Contao (formerly TYPOlight) is a powerful web content management system that specializes in accessibility (back end and front end) and uses XHTML and CSS to generate W3C/WAI compliant pages.
The software major difference to other CMS is that it is 100% accessible (frontend and backend) and strictly supports W3C standards. It also includes a powerful CSS engine to format contents.
Its key features include a live update feature, multi- language support, automatic CSS framework generation, a file manager, a search engine and form generator, versioning and undo, and Web 2.0 support.
Key Features
- Intuitive user interface.
- Accessible XHTML strict output.
- Meets W3C/WAI requirements.
- Uses Ajax technology.
- Web 2.0 support (mootools-based).
- Live update service.
- Accessible administration area.
- Multiple back end languages and themes.
- Generates search engine friendly URLs.
- Multi-language support.
- Powerful permission system.
- Versioning and undo management.
- Advanced search and sorting options.
- Front end output 100% template based.
- Automatic e-mail encryption (spam protection).
- Supports SMTP in addition to PHP’s mail function.
- Supports multiple websites in one tree.
- Supports GZip compression.
Website: contao.org
Support: FAQ, GitHub Code Repository
Developer: Leo Feyer
License: GNU Lesser General Public License v3.0

Contao is written in PHP. Learn PHP with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
Related Software
| PHP-Based Web Content Management Systems | |
|---|---|
| WordPress | Create a beautiful website, blog, or app |
| Drupal | Platform and content management system written in PHP |
| Joomla! | Award-winning system to build Web sites and powerful applications |
| Grav | Super fast modern CMS |
| Pico | Blazing speed, flexibility, and a lightweight footprint |
| TYPO3 | Small to midsize enterprise-class content management system |
| MODX | Powerful framework to deploy and secure websites and web applications |
| SilverStripe | Flexible, open source programming framework, and CMS |
| ProcessWire | Polished content management system (CMS) and framework (CMF) |
| Concrete | CMS, CMF and easy to use Web Builder |
| Textpattern | Flexible, elegant and easy-to-use open source system |
| XOOPS | eXtensible Object Oriented Portal System |
| Fork | User friendly environment to build, monitor and update your website |
| Winter | PHP/MySQL based application for managing dynamic web content |
| Bolt CMS | Based on Silex and Symfony components, uses Twig |
| Contao | (formerly TYPOlight) Specializes in accessibility (back end and front end) |
| Backdrop | Fork of Drupal |
| e107 | Portal or CMS using PHP and MySQL |
| ImpressCMS | Community developed Content Management System |
| ExpressionEngine | Mature, flexible, secure content management system |
| Pluck | Focuses on user friendliness; lets anyone manage a website |
| Lavalite | CMS built with Laravel |
| Geeklog | Very extensible system with good support for blogging |
| eZ Platform | Professional PHP application framework with advanced CMS |
| CMS Made Simple | Designed for simple stable content sites |
| b2evolution | Highly integrated CMS |
Read our verdict in the software roundup.
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