CMS - Separation of design, structure, and content

Content management systems (CMS) can store and manage an organization's electronic document and web content, and the information can be reused across different applications/sites. The web published content can also be distributed to customers, business partners and web / internet.

The core application of the CMS is to manage content during its entire lifecycle i.e. from creation through publishing. The content of the CMS can also be shared by e-commerce and CRM. Web Publishing system enables you to establish a consistent look and feel throughout your site, but gives your non-technical content authors the power to publish and update their own content using simple, but powerful, browser-based tools.

Benefits of using a good CMS:
A good CMS System separates design, structure, and content of a site. The division of these three layers allows many advantages throughout the life cycle of the website. Each area of the site can be recreated and adjusted independent of the other areas. The design layer can be completely reworked for a new user interface without the need for any adjustments to structure or content. The structure can be adjusted for additional functionality with no changes required to design and content. Content can be changed with no need to adjust the front-end design or functional structure.

• Decentralized maintenance: Based on a common web browser. Editing anywhere, anytime removes bottlenecks.
• Easy content creation: Anybody with average knowledge of word processing can create the content directly. No HTML knowledge needed.
• Access restrictions: Users are assigned roles and permissions that prevent them from editing content which they are not authorized to change.
• Consistency of design: Because content is stored separate from design, the content from all authors is presented with the same, consistent design.
• Navigation: Normally it is automatically generated and adjusted. Menus are typically generated automatically based on the database content and links will not point to non-existing pages.
• Storage: Normally content is stored in a database. Central storage means that content can be reused in many places on the website and formatted for any device and search could be integrated easily
• Dynamic content: Extensions like forums, polls, shopping applications, searching, news management are typically modules.

• Plone
• RefineryCMS
• MCMS 2002
• Web Content Management with SharePoint MOSS 2007
• Documentum
• Liferay
• Alfresco
• Drupal
• Custom CMS Solution