Grav is a modern open source flat-file content management system. The name Grav is a shortened version of the word Gravity.
Grav focuses on speed and simplicity. There is no installation required. Just extract the ZIP archive, and you are already up and running. It follows similar principles to other flat-file CMS platforms, but has a different design philosophy than most.
Grav comes with a powerful package management system to allow for simple installation and upgrading of plugins and themes, as well as simple updating of Grav itself.
Key Features
- Optimized flat file architecture.
- Zero configuration.
- Smart caching.
- CLI tools such as dependency installation, cache clearing, user creation, and backups.
- Multi-site capabilities.
- SEO friendly.
- Routing and redirection.
- Users and roles.
- HTML and Markdown content.
- Modular pages.
- Supports a variety of image, video, sound, and file formats.
- Dynamic image manipulation.
- Theming.
- Plugins – extensive plugins are available.
- Technologies used:
- Twig Templating: for powerful control of the user interface.
- Markdown: for easy content creation.
- YAML: for simple configuration. Powerful YAML-based configuration with environment-based overrides allow the ultimate in configuration flexibility. YAML-based page headers allow you easily add custom dynamic fields to your content.
- Parsedown: for fast Markdown and Markdown Extra support.
- Doctrine Cache: for performance.
- Pimple Dependency Injection Container: for extensibility and maintainability.
- Symfony Event Dispatcher: for plugin event handling.
- Symfony Console: for CLI interface.
- Gregwar Image Library: for dynamic image manipulation.
Website: getgrav.org
Support: GitHub Code Repository
Developer: Andy Miller, Djamil Legato, Matias Griese and many contributors
License: MIT License
Grav 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.
| Flat File Content Management Systems | |
|---|---|
| Grav | Super fast modern CMS |
| Pico | Blazing speed, flexibility, and a lightweight footprint |
| Bludit | Simple flexible system storing content in JSON |
| CMSimple | PHP based content management system |
| GetSimple CMS | XML based data storage |
| WonderCMS | Another flat file CMS built with PHP |
| HTMLy | Prioritizes simplicity and speed |
| Automad | Includes a multi-layer caching engine and elegant dashboard |
| HamsterCMS | Tiny flatfile PHP content management system |
| Flextype | Hybrid CMS: headless CMS and full functionality of a traditional CMS |
Read our verdict in the software roundup.
| Lightweight Alternatives to WordPress | |
|---|---|
| Hugo | Fast framework for building websites |
| Jekyll | Blog-aware static site generator |
| Grav | Super fast modern CMS focusing on speed and simplicity. No installation |
| Pico | Blazing speed, flexibility, and a lightweight footprint |
| Textpattern | Flexible, elegant and easy-to-use open source CMS |
| GetSimple CMS | Saves all data to structured XML-files |
Read our verdict in the software roundup.
Explore our comprehensive directory of recommended free and open source software. Our carefully curated collection spans every major software category.This directory is part of our ongoing series of informative articles for Linux enthusiasts. It features hundreds of detailed reviews, along with open source alternatives to proprietary solutions from major corporations such as Google, Microsoft, Apple, Adobe, IBM, Cisco, Oracle, and Autodesk. You’ll also find interesting projects to try, hardware coverage, free programming books and tutorials, and much more. Know a useful open source Linux program that we haven’t covered yet? Let us know by completing this form. |

