What is a content management system (CMS)?

A content management system (CMS) is an application that is used to manage content, allowing multiple contributors to create, edit and publish. Content in a CMS is typically stored in a database and displayed in a presentation layer based on a set of templates like a website.

The following are common functions of a CMS:

  • Content creation allows users to easily create and format content
  • Content storage stores content in one place, in a consistent fashion
  • Workflows assigns permissions for managing content based on roles such as authors, editors and admins
  • Publishing tells the software when and where the content should go live
  • Optimization helps you improve digital experience and learn from your content