What's a Template?

For all of you "Old Schoolers" you are accustomed to HTML sites being "static". Static basically means that each page of your site is built individually - and allowed for infinite customization on a per page basis. That was great, but an absolute nightmare to edit! Not to mention EXTREEMELY expensive.

With CMS systems (again, meaning Content Management Systems), you do give up some individual page customization. Why? Because all CMS sites are what's known as "database driven" and use "templates".

Database Driven

This means that all the content of your web site is stored in a database INSTEAD of in an HTML page. So, all of your copy, images, settings, prices, - everything - is in a file that looks nothing like your site. This is the very core of the technology that allows you to maintain, edit, add to, delete from, and otherwise modify your CMS web site - WITHOUT KNOWING ANY PROGRAMMING! Here is a snippet of what a database content looks like:

CREATE TABLE `jos_acajoom_lists` (
`id` int(10) NOT NULL auto_increment,
`list_name` varchar(101) NOT NULL default '',
`list_desc` text NOT NULL,
`list_type` tinyint(2) NOT NULL default '0',
`sendername` varchar(64) NOT NULL default '',
`senderemail` varchar(64) NOT NULL default '',
`bounceadres` varchar(64) NOT NULL default '',
`layout` text NOT NULL,
`template` int(9) NOT NULL default '0',

Not too pretty ehh? But - that's what Templates are for - to make data display in an attractive and USEABLE manner.

Template

The Template is what gives your site its visual style. One way to understand a template is to think of it as a container. The container (when asked to do so by a button click) displays content from your database. For CMS sites, there is usually ONE master template that gets used site wide. The basic elements of this template are:

• Background
• Header
• Navigation
• Content
• Sidebar
• Footer

You can see the basic sections of a template in the image above. And - if you click through the FPS site, you can see how the template stays the same. You may notice how CONTENT changes in display - but that's another issue. Note that the sections of a template can be moved around - so, if you want the navigation in the side bar you can have it.

Understanding how templates work is very important when you commission a web site. The more complex your ideas get, the harder it will be for you to edit your web site, and, the more your project will cost! Also, when working with designers and programmers, it is your responsibility as a client to give clear directions as to your wishes from the very beginning. It may not seem like it, but every change you make to a template can be very time consuming and can incur extra fees.