add newfunctionality.

• Design optionsAnother aspect to consider is the look of your website. CMS pages are displayed using a filecalled a template. There are free and commercial ready-made templates or you can design yourown template. Developing a website with CMS does not mean that you’re in some wayrestricted to a particular design or layout. You can create any design you like and fit it into the CMS structure.

Build a CMS Website

Build a CMS Website

THE BENEFITS OF USING A CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

• The website is easy to update• The site can be updated from anywhere in the world – no

installed software necessary• More than one person can update the site• Design changes are easy• No need to pay someone to keep site updated• You control when site is updated

THE Disadvantages OF USING A CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

• Potential to break your websites look and feel if not used properly

• You may not have the resource to update website regularly• Software like asp, php or cgi must be installed on the server

and the software written to fit the configuration of the server. • The overhead on server resources• Can require extra maintenance, backups, upgrades, security

patches

Why Joomla?• It is free• It’s also Cross platform• Support• Long history• Thousands of extensions• Secure• Popularity

ALTERNATIVE CMS SOFTWARE• Joomla vs. WordpressWordpress was originally designed as a blogging platform.

Wordpress frontend

ALTERNATIVE CMS SOFTWARE• Joomla vs. Wordpress Blogging, is still its core strength.

Wordpress backend

ALTERNATIVE CMS SOFTWARE

• Joomla vs. Drupal • It is nicer to code for Drupal better storage system and better

access control. The interface is not intuitive.

Conclusion

• If you are updating your website regularly; on a daily or weekly basis, then a content management system is a logical choice.

• Ensure that you do some reallocation of staff duties to allow time for staff to update the website because although it may only take a couple of minutes to publish a webpage, someone still has to write, proof read, type set and reduce the size of images and that takes time.

• Failure to reallocate human resources will often mean that many companies buy a CMS system but rarely use it

Conclusion

• If you are updating your website regularly; on a daily or weekly basis, then a content management system is a logical choice.

• Ensure that you do some reallocation of staff duties to allow time for staff to update the website because although it may only take a couple of minutes to publish a webpage, someone still has to write, proof read, type set and reduce the size of images and that takes time.

• Failure to reallocate human resources will often mean that many companies buy a CMS system but rarely use it

Conclusion

• If you are not going to update your website regularly, then a static HTML website is easier to maintain and cheaper to host.

• HTML websites are not as resource hungry and can be moved relatively easily, if

• It is also easier to find someone that can program in HTML than it is to find a developer to fix a CMS system should things go wrong or if you want to change hosting companies.