Web design seems like a bizarre art to the uninitiated, but thankfully, there are several kinds of tools that can help make things easier for the first-time designer. Possibly the most useful of these tools is a kind of software known as a content management system, or CMS. CMS software is a sort of operating system for your website, allowing you to design a site using simplified tools, sidestepping the need to know how to develop a website from the ground up. Different kinds of CMSs have different levels of simplification, so you’ll need to pay attention to just how much help you think you’ll need to build the site.
Many of these CMS systems are “open source,” meaning that the source code that makes the programs function is freely available to anyone that wants to use it. This software is especially popular, largely because an open source program is free to use. But there are other reasons to go open source, including the fact that they have a large installed user base who you can be ask questions. Using an open source software puts you in a web of users that can help you to figure out what you are doing.
If you are interested in finding the best CMS for your needs, this infographic by CopyPress will help you sort out your WordPresses from your coffee presses. With the info on the graphic, you’ll get a thorough grounding in how to make a website work. Using that info, you can start work on your site right now.
