Lot’s of folks are leaving Wordpress for a flat file CMS system with no database. Wordpress was built as a simple blogging platform and has evolved over the years into a feature rich CMS. Lot’s of these features aren’t needed by folk who merely want to blog without the bloat. We respect Wordpress and it will always be there, this small project simply aims to give people out there a chance to work with Flat File CMS’s also known as file–based CMS’s.

We’re not talking about static site generators here, text of XML driven file CMS’s.

Without a database the flat-file CMS stores content in files and folders unlike a traditional database. This means you don’t have to query any database of any kind in your system —there is no database. The flat-file system generates dynamic pages and each blog post or page is simply in a folder of its own (depending on the system and how you structure it). There are several ways to populate and parse content, xml and markdown being the most popular.

There are certain advantages of not using a database like:

• Simplicity
• Speed
• Security
• Version Control
• Maintenance
• Portability
• Less expense (server)

Some people will argue that these flat-file CMS systems aren’t real content management systems. Whilst they do let you manage your content they aren’t full blown as they don’t let you authentication/authorization. The argument is a full blown CMS should somehow be able to grant and deny create/read/update/delete access and permissions to users.

This can be a debatable topic, and this small project’s aim to is to introduce you to these Flat-File CMS’s. If you’re new to the game then it’s advantageous to seeing different views.

Personally, I am all for Flat-File CMS’s for personal blogs. View them below in alphabetical order:

A File-Based & Open Source Content Management System.

Technology: PHP

Templating: Built in

Formatting: Markdown

Open source: yes

Website: http://automad.org/

Latest: 0.9.103 2015-01-25 http://automad.org/release_notes

A modern, lightweight, extensible CMS for PHP.

Technology: PHP

Templating: Twig

Formatting: Markdown

Open source: yes

Website: http://bauncms.com

DodgerCMS is a static markdown CMS built on top of Amazon S3.

Technology: JavaScript

Templating: PureCss

Formatting: Markdown

Open source: yes

Website: http://dodgercms.com/

Dropplets is a minimalist, databaseless Markdown blogging platform.

Technology: PHP

Templating: ??

Formatting: Markdown

Open source: yes

Website: http://dropplets.com/

Flat File CMS for designers

Technology: PHP

Templating: PHP

Formatting: HTML / Text / Markdown

Open source: yes

Website: http://feindura.org/

FlatPress is a blogging engine that saves your posts as simple text files.

Technology: PHP

Templating: Smarty

Formatting: Text

Open source: yes

Website: http://flatpress.org/home/

no database CMS, written in PHP, supports themes, soon plugins, and flexible taxonomies (data types). Hybrid static/dynamic CMS that’s cached by default. Runs on anything with PHP. Still being developed, but has a good base of features.

Technology: PHP

Templating: HTML (optionally, add PHP)

Formatting: HTML with WYSIWYG editor

Open source: yes

Website: http://flotcms.com

GetSimple is an XML based, stand-a-alone, fully independant and lite Content Management System.

Technology: PHP / XML

Templating: HTML, PHP

Formatting: HTML / WYSIWYG editor

Open source: yes

Website: http://get-simple.info/

In a nutshell, installing Grav is a matter of unzipping the file. It is fast, has sophisticated caching, and a light footprint for optimal performance.

Technology: PHP / YAML

Templating: Twig

Formatting: Markdown

Open source: yes

Website: http://getgrav.org/

Herbie is a CMS and blog system based on simple text files. Composer support - simple installation - no database - just text files.

Technology: PHP / YAML / Symfony Components

Templating: Twig

Formatting: Markdown / Textile

Open source: yes

Website: http://getherbie.org/

HTMLy is an open source databaseless blogging platform that prioritizes simplicity and speed (Flat-File Blog). HTMLy can be referred to as a Flat-File CMS, since it will also manage your content.

You do not need to use a VPS to run HTMLy, shared hosting or even free hosting should work as long as the host supports at least PHP 5.3.

Technology: PHP

Templating: ???

Formatting: Markdown

Open source: yes

Website: https://demo.htmly.com/

Hugo is a general-purpose website framework. Technically speaking, Hugo is a static site generator.

Technology: Go

Templating: Go Templates

Formatting: Markdown

Open source: yes

Website: http://gohugo.io/

Transform your plain text into static websites and blogs.

Technology: Ruby

Templating: Liquid

Formatting: Markdown

Open source: yes

Website: http://jekyllrb.com/

Kirby is a file-based CMS. Easy to setup, easy to use, flexible as hell

Technology: PHP

Templating: Roll your own

Formatting: Markdown

Open source: yes

Website: http://getkirby.com/

Mecha is a file–based CMS. It does not require any database. Almost all files are stored as plain text files which grouped into folders, which you can even edit it manually through a plain text editor application.

Technology: PHP

Templating: PHP

Formatting: Markdown / Markdown Extra / HTML

Open source: yes

Website: http://mecha-cms.com/

An entirely new kind of CMS. Pack up your content, markup, and style. Leave the database behind. Making websites just got fun again.

Technology: PHP

Templating: Built in

Formatting: Markdown

Open source: yes

Website: http://monstra.org/

Simple, lightweight, beginner-friendly and expandable with plugins

Technology: PHP

Templating: HTML

Formatting: Expandable own syntax

Open source: yes

Website: http://mozilo.de/

Latest: 2.0.33 2015-05-18 https://github.com/mozilo/mozilo2.0/commits/master

Middleman is a static site generator using all the shortcuts and tools in modern web development

Technology: Ruby

Templating: Multiple

Formatting: Markdown

Open source: yes

Website: http://middlemanapp.com/

A Ruby CMS for developers and designers. With simple code that’s easy to follow, Nesta is easily extended using the Sinatra web framework.

Technology: Ruby / Sinatra

Templating: Haml, Erb, Erubis, Liquid, Sass, Scss and Less

Formatting: Markdown, Textile or Haml

Open source: yes

Website: http://nestacms.com/

Easy, fast and free Blog system

Technology: PHP

Templating: PHP

Open source: Yes

Website: http://www.nibbleblog.com/

Latest: 4.03 2014-04-01 http://blog.nibbleblog.com/post/nibbleblog-v4.0.3-coffee/

Simple CMS for developers, designers and clients with admininistration panel.

Technology: PHP

Templating: PHP

Formatting: Markdown (html if needed)

Open source: yes

Website: https://github.com/BafS/parvula

PluXML is a free, open-source, self-hosted CMS platform where data are stored by using XML files. This system is used to be a blog one, but pages feature allows to code some php inside the backend. Many plugins extend its functionnalities.

Technology: PHP / XML

Templating: PHP

Formatting: HTML, Text

Open source: yes

Website: http://www.pluxml.org/

A Markdown File Based CMS

Technology: PHP

Templating: Twig

Formatting: Markdown

Open source: yes

Website: http://philecms.github.io/Phile/

A stupidly simple & blazing fast, flat file CMS.

Technology: PHP

Templating: Twig

Formatting: Markdown

Open source: yes

Website: http://pico.dev7studios.com/index.html

Small, Simple Content Managment

Technology: PHP

Templating: PHP

Open source: [yes]

Website: http://www.pluck-cms.org/

Latest: 4.7.3 2014-12-08 https://github.com/pluck-cms/pluck/releases

razorCMS is a File Based Content Management System. All data in razorCMS is stored in flat files, and uses a “database” engine called razorDB.

Technology: PHP

Templating: ???

Formatting: Text

Open source: yes

Website: http://www.razorcms.co.uk/

A CMS in a Single PHP File

Technology: PHP

Templating: Nil

Formatting: Markdown

Open source: yes

Website: http://christophersu.net/2012/singularity-cms-single-php-file/

An entirely new kind of CMS. Pack up your content, markup, and style. Leave the database behind. Making websites just got fun again.

Technology: PHP

Templating: Built in

Formatting: Markdown, Textile, HTML, Plain Text

Open source: no

Website: http://statamic.com/

Vestibulum is deathly simple, ultra fast, flat file (Markdown, HTML) CMS. Fully customizable with Twig templates

Technology: PHP

Templating: Twig / HTML / PHP

Formatting: Markdown / HTML

Open source: yes

Website: http://vestibulum.omdesign.cz/

Flexible, minimalistic, multi-platform static site generator built on top of node.js.

Technology: Node.js

Templating: Jade

Formatting: Markdown

Open source: yes

Website: http://wintersmith.io/

WonderCMS is a simple, secure flat file CMS

Technology: PHP and jQuery

Templating: PHP

Formatting: HTML

Open source: yes

Website: http://wondercms.com/

Yellow is for people who make websites.

Technology: PHP

Templating: HTML / PHP

Formatting: Markdown

Open source: yes

Website: http://datenstrom.se/yellow/

Help grow this list — awesome! Ensure you list a system which is classified as a CMS as opposed to just a static site generator. Thanks for your help!