A content management system (CMS) is a software tool that provides the management and administration of document authoring, collaboration, and production automation. CMS allows a large number of writers and other knowledge workers to work collaboratively to contribute to content development. It promotes better consistency by leveraging existing content, improved efficiency by avoiding duplicate and repetitive efforts, and reduced overall authoring costs. CMS also makes translation of the content much easier because it separates text from the formatting tags.

Combined with XML, CMS allows content to be developed once and published to various output types such as the web, PDF or printed documents.