A dynamic content source is a store of information from which you can retrieve and display dynamic content for use in a web page. Sources of dynamic content include not only information stored in a database, but values submitted by HTML forms, values contained in server objects, values of JavaBeans properties, and other content sources.

Dreamweaver lets you easily connect to a database and create a recordset from which to extract dynamic content. A recordset is the result of a database query. It extracts the specific information you request and allows you to display that information within a specified page. You define the recordset based on the information contained in the database and the content you want to display.

Different technology vendors may use different terminology for a recordset. In ASP and ColdFusion, a recordset is defined as a query. In JSP, a recordset is called a resultset. ASP.NET refers to a recordset as a DataSet. If you are using other sources of data, such as user input or server variables, the name of the data source that is defined in Dreamweaver is the same as the data source name itself.

Dynamic websites require a data source from which to retrieve and display dynamic content. Dreamweaver lets you use databases, request variables, URL variables, server variables, form variables, stored procedures, and other sources of dynamic content. Depending on the data source, you can either retrieve new content to satisfy a request, or modify the page to meet the needs of users.

Any content source that you define in Dreamweaver is added to the list of content sources in the Bindings panel. Then you can insert the content source into the currently selected page.