Automad
Flat-file CMS with a built-in template engine and headless mode
Automad is a flat-file content management system and template engine designed for building websites without a database. Content is stored as human-readable files, while Automad still provides core features like searching, tagging, and caching for fast page rendering.
Key Features
- Flat-file storage (no database required), suitable for version control workflows
- Browser-based admin dashboard for content, settings, uploads, and theme management
- Block editor for composing pages/posts from reusable content blocks
- In-page edit mode for editing content while browsing the site
- Multi-layer caching engine for high performance on limited hardware
- Flexible template language and PHP extension mechanism for advanced customization
- Optional headless mode exposing content via a read-only JSON API
- Package ecosystem for installing themes and extensions
Use Cases
- Personal sites, portfolios, and blogs that benefit from a lightweight stack
- Small business or brochure sites needing a simple editorial workflow
- Headless content backend for custom frontends consuming a JSON API
Automad is a strong fit when you want a database-free CMS with a modern editing experience, templating built in, and the option to switch between monolithic and headless setups as needed.
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Nginx
Less
Docker
TypeScript
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