Permanent link for Introducing the CMS 5 on November 2, 2023

The Web Team is currently developing the latest iteration of the Content Management System, the CMS 5. The interface and how you edit sites will be very similar, but with updated visual appeal while maintaining its ease of use.

Why are we updating to the CMS 5? 
The CMS currently hosts over 700 websites and over 23,000 individual pages. One of the biggest reasons is updating the "backend" of the CMS to a more modern solution. Think of the CMS 4 as that 1993 Toyota Camry with 300,000 miles on it - it won't die, but eventually, it will need to be updated.  That's what this process is.
If you are interested in the technical side of things -the current CMS is written in Cold Fusion, a programming language that is as old as that 1993 Toyota Camry. We are developing the CMS 5 in PHP, which lays the foundation for future innovations and flexibility.

Will I have to learn something brand new?
Not at all. If you have used the CMS at all, you will find that the updated version looks, feels, and acts very similar to what you are used to. Check out the screenshots - you'll see that while it is visually different, the functionality of the CMS will remain largely the same.

When will all this happen?
Our goal is to have a test environment ready for use by the middle of 2024. In terms of when your site will be moved over to the CMS 5, we are hoping all conversions will be done in the next 2 years.

Do I need to do anything right now?
No. However, it may be a good idea to begin doing a self-audit of your site to see what pages could potentially be deleted. Eventually, we will begin reaching out to site administrators to see about moving their sites over to CMS 5.

A screenshot of the home screen in the CMS 5.

What the Content page will look like in the CMS 5.

What the CMS 5 looks like when editing content.

The Navigation in the CMS 5.

The Administration screen in the CMS 5.

Posted by Zach McCurdy on Permanent link for Introducing the CMS 5 on November 2, 2023.