Content management system
A content management system, or CMS, is software that lets non-technical teams create, organize, approve and publish digital content without changing the code of the website or application. Developers define structures and templates once. Contributors then fill them in as often as needed.
Definition and how it works
A CMS has two parts. The back office is where people write, classify, translate and approve. The delivery application makes content available to visitors or to other applications. Depending on how the two are connected, the architecture is called coupled (it renders pages itself), headless CMS or hybrid CMS.
Features and use cases are covered in our article What is a CMS? Definition, features and real use cases.
Related terms: Digital experience platform · Headless CMS · Hybrid CMS · DXP vs CMS · Enterprise CMS · Composable DXP vs monolithic
Resources that cover this term
- Enterprise CMS: Definition, Key Features and Benefits
- Headless CMS personalization: How to deliver truly adaptive experiences
- Headless Java CMS: In depth guide for developers
- How Integrators Can Design the Ultimate Content Author Experience in a CMS? (Integrators Tips Pt.1)
- How to connect Salesforce to your CMS: challenges & issues
- Open Source CMS: What is it and do I need it?
CMS vs website builder: the differences
A content management system manages and publishes content. A digital experience platform adds visitor-facing capabilities around it. A website builder is built around a page assembly interface. In all three cases, compare the actual scope rather than the product label.
| Notion | What distinguishes it |
|---|---|
| Website builder | A page assembly interface. A CMS also structures content independently of any editing screen. |
| Digital experience platform | Adds visitor-facing capabilities: personalization, customer data, analytics. |
| Headless CMS | No imposed presentation layer. It delivers content through APIs to separately built interfaces. |
Frequently asked questions
How should several teams choose a content management system?
Less on the text editor than on three points. Can the content model structure content and reuse it across sites and languages? Do permissions allow work to be delegated without losing control? Do the integrations with the rest of the information system hold up?
Can a website builder replace a CMS?
For a single site run by a small team, it can. The gap appears when the same content has to serve several sites or languages, when permissions must be delegated by section or when a publication needs approval. A builder assembles pages.