What is a CMS, and what are plugins on a website?
A CMS, or content management system, is the part of a website you log into to change words, photos and pages without writing code. Website builders have one built in; WordPress is a free, open-source one installed on hosting you choose. Plugins are add-ons that give a site new features, and each one is extra software that needs updates and someone responsible for it.
A CMS in plain words
Every site has two sides: the pages visitors see, and the dashboard behind them where someone edits text, adds photos and publishes a new service page. That dashboard is the content management system. Without one, every change goes through whoever writes the code.
WordPress.com's support guide describes WordPress as a free and open-source content management system used to build and manage websites.
The two kinds you will usually meet
- A hosted website builder, where the editor, the hosting and the designs come from one company and you edit in the browser.
- Software such as WordPress installed on hosting you pick. WordPress.com's guide says this self-hosted route means finding and paying for hosting yourself and being more involved on the technical side.
- The related answer on choosing a website platform covers how to pick between them, and the one on domains and hosting explains the accounts involved.
What plugins are
WordPress's own documentation calls plugins PHP scripts that extend what WordPress does, adding features or improving existing ones. It says they are often developed by volunteers and are usually free, and that while plugins in its directory are tested and considered safe to use, they vary in quality and are often works in progress. The popular categories it names include spam control, e-commerce and security.
Hosted builders have their own versions, often called apps or extensions.
Why every plugin needs an owner
The same documentation says plugin developers update their plugins to add features, improve code and keep them secure, and that you should keep plugins up to date. It warns that a plugin not updated since the latest WordPress release may be incompatible, and says to have a current backup before updating, since problems can happen during an update.
As general advice, fewer plugins means fewer things to update and fewer ways in: remove the ones you no longer use. The related answers on website maintenance and on spotting a hacked site cover the rest.
The questions to ask a designer
- Can I change my own hours, photos and phone number?
- Whose name is on the main login?
- Who updates the software and plugins, and how often?
- Where are the backups, and who can restore one?
Sources
- WordPress.com Support, "WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org"
- WordPress.org Documentation, "Manage Plugins"
Related answers
- How do you choose a website platform for a small business?
- What does looking after a small business website involve?
- Is WordPress a good choice for a small business website?
- What is the difference between a domain, hosting and a website, and how do you find out who hosts yours?
- How can you tell if your business website has been hacked, and what do you do first?
Websites, upgraded or built
Most businesses do not need a new website. They need the one they have to load fast, say clearly what they do and ask the visitor to take one step.