Over the years web site development has gone from requiring a "geek code wizard" needing to use a text editor to full blown graphics applications dedicated to creating web content that are usable by almost anyone. The advent of these graphical web development suites meant that anyone who had the desire could buy, if commercial, or download, if "free", and install the software, then start making web pages. Even those completely ignorant of web standards and the underlying code that makes a web site could use the graphical software to create web pages. Often web pages and websites by those who are ignorant are poorly done, but if one has "the itch" to put up some web content these suites empower one to do so. Because of this, there are now millions of web sites ranging in quality from the sublime and well designed to the ignoble and slightly ridiculous with the majority of web sites falling somewhere in-between these extremes.

Two primary limiting factors to these off-line web development suites are:

1. One's web site source files are stored on a single local PC or on a local server PC. If one needs to make a change to the web site, one must be in a location where one can have access to these files, make changes and upload the changes to the web host. One could also carry around one's web site files on removable media, or on a notebook PC. This is fine for someone who just has a personal web site. But in many cases this is impractical when dealing with business web sites for a company.
2. The other limiting factor is one still needs to have some education and skill to be able to create good or excellent web pages and websites with a consistent look and feel.

Enter the Content Management System also known as CMS. With a CMS the development suite and web site content are all in the same location. They are both on the host that also serves the web pages to site visitors. A CMS is a set of scripts and software programs that run on the web host itself and/or load from the host and run within the web browser(s) and PC system(s) of the site maintainer(s). Since website development is done by connecting to the web host and logging in as a site administrator, editor, author or other privileged user, one can work on such a web site from anywhere one can get an internet connection with a notebook PC. This eliminates the first limiting factor of off-line development suites above.

With a modern, well designed CMS installed and configured with a theme and desired plug-ins a website gets a consistent look and feel and built-in web standards. Thus content creators can concentrate on the content for a website and be mostly ignorant of web standards and best practices. The CMS theme and plug-ins take care of the standards so a writer can concentrate on writing, an artist can concentrate on art, and so on. One can still create a bad site with a CMS, but at least it will be a bad site with a consistent look and feel and will follow web standards.

There are some drawbacks to using a CMS. One may need a geek friend or a paid consultant to get a CMS installed and configured correctly, so this does take back some ground from the free-wheeling, free-for-all that came about with off-line graphical web tools. One also needs to be aware that CMS content and files need to be backed up and stored off-line in the event of a catastrophic problem, such as the web host goes out of business or closes ones account for some reason. However, once a CMS is installed and working properly, a nascent webmaster can create new content and be assured that it will look and feel the way he desires. Because his CMS will take care of all that background work needed to have a consistent look and feel and meet web standards and best practices.