| Web CMS is a complex application designed to | | | | any CMS a huge success or silent failure. If the CMS |
| provide a complete solution for web publishing. Usually | | | | is properly designed, with a proper extension you can |
| it is simple to operate so that anybody can use it | | | | make just any possible website you imagine. There |
| even without any technical knowledge. Installing a | | | | are two very popular open-source CMS systems |
| web CMS is pretty simple, you only need some basic | | | | available: WordPress and Joomla. While WordPress is |
| understanding of web hosting, domains and web in | | | | more suitable for blogs, Joomla is a universal CMS for |
| general. Once the CMS is installed anybody can use it. | | | | any type of website. Both systems are widely used |
| There is one administrator (or sometimes even | | | | because there is a plethora of extensions available. |
| more) who is responsible for the website and which | | | | And because of these extensions, either Worpress |
| has access to the whole system. He can manage the | | | | or Joomla can be set up for almost any purpose. Blog |
| website, assign permissions to other users and | | | | is one of the simplest website types. Other areas |
| control what will be published and what not. | | | | where Joomla or WordPress can be used are: small |
| Using web CMS is very simple. The user interface is | | | | business homepage, personal websites, almost any |
| usually dividend into two parts: front end and back | | | | online business, online stores, community website, |
| end. Front end is what everybody sees. The website | | | | etc. |
| as it appears in any web browser. You have one or | | | | And because both systems are open-source you can |
| more menus where you can navigate, follow links and | | | | not only examine modules and learn something, you |
| browse pages. The back end is a restricted area | | | | can also write your own extension to support some |
| where you can administer the website. Only | | | | specific feature. This is probably an area where |
| authorized users (administrators) can access it. The | | | | ordinary users of CMS system will not be interested |
| back end is a web interface to create and manage | | | | to participate. However, there is only a small step |
| content, articles, links, menus, ads, images and other | | | | from a beginner in web design to advanced HTML |
| web resources. There are differences between | | | | coder. When you start creating web pages you |
| various CMS systems. Some are designed for specific | | | | quickly discover how easy it is and sooner or later |
| task while others are general purpose systems. | | | | you want more. You start learning and the more you |
| However, every decent CMS supports extensions by | | | | work the more experienced you get. Web design is |
| a system of modules and plug-ins. | | | | not rocket science. |
| It is the availability of the extensions what makes | | | | |