Content Management Systems

The basic idea behind a Content Management System (CMS) is to separate the management of content from design. Page designs are stored in templates while the content may be stored in a database or separate files. When a user requests a web page, the parts are combined to produce a standard HTML page. Content can therefore be managed directly by content providers while the design and overall site maintenance remains the responsability of the WebMaster.

The interaction of the content providers with the system is usualy made through the use of an Internet browser (such as Netscape Navigator or Internet Explorer) thus avoiding expensive maintenance of client software installed on a large number of workstations.