I admit it. I like content management systems.
Ever since my first PostNuke site (way back in the day… 2005) I loved how these systems took content that I created and magically displayed it. Without a lot of tweaking on my part. And if you’ve ever created a site with FrontPage, you know what I’m talking about.
So what do I like about content management systems?
- They save time. Once you have a theme, all you do is add your content. No fussing with adding menu items to your navigation.
- Your Site, Your Way. Like FrontPage or Dreamweaver, most of these systems let you decide where to put what and what it should look like.
- Community. Building a community of users in most systems is a no-brainer. Whether it’s comments or forums, bringing people together is much, much easier than with a basic html site.
- Variety. There are literally hundreds of systems you can use, from the simple Doop to the more complex Drupal. Something out there will meet your needs.
And variety is what this Guide is about.
How do you pick the best one? Do you simply pick the most popular? Or do you go with a system that has just about everything? Do you use different systems for different parts of your site?
Which CMS should I use?
This guide is intended as a starting point. You know your destination, and with this Guide (and together with the forums) you should be on your way to a website that works for you.