Essential Parts of a Content Management System (cont...)

Publishing

Content publishing describes the process by which content is drawn out of the repository and formatted into Web sites and other publications. To be flexible enough to produce a wide range of publications, the publishing system must include:

 * Publication templates. These templates draw content into the appropriate context for each particular publication. The templates must instantiate:

      o The formatting syntax and surrounding standard text and 
         media elements of the target publication platform

      o The page structure and syntax of the target publication 
         platform

      o Content components and meta information on the target 
         pages

      o Standard text and binary files from the repository onto 
         the target pages

 * A full programming language. The wider the publications and more open the repository, the more complexity there will be in transforming content in the repository into a publication. The system needs to have complete programming

          o  All of the standard variable types and control structures
              of major programming languages.
          o  Complete access to the repository databases and files.
          o  Access to external objects and libraries.

 * Runtime dependency resolution. When content is added to the repository it cannot be determined where and when it will be used in a publication. Therefore, the publication system must be able to read and resolve content links when the publication is being produced. For example, if component A has a link to component B in the repository, but component B is not being published, then A's link must be suppressed by the publication system to avoid a bad link in the publication.

 * File and directory creation. The publication system must be able to create the appropriate file and directory set for the target publication. Additionally, the system must have some mechanism for deploying the built publication to its final storage location.

There are content management systems in existence today that meet the requirements as described here - to varying degrees. There are dozens of commercial products available as well as developers who are willing and able to build custom content management systems. The choice of "to buy or to build" depends largely on the results of a content and publication analysis. As the discipline of content management matures, the field of players will likely narrow to a few comprehensive and relatively easy-to-use solutions, similar to the way word processing, project management, and accounting software has evolved over the years. In the meantime, a system must be chosen carefully in order to ensure that it has both the comprehensiveness and flexibility needed to deliver the appropriate publications.

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