List of free and open source CMS
List of CMSs with or without databases, free and open source.
Categories of CMS:
- Headless. Separate the content management in the backend (the body) and the display in the frontend (the head). Example: Astro.
- Classic. Content and display are managed together by the CMS. Example: Wordpress.
- GitHub. Host the content on GitHub and publish it online with a headless CMS. Works with Astro, Jekyll, etc...
Headless and Static Site Managers
It is a new trend to make site managers with Node.js and JavaScript ou GitHub. Even Wordpress tends to replace PHP by JS for the interface. The CMS is more like a Web application, is lighter, more responsive.
In combination with a static site generator that works locally, these CMSs generate the pages on the server.
| Name | Plateform | Type | Database | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Astro | JavaScript | All | Files or MySQL | Content-designed, import from files or Wordpress. |
| Strapi | Node/JavaScript | All | User choice DB. | May use GraphQL. |
| PayloadCMS | Node/TypeScript | All | Mongo or other | May use GraphQL. React. Next.js. Open-source. |
| NodeBB | JavaScript | Forum | Redis | Modern look, based on Node.js. |
| Jekyll | Ruby | Blog | None. | Static site generator. |
| Keystatic | JavaScript | All | Files | GitHub or local, use markdown, JSON files. |
| Sveltia | JavaScript/Svelte | All | Files / GraphQL | GitHub/ Local Git. |
| DecapCMS | React/Github | Portal/Blog | None | Work with many SSG. |
PHP and MySQL CMS
| Name | Category | Supported databases | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ariadne | Portal | Oracle, PostgreSQL | |
| b2evolution | Blog | MySQL | |
| bbPress | Forum | MySQL | A derivative of Wordpress for forums. |
| Chlorine Boards | Portal | MySQL, MSSQL, PostgreSQL, DB2, Access | |
| CMSimple | Portal | One unique HTML file | |
| CMS Made Simple | Portal | MySQL | |
| CuteNews | News | Flat text files | |
| DotClear | Blog | MySQL, SQlite, PostgreSQL | Multi-users, multi-blogs. |
| Drupal | Portal | MySQL or PostgreSQL | Sponsored by the University of Oregon. |
| e107 | Portal | MySQL | |
| Elgg | Social network | MySQL | Building a social network with PHP. |
| ExpressionEngine | Universal | MySQL | Open source on GitHub. Flexible and complete. |
| FluxBB | Forum | MySQL | Lightweight but complete forum, perfect besides a portal. |
| Fork | Universal | MySQL | Open source, themes, modules and apps. |
| GuppY | Portal | Flat text files | |
| Joomla! | Portal | MySQL | Popular CMS, fork of Mambo. |
| Lodel | Portal | MySQL | Electronic publishing. |
| MediaWiki | Wiki | MySQL | Wikipedia CMS. |
| Midgard CMS | Portal | MySQL | Framework for CMS |
| phpBB | Forum | MySQL | Forum CMS with a lot of themes and mods. |
| PHPMotion | Video sharing | MySQL | Youtube-like CMS |
| phpMyFAQ | FAQ | MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, MS SQL Server and MariaDB | |
| phpWCMS | Portal | MySQL | |
| Plume | Portal | MySQL | |
| PmWiki | Wiki | Flat text files | |
| Prestashop | e-shop | MySQL | Open an online shop with PHP 5. |
| ProcessWire | Portal | MySQL | Separates content management and interface. |
| PunBB | See fluxBB. | ||
| SEO Toaster | e-shop | MySQL, PHP | SEO oriented, rich author interface. |
| SilverStripe | Universal | PHP, MySQL, Postgre, SQLite | |
| SMF | Forum | MySQL | Simple Machines Forum. |
| SPIP | Templates | MySQL | |
| Textpattern | Portal | MySQL | |
| Typo3 | Portal | MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle | |
| Wordpress | Blog/Portal | MySQL | Very popular and extensible blog CMS. |
| Xoops | Portal | MySQL | Popular modular CMS. |
Java CMS
| Name | Category | Supported databases | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cocoon | Dynamic | XML | |
| OpenCMS | Portal | MySQL, Oracle |
Other programming languages
| Name | Plateform | Category | Supported databases | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenACS | TCL, AOL Server | Web App. | PostgreSQL/Oracle | Toolkit for community-oriented applications |
| Orchard | ASP.NET | Portal | SQL Server | Completed by user modules. |
| Plone | Zope/Python | Blog | ZODB, MySQL & PostgreSQL via Zope | |
| Rainbow | C# | Portal | MySQL | |
| TWiki | Perl | Wiki | Any DB compatible with Perl DBI. |
Meaning of categories
What is the meaning of the type of CMS. Some can earn several roles.
- Blog: Online diary.
- Blog-Wiki: (Or bliki) Blog with user contributing.
- Digg-like. Allows to contribute with news and to mark news.
- FAQ: Manager for questions from users and answers from the webmaster.
- Groupware: Collaborative website.
- Hub-Blog. Server of blogs.
- Portal: Common website, may be extended with a FAQ manager, un forum, etc.
- Templates: Static CMS, pages are defined by codes.
- Videos. Displays and manage videos.
- Web app: Web application, extended CMS.
- Wiki: Allows user to contribute to page and make them.
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