1. What is a CMS?
The abbreviation «CMS» stands for «Content Management System» and refers to a type of software used to create, publish, and maintain content for websites and other digital channels. Thanks to its graphical user interface, a CMS allows users without in-depth design and programming knowledge to build a website and collaborate on web projects. Instead of painstakingly writing the desired content in HTML files and uploading them to a server, content in a CMS is directly written in a WYSIWYG editor, saved by the system, and published with just one click. Other media such as images and videos can also be easily managed with a CMS.
2. What types of CMS are there?
There is a very large variety of content management systems available on the market. Ranging from simple builder solutions to extensive enterprise applications for large companies (ECMS), everything is included.
The most important selection criterion is often the intended purpose and scope of the website: What kind of website do I want to maintain with the CMS? A predominantly static website, a large online shop, or perhaps a blog? When searching for a suitable CMS, the question also arises whether to opt for an open-source or a proprietary solution.
2.1 Open Source or Proprietary
The main feature of open-source CMS is that the application's code is publicly accessible, allowing for adjustments or custom developments without difficulty. Generally, there are also no licensing costs. These CMS are usually maintained and developed by large developer communities and have extensive documentation and help forums. Well-known examples of open-source CMS include WordPress, Joomla!, and Drupal.
In the second group, the proprietary solutions, the opposite is true: These applications are developed and commercially distributed by a specific company. Typically, licenses must be purchased for these systems, and the provider also takes care of the hosting. The source code is usually not public, and custom adjustments come with costs. In return, the manufacturer is responsible for bug fixing and maintenance of the software. Well-known examples of proprietary CMS include Adobe Experience Manager (for complex websites), Shopify (for online shops), and Wix (website builder).
3. What is the difference between a CMS and a website builder?
Strictly speaking, a website builder, such as the Sitejet Builder from Emubox, also belongs to the group of CMS. Compared to conventional CMS, these tools have a smaller range of functions and are therefore perfect for websites of individuals and smaller companies with less demanding requirements. The advantage of builder systems is that they are very easy to use, require no prior knowledge, and the manufacturers take care of security updates and maintenance.
4. Which CMS is right for my website?
To find out which CMS is best suited for your website, we recommend creating a list of requirements and evaluating the potential systems accordingly.
Among other things, the following criteria can be considered:
- Purpose
- User-friendliness
- Scope of functions
- Selection of design templates
- User rights and roles
- Existing workflows
- Possible extensions and integrations
- Help and support offerings
- License and maintenance costs
5. Which CMS are supported by Emubox?
Emubox supports some of the most well-known open-source solutions on the market with WordPress, Joomla!, Drupal, and TYPO3. Over 60 % of all websites worldwide are powered by WordPress alone.
At Emubox, the mentioned CMS are available as so-called «One-Click Apps». This means you can install these applications on your web hosting with just one click in the Emubox Control Panel and then create and manage your website with them. Of course, you also have the option to independently install additional CMS on your web hosting and use them for your web project.
In addition to the mentioned CMS, two more One-Click Apps are available in the Emubox Control Panel: phpBB and MediaWiki. Both are also suitable for managing content for websites, with phpBB for discussion forums and MediaWiki for wiki projects.