What is a content management system?

[Makaveli2007]

I hope this fits in here:

I've heard that wordpress was a content management system (and that it's used for blogs frequently).

I also read the (German) wikipedia article on 'content management system'.

I also know CMS is the abbreviation for this expression.

But what I still don't really get is: What does a content management system do?

thanks!:-)

[coopster]

It allows you to manage content ;)

In a nutshell, a content management system is an application or group of applications that allows an end-user to login securely to the "back-end" of a website and manage the collection of documents and how they are linked together (commonly called the navigation) that ultimately the public will view and use. A CMS gives an end-user the power and ability to control the links and page content of their website. There are as many arguments for and against CMS as there are CMS themselves.

[Makaveli2007]

thanks. But basically one can do the same things without a CMS as one can with a CMS? Okay..not trying to weigh in all the advantages and disadvantages hehe, but it's not like for blogs you definitely do need a CMS..or for bigger website you definitely do need one, but it all comes down to personal preference (and whether you think the advantages are bigger than the disadvantages)?