Grav

getgrav.org
Content Management System
Weekend Project

A Modern Flat-File CMS

How to Replace Grav

Overview

Grav is a modern, open-source flat-file CMS that prioritizes performance, flexibility, and ease of use. Built with developers in mind, it eliminates the complexity of database-driven systems while providing powerful features through an intuitive interface. The system is highly extensible through plugins and themes, making it suitable for everything from simple blogs to complex business websites.

Features

47 features across 21 categories

Access Control(1)

Users and Roles

Create users and roles with permission settings to restrict access to any page

Also in: Kubernetes Dashboard, Lacework, LastPass

Admin(7)

Admin One-Click Updates

Admin panel allows easy installation of plugins and themes with one-click updates

Admin Panel

Optional but useful admin panel providing interface for users and authors to interact with Grav

Advanced Forms

Advanced form capabilities for developing sophisticated admin panels and configuration interfaces

Extensible Admin Panel

Define custom page structures with YAML blueprints and create plugins to extend the admin panel

Responsive Admin Panel

Admin panel works on variety of devices, not just desktop computers

Simple Admin Interface

Simple and intuitive admin interface allowing non-technical people to create content and manage Grav

Usage Statistics Dashboard

Built-in dashboard with usage statistics chart for quick snapshot of site performance

Also in: Insider CDP, Jira, Asana

Backup(1)

Simple Backups and Restore

File-based backup and restore with CLI tools provided, easy host/server changes

Configuration(1)

Powerful Configuration Overrides

YAML-based configuration with environment-based overrides for ultimate flexibility

Content Management(7)

Automatic Page Link Handling

Automatically handles various approaches to easily create links between pages

Custom Fields

YAML-based page headers allowing easy addition of custom dynamic fields to content

Flexible Taxonomies

Built-in support for customizable taxonomies such as tags or categories for content organization

HTML or Markdown Content

Native support for Markdown content with ability to use plain HTML or a mix of both

Markdown Editor

Powerful markdown editor for easy content editing online or offline

Modular Pages

Create a single page built from other modular pages for flexible content composition

Routing and Redirection

Powerful site-wide and per-page routing and redirection capabilities for improved usability and SEO

Also in: Juro, Notion, WordPress.com

Core Architecture(1)

Flat-File Architecture

Highly optimized flat-file architecture that eliminates the need for databases

Developer Tools(3)

CLI Tools

Command line tools for dependency installation, cache clearing, user creation, and backups

Debugging and Logging

Powerful visual debug panel providing vital information in a clear way for development

Powerful API

Powerful API for extending and integrating with Grav functionality

Also in: Jobber, Hugging Face, 1Password

Documentation(1)

Extensive Documentation

Dedicated documentation site plus loads of tutorials and guides

Extensibility(1)

Extensible by Design

Small and fast core with plugins allowing functionality extension as needed

Infrastructure(1)

Minimal Requirements

Runs on PHP 7.1.3 and greater with minimal system requirements

Installation(1)

Instant Install

Unzip to install with zero configuration required - runs out-of-the-box

Licensing(1)

Open Source

Open source software with all code available on GitHub.com

Localization(1)

Multi-Language Support

Use native language or support multiple different languages with ease

Media Management(4)

Automatic Page Image Handling

Easily reference any image within content structure and use media processing

Built-in Media Types

Native support for variety of image, video, sound, and file formats

Image Media Processing

Dynamic image manipulation to resize, crop, resample, apply effects with automatic caching

Native Retina/HiDPI Image Support

Native support for properly displaying images on Retina and HiDPI devices

Multi-Tenancy(1)

Multi-Site Capabilities

Configure a single Grav installation to run multiple sites and other advanced setups

Package Management(2)

One-Click Install

Built-in package manager with one-click install for plugins and themes

Package Manager

Command line GPM system to find, install, and easily update extensions for Grav

Performance(1)

Smart Caching

Sophisticated caching system throughout that automatically knows when to update the cache

Plugins(3)

Extensive Plugins Available

Large collection of open source plugins available to extend core functionality

Plugins Event Hook Architecture

Plugins have full control over Grav with extensive plugin event hook architecture

Simple Plugin Development

Powerful yet simple plugin system making it easy to write custom plugins

SEO(1)

SEO Friendly

Human-readable URLs with site-wide and per-page metadata for fantastic SEO capabilities

Theming(7)

Asset Manager

Built-in asset manager for powerful control over CSS and JS including compression and pipelining

CSS Framework Compatibility

Use any third party CSS framework such as Bootstrap, Foundation, Pure, etc.

Extra Twig Filters and Functions

Useful filters and functions bundled with Grav that expand the power of Twig

No Design Restrictions

Unrestricted creativity with no limitations imposed by the CMS on design

Plugin Event Hooks

Themes have full access to abundant plugin event hooks allowing complete control over Grav

Theme Inheritance

Extend another theme and only modify needed bits for easier updates

Twig Templating Language

Best-in-class Twig templating providing powerful features with great performance

Version Control(1)

Version Control and Sync Support

Support for GIT, SVN, Dropbox, and other services for version control and data synchronization

Cost Calculator

Pricing data not available for Grav. Check their website for current pricing.

Build vs Buy

Should you build a Grav alternative or buy the subscription? Estimate based on 47 features.

Buy Grav

Better Value
Monthly costContact Sales
3-year totalVaries
Time to deployDays

Build Your Own

Development cost$24,000
Maintenance$360/mo
3-year total$36,960
Dev time~2 months

Buying Grav saves ~$36,960 over 3 years vs building.

Estimates based on 47 features and a BuildScore of 5/5. Actual costs vary.

Integrations

8 known integrations

BootstrapDoctrine CachingDropboxFoundationGitPureSVNSymfony Components