Essentials CMS Training Guide¶
Welcome to the Essentials CMS Training Guide. This documentation is designed to help you manage your website's content effectively using the SilverStripe Essentials platform.
How to Use This Guide¶
This guide is organized into short, focused chapters. You can read it from start to finish for a complete training overview, or use it as a daily reference when you need to perform specific tasks.
Key Concepts¶
- Elements: The building blocks of your pages (text, images, cards, etc.). Sometimes referred to as "blocks".
- Site Tree: The structure of your website's pages.
- Files: The central library for all your images and documents.
Editing Safely¶
The CMS is designed to be safe. You can make changes to Draft content without affecting the live website. - Save: Saves your changes to the draft version (only visible to you). - Publish: Pushes your changes to the live website (visible to everyone).
Getting Started¶
New to the CMS? Start here: 1. Orientation - Learn the interface (5 min) 2. Pages and Navigation - Manage your site structure (10 min) 3. Building with Elements - Create your first page (15 min)
Need to do something specific? Jump to any chapter below.
Table of Contents¶
Fundamentals¶
- Orientation - Your first login and CMS overview
- Pages and Navigation - Managing your site structure
- Drafts, Preview, and Publish - Safe editing workflow
Content Creation¶
- Building with Elements - Creating page content
- Rows, Layout, and Sections - Advanced layouts
- Element Templates (Presets) - Reusable components
- Design, Colors, and Custom Styles - Visual customization
- Common Page Templates - Step-by-step page examples
Best Practices¶
- Design and Consistency - Professional standards
- Links, Buttons, and CTAs - Effective navigation
- Images, Files, and Downloads - Media management
Site Configuration¶
- Site-wide Settings - Global configurations
- Footer Locations - Contact information
- Forms and Inquiries - User submissions
- Blog and News - Publishing articles