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Critic: Mike Johnston

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Elementary OS is a Linux distribution based on Ubuntu that features the custom developed Pantheon desktop environment. One of the key aspects, aside from the  unique look and feel, are the custom coded apps and paid app store that are available with Elementary.  Today, we're going to take a look at the  whole picture in this Elementary OS Review.I'm not going to get into the Installation process here as it's  pretty much identical with every other Linux distro out there and there's not much to see. It worked without issue in all of my testing on multiple devices so I'm going to call it stable and solid.<h2>Elementary OS Review – The Desktop</h2>On  boot-up, we're greeted with the Elementary OS Pantheon desktop, which you can tell took inspiration from Mac OS. That's not a bad thing  however as many people are fond of the look and feel and it just works.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/elementary-os-review-1.png" />Elementary OS Review - The Desktop (Elementary OS 5.1)<h2>Welcome Screen</h2>There is now a new welcome screen with the recent 5.1 release. It walks you through some basic options such as enabling location reporting, setting up Night Light which reduces eye strain at specific times and more.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/elementary-os-review-01.png" />Elementary OS Review - New Welcome ScreenAlong the top we have the Applications menu on the left, the date centered in the top panel and the system tray on the right side. At the bottom, the dock where you can launch and pin apps that you use most frequently.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/elementary-os-review-2.png" />Elementary OS Review - The Menu and Dock<h2>The Applications</h2>When it comes to the default apps, the developers tend to go with  those ones that are geared towards simplicity and minimalism. For  example, the default web browser that is installed is Epiphany.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/elementary-os-review-8.png" />Elementary OS Review - The Web Browser (Epiphany)The issue here, however, is that this web browser simply isn't good enough by today's standards. It froze up on numerous websites I tried it on causing the whole system to lock up.While it's not a terrible web browser, it's certainly not something that's commonly used or up to par when compared to the standard Firefox  and Chrome/Chromium browsers. Sure, you can install different ones from  the app store but I think it's a waste to install something most new users are going to find less than adequate. Epiphany is not in the same league as the big boys and is likely going to not be able to correctly be able to display complex sites as well.<h2>Email</h2>Originally forked from Geary, Mail is now developed under the  Elementary banner and is slowly being rewritten to allow for more robust capabilities (<a target="_blank" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/elementaryos/comments/8a7nc0/pantheon_mailgeary/">source</a>) but it's suitable for most users.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/mail.png" />Elementary OS Review - MailOther included apps are Video, Music, Files, Calendar, Terminal and  Photos to name a few. All of these are custom to Elementary OS.<h2>System Settings</h2>Taking a look at the system settings, we see there are numerous icons to help you configure your new environment:<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/elementary-os-review-3.png" />Elementary OS Review - System Settings<h2>Limited Options?</h2>While system settings do exist, the one thing that I personally dislike is the limited flexibility of the environment. The entire distro focuses too much on restricting flexibility with the pretense that it's helping users. The issue, however, is that it's not allowing new users to experience one of the best benefits to using Linux - variety and customization.An example of this is the fact that you simply cannot theme Elementary with any of the default tools without installing a third party (and unsupported) app such as <a target="_blank" href="https://github.com/elementary-tweaks/elementary-tweaks">Elementary Tweaks</a>.For example; take a look at the limited selections available when you click on Desktop within System Settings.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/elementary-os-review---10.png" /><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/elementary-os-review---11.png" />Elementary OS Review - Desktop SettingsAs you can see above, you can change two toggles and the text size and that's it for appearance options.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/elementary-os-review---9.png" />Elementary OS Review - Changing the BackgroundYou can also change the background, but that's about it.Some may disagree on this but I feel like Elementary is trying too hard to be like Apple - limiting people to very few choices because they feel that it's for the greater good of the user and that the user shouldn't have flexibility because they might break something.Part of Linux is about breaking something. In fact, breaking something is one of the only ways people learn how to do things. Look at Windows, it's breaking all the time and most of what I learned came from fixing things. Believe me, Mac OS has just as many issues so let's not assume that because things are limited, breaking won't occur but one shouldn't hold people back from discovering what their OS can do, otherwise we're just encouraging sheep to join the flock.Now that I've got that off my chest, let's continue.<h2>Additional System Settings</h2>There are a few key items here that I feel need to be pointed out, notably Parental Controls and Online Accounts.Online Accounts only provides operating system integration for FastMail, Last.fm and Email which is pretty limiting.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/elementary-os-review---12.png" />Elementary OS Review - Online AccountsParental controls are also available within Elementary OS and it's a great addition.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/parental-controls.png" />Elementary OS Review - Parental Controls<h2>AppCenter</h2>AppCenter is Elementary OS' answer to a software store. It's one of  the only one's I've seen that functions on a Pay-What-You-Want model.<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/appcenter.png" />Elementary OS Review - App CenterThis has actually worked out quite well for the Elementary OS team  and there are now plenty of developers offering paid apps through the  store. You can, of course, also download free ones, not everything is  paid (just to be clear).Here's what the team had to say about the AppCenter:<blockquote>AppCenter is our built-in app store where users can download free and  paid apps that are purpose-built for elementary OS. With AppCenter we’re  doing things a bit differently from our competitors.</blockquote><blockquote>First, every  single app in AppCenter is open source because we firmly believe in the  world-changing power of freely-licensed code and open source software.  Second, all paid apps are offered with a developer-provided suggested  price, but are ultimately pay-what-you-want. Users choose what to  pay — if anything at all — when they download paid apps.</blockquote><h2>Issues I've Encountered</h2>For some reason, the recent 5.1 update seems to have caused more issues than previous releases for me. I found the system freezing up more often than prior releases.I also noticed that when I went to mirror my display to my TV via HDMI, everything scaled to twice the size and wouldn't display correctly no wonder what I tried. Furthermore, I couldn't get sound to output properly either, and finally I just gave up trying.<h2>Elementary OS Review – My Conclusions</h2>First let me state that the intent of these reviews is to cover the quick and dirty basics that a new user will experience on first use. They are not power user reviews or benchmarked ones. My goal is to give those new to the OS a general overview and some points to consider.There's not much that a new user to Linux can actually customize in Elementary OS. While they do offer easy-to-use apps and an interface that is simple and easy to use, as I mentioned,  I found it quite limiting in capabilities without replacing major apps with better and more mainstream options from the AppCenter. Epiphany seemed to do an OK job but it doesn't support extensions. It does, however, offer Firefox Sync capabilities but it's just not good enough in my opinion.I feel like the Elementary team went a bit too far in being  restrictive with the OS but at the same time, limiting things is something Apple has turned into a successful experience and given that Elementary seems to take inspiration from Apple; perhaps it's not a bad thing. I wouldn't recommend trying to use Elementary if you are like me and love customizing things because you won't be satisfied. If you want a “just works” OS and aren't concerned about this, it's a decent option.I'm giving it a 3/5 on the basis that it's a bit too limiting for new users and with the recent 5.1 update, I experienced more freeze-ups and annoyances than before. I'm basing this on what it comes with by default. Is it a great choice for the minimalist? Absolutely.I'd rather recommend something like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cmscritic.com/ubuntu-mate-review/">Ubuntu Mate</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cmscritic.com/mx-linux-review/">MX Linux</a>, or <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cmscritic.com/reviews/solus-review/">Solus</a>.Interested in trying it out for yourself? <a target="_blank" href="https://elementary.io/">Grab it from here</a>. What do you like about Elementary OS?

Elementary OS Review

As popular in name as these three open source CMS are, the fact of the matter is they are simply NOT the best CMS on the market. I realize that this statement may upset people in their camps but it is a  statement of fact.
For years, people's honest intentions have been doing these content management systems a disservice by blindly recommending them for everything under the sun just to help them gain more popularity and a  larger user base. What they don't realize, however, is this type of action does more to hurt the project's name than to help it (in most cases). Today, I'm going to explain to you why these three popular CMS  simply are not the best ones on the market.
I've been waiting to write this post for some time but I think it's very important and may help people understand how to properly choose a  CMS without making blind assumptions that hearing a brand name over and over means it's automatically right for them.
When lurking around Quora and other popular QA websites, I often come across people asking questions about which CMS they should consider for their project. The exchange normally looks something like this:
The question: What CMS should I use?
Reply 1: Definitely Joomla, it's the best!
Reply 2: WordPress all the way!
Reply 3: Drupal is way better, I'd suggest taking a look at it!
This type of blind recommendation, as I mentioned above, not only adds no value to a conversation but also does nothing but further confuse the person who is asking the question in the first place. In this single question, without any qualification of what this user needs or wants from a CMS, three completely different systems with three completely different skill levels have been recommended and the fact is,  as much as this may upset those who are in either of these camps, none are the best.
Let's discuss something very important for a moment. This may come as a shock to you but…
<h3 id="there-is-no-best-cms-">There is no BEST CMS.</h3>
There, I said it.
I'm sorry to all of you in the Joomla, Drupal, and WordPress camps but the fact of the matter is, but your CMS is simply not the best. Of the thousands of content management systems on the market has their own strengths. There are some that are suited better to blogging, some that are great for complicated projects requiring more of a framework, and some that are better for multilingual websites, and that's just describing a few use cases.
Some of you may be wondering why then, do we have a number of “Best CMS” related categories in our <a href="/awards/">CMS awards</a>. The reason is simple, people want to be able to vote and nominate on their favorite projects and I wanted to make sure that some of the lesser-known projects get their moment in the spotlight. I think it's worth helping projects of all kinds get exposure. While the terminology  “Best CMS for Enterprise ” may not seem like the best idea, I've tried to break them into specific categories to help align them with a purpose so that rather than a simple Best CMS award, which wouldn't be very valid given what I've just told you above.. a Best CMS for Enterprise, for instance, is easier to identify because you are identifying its purpose. I don't like using the term Best CMS in any wording which is why I've split them into more specific categories this year.
Now, let me tell you why these products are not the best CMS on the market. I'm sure this is likely going to upset some people but I think these things are important to identify.
<h2 id="wordpress-is-not-the-best-cms">WordPress is NOT the Best CMS</h2>
WordPress is, first and foremost, a blogging platform. Yes, I know,  there are those who say it's the best for everything under the sun including corporate websites and more but the fact of the matter is that when the developers are working on features for WordPress, writing blog posts is their #1 focus, not whether or not it can run a realty website or law firm.
Furthermore, WordPress suffers from something a lot of content management systems suffer from.. too much dependence on plugins. On top of this, plugins are not tested by any WordPress core developer to ensure they pass some form of QA before entering the plugin repository.  As a result, issue such as this one can occur: <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/2458080/thousands-of-sites-compromised-through-wordpress-plugin-vulnerability.html"> http://www.pcworld.com/article/2458080/thousands-of-sites-compromised-through-wordpress-plugin-vulnerability.html</a>
<h3 id="more-plugins-more-bloat">More Plugins = More Bloat</h3>
Again,  there will be those who argue with me on this but it's a common issue across content management systems everywhere and with WordPress specifically, it is virtually impossible (note that I said virtually) to run WordPress without installing at minimum 5 plugins from the plugin directory.
<h4 id="why-is-this-an-issue">Why is this an issue?</h4>
Simply put, the more plugins you install, the more your website performance suffers. Sadly, even plugins developed by Automattic (the mother company of WordPress) can cause massive slowdowns in load time and performance (I'm talking to you Jetpack). While the intentions of the developers who are releasing the plugins are good, this often leaves those running WordPress with the task of updating plugins constantly.
<h3 id="old-plugins-and-no-warnings">Old Plugins and No Warnings</h3>
On top of this, a HUGE percentage of the plugins in the WordPress repository is old and out of date yet still available to install on your system. This is a huge issue as these older plugins still exist and are not removed. There really needs to be an automated system that removes plugins older than say, one year, automatically if they are not updated otherwise someone can unknowingly install something that can expose their website to vulnerabilities.
To test out this, I was able to install (without any warning whatsoever)  a plugin from 2008 on my system unknowingly. How does something like this happen? The plugin search capability within WordPress does not show the date the plugin was developed or warn you that it might not be compatible unless you hit the details button. If you search and read the excerpt of a plugin and think it's what you are looking for, you can hit install and not have any idea that the plugin is 4 years old and likely to cause massive problems with your system.
To be blunt, this is a complete joke and I'm floored that the repository hasn't been purged of this old garbage by now, or at the very least, a warning hasn't even been implemented that checks the date and compatibility against your system and alerts you (or better yet prevents you) from installing a plugin that isn't current.
Don't believe there are a ton of old plugins? <a href="https://wordpress.org/plugins/search/twitter/page/329/"> Check this link. </a> This is just a small sampling of a huge problem. Do you really think installing something developed for the release of WordPress from 2008  would be a good idea?
**Update: WordPress has made some changes to their plugin directory to attempt to identify compatibility and updated dates but there are still major issues. While they have begun to rank more updated plugins and ones that are tested with the most current release first and older ones far back in the directory, you are still able to install old plugins with absolutely no warning. Today, as a test, I  attempted to install a plugin that was 6 years old on my WordPress install and it worked perfectly with no warning. This is a major security issue and a huge concern that needs to be addressed as far as  I'm concerned.**
<h3 id="constant-updates">Constant Updates</h3>
You see, as a new person who is using WordPress for the first time seeing an update notice, you assume it's a good thing to do it for security reasons. The problem with this is that more often than not, a  simple plugin update has the potential to bring your site down hard and leave you scrambling to find a developer to help you figure out what just happened.
To be fair, this isn't a WordPress specific issue (although it is very common with WP) but rather an issue with a significant number of  CMS that rely on plugins (and believe me, the list is long).
A simple solution to this would be to have a fail-safe in place that copies your website, performs the update in a sandbox and, if everything goes well, then executes it on the main site. However, this type of system isn't very common unless you are using a WordPress-managed hosting solution like <a href="https://wpengine.com/plans/">WPEngine</a> that allows you to have a dev copy to test updates on.
<h3 id="conclusion">Conclusion</h3>
WordPress isn't a bad CMS and I'm not attempting to claim that it is.  What I am saying is that, like all CMS out there, it has its faults and specific use cases when it's best recommended.
The fact of the matter is, there are many other CMS that could do a  better job in situations where WordPress ends up getting recommended and these system simply don't have the same word of mouth or marketing prowess that WordPress does, therefore they never get explored.
The problem with plugins is that they cause bloat and bloat means your website slows down. Sure, you can use a caching plugin but that in itself is also a plugin developed by a third party and if you want support, you have to purchase that separately. Why caching is not built into WordPress as of yet still eludes me.
Can WordPress be a good option for a realty website, a law firm or something similar? Absolutely but rather than making a recommendation based on no information adds no value to a conversation. It's important to ask qualifying questions and find out what the individual needs and wants from a project, how it will be used, who will be using it, and so on before attempting to help trim down the list of content management systems.
<h2 id="joomla-is-not-the-best-cms">Joomla is NOT the Best CMS</h2>
There are lots of people that love Joomla and that's great. The  Joomla community has really helped shine the light on open source products on the market. It is, however, simply not the best CMS out there.
<h3 id="the-plugin-game">The Plugin Game</h3>
Joomla suffers from the exact same issue that WordPress suffers from when it comes to plugins. Plugins are not tested against the system by  Joomla core developers before being added to the repository (this same  issue is persistent across a ton of CMS and isn't Joomla specific)and there are also a significant number of outdated plugins from 2010 – 2012  throughout the Joomla extensions directory.
I haven't had an opportunity to test out if Joomla will let you install an outdated plugin or not as their Joomla demo was not functioning correctly for me in order to test this so I cannot speak to  that capability on the latest version. Hopefully, it blocks outdated ones or at least gives a warning.
<h3 id="hacked">Hacked?</h3>
Joomla websites, for some reason, also seem to have a high rate of hacking attempts against them. I don't blame this on Joomla specifically but I think it's more due to the fact that Joomla is popular and therefore, hackers focus on it and target websites using it specifically. This happens just as often with WordPress to be sure but I  tend to hear more often from people who have attempted to use Joomla,  been hacked, and are looking for new solutions.
No, I am not making this up. It's the #1 thing I am contacted about.  To those Joomla fans out there that are ready to freak out that I  mentioned this, I am not saying Joomla is the most hacked CMS by any stretch. I am simply pointing out that in my case, I am contacted about it more often than any others.
In Joomla's defense, I personally think this is largely due to the core issue in this post.. Joomla being recommended for projects it isn't best suited for. What I mean by this is the more people that attempt to set up Joomla with no knowledge of the CMS and that are using it for a  purpose that differs from its core strengths, the more likely they are to make mistakes and end up with a hacked site.
<h3 id="poor-recommendations-poor-experience">Poor recommendations = Poor Experience</h3>
I say this because products such as Joomla and Drupal tend to be geared more towards those familiar with content management systems more than say, WordPress would be. They are slightly more advanced products.  In my mind, I see the top three in order of difficulty: WordPress,  Joomla, Drupal (Beginner user, Intermediate user, Advanced user).  Improperly using a CMS for a situation it's not best suited for can result in problems and a poorly configured system which in turn, can lead to issues down the road.
Joomla also tends to be a bit more advanced than WordPress and those who recommend it to new users who don't have experience with content management systems or have never used one before are doing them and the product a disservice. There are far easier CMS out there but Joomla is definitely on the right track lately with its releases and is getting much better (the interface is light years above what it was in the 2.5  series).
<h3 id="halfway-house">Halfway House</h3>
In some ways, Joomla is halfway between WordPress and Drupal.
As previously stated, it's in the middle when it comes to usage difficulty, but this is also true for Joomla's general flexibility and functionality. WordPress can be stretched – in theory at least – to create a very wide range of website types, from blogs to directories.  Drupal, which will soon be discussed, can be used to create almost any kind of website thanks to its building block nature.
Joomla doesn't stretch quite as far as WordPress, and on the occasions that it does, you can be sure the developers had an uncomfortable time making it happen. Likewise, Joomla cannot be used as a  framework to piece together website elements the same way Drupal does.  Joomla is the piggy in the middle. It works for some, but for others, it only serves to frustrate.
<h3 id="conclusion-1">Conclusion</h3>
As you can see, like WordPress, Joomla has plenty of issues too and while it is a good product, it's not the best CMS on the market nor is it suitable to just recommend it for anything without thinking things through carefully and planning out a use case to see if it's a good fit.
<h2 id="drupal-is-not-the-best-cms">Drupal is NOT the Best CMS</h2>
Here's where things get interesting. In my opinion, Drupal isn't a  CMS. It's a CMF. This stands for content management framework and basically means that you can think of Drupal like Lego, you can build anything you want with it with virtually no limitations. It truly is an amazing product BUT (and here's the big problem) people still tend to recommend it for projects that require way less complex and easy solutions.
As I've mentioned numerous times already, this is not helping your favorite CMS succeed. This does a disservice and causes someone to attempt to use it for a purpose it isn't intended for (or that it isn't best suited for) and end up frustrated. We all know what frustrated people do right? They spread the word about how frustrated they are.
So, rather than just saying something unhelpful like “Use Drupal,  it's the best!!!” perhaps you should consider what Drupal was designed to do and what projects it is best suited for before making a  recommendation.
<h3 id="the-module-or-plugin-conundrum">The Module (or plugin?) Conundrum</h3>
To Drupal's credit, they've done something right with their module directory (same as plugins for those of you who don't get the lingo).  They have a drop-down so you can ensure you only see modules that are under active development and are actively maintained.
Why do you not do this Joomla and WordPress? Yes, I'm talking to you.
Personally, I see no reason for maintaining these downloads but perhaps I am missing something here. I will say that in my opinion,  Drupal has the best modules directory of the lot so they get bonus points there.
<h3 id="it-just-ain-t-easy">It just ain't easy</h3>
Let me apologize in advance to all Drupal fans for this next statement. Drupal simply isn't easy to use. In fact, it's one of the more complex content management frameworks out there, and people who think setting up Drupal properly is a quick and easy process are definitely going to be in for a shock.
Drupal can be massively overwhelming to a new user but, in the right hands, just like Joomla and WordPress, it can also be great when used properly.
<h3 id="conclusion-2">Conclusion</h3>
Of the top three, I think Drupal has the most potential for a wider variety of projects considering how versatile it is and the fact that it is, first and foremost, a framework for building complex projects and web applications.
<h2 id="so-what-is-the-best-cms">So What is the Best CMS?</h2>
This may come as a complete shock to everyone but..
Put simply, there isn't one and there never will be.
People who ask the question “What is the Best CMS” are just like the people who ask the guy playing Everquest “What is the Best Class”. It's a  question that, no matter the context, simply cannot be answered accurately because there are way too many variables to consider.
A gentleman I admire, Adriaan Bloem, I think said it best in his post titled ” <a href="http://offandonline.net/there-is-no-best-cms/"> What's the Best CMS? </a> ” on his personal blog. To quote him:
Not only is there no “best CMS” in general; there isn’t even a best CMS for you. 
All of these tools have drawbacks and shortcomings. Getting the right one means getting one that is the best fit for your scenarios and constraints. But it’s equally important to know the drawbacks. You’re not just committing to the awesome advantages — you’ll always get annoying problems in return. If you know about these in advance instead of ignoring them, you can live with them — and mitigate the problem. Go in eyes wide open.
– Adriaan Bloem, <a href="http://offandonline.net/there-is-no-best-cms/"> OffandOnline.net</a>
Well said Adriaan. I couldn't have said it better myself.
So, to all of you out there who think your CMS is the best, I hate to break your heart but it isn't. Nobody has the best CMS because there is not the best CMS nor will there ever be.
So, what content management systems should you consider trying instead of these three? Here are some alternatives. Note that if your  CMS is not listed, it's not a slight, I have chosen a few example solutions off the top of my head to mention. The position in this list is based on my opinion based on experience. Hopefully, you find them helpful.
For Bloggers: I list 15 great alternatives here: <a href="/minimalist-blogging-platforms/"> Simple Blogging Platforms</a>
There are plenty of other options as well. If you need assistance, <a href="/contact/">drop us a line for help</a>.
Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

WordPress, Joomla and Drupal are NOT the Best CMS

A flat–file CMS is a platform that  does not require a database but rather, saves it's data to a set of text  files. There are many advantages to using flat-file CMS as opposed to  database driving systems, read on to find out what we consider to be the  best flat file CMS on the market.
Most content management systems tend to use databases to store their  content but lately, there's been a trend of flat file CMS coming to  market. With solid state drives and increased internet access speeds,  database driven solutions may not always be the best choice. Today, I'm  going to share with you a selection of actively developed and popular  flat file CMS systems to explore.
As a side note, there are many more solutions out there, I'm aiming  to only list ones that have been updated within the last year as there  are numerous that still have websites but have seen no activity or  updates in quite some time.
<h2>Grav</h2>
Website: <a href="https://getgrav.org/">https://getgrav.org/</a>
A recent winner of our CMS Critic award for <a href="/awards/">Best Open Source CMS</a>,  Grav is a popular flat file CMS developed by the folks from  RocketTheme. It's fast, has a very sweet looking admin plugin and has a  nice selection of available themes to choose from.
<figure class="kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/flat-file-cms---1.png" alt="Grav - Flat File CMS Dashboard" /><figcaption>Grav Dashboard</figcaption></figure>
<h2>Kirby</h2>
Website: <a href="https://getkirby.com/">https://getkirby.com/</a>
Kirby offers a nice looking interface that should feel familiar to  those accustomed to WordPress and the like and is another great choice  for flat-file CMS. The difference between this and the others on this  list is that Kirby is a commercial product that is available for  purchase for a one time fee of less than $20 (US pricing). It's well  worth the investment if you want an easy to use CMS for basic websites.
<figure class="kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/flat-file-cms---2.png" alt="Kirby - Flat File CMS - Admin" /><figcaption>Kirby Admin</figcaption></figure>
<h2>Monstra</h2>
Website: <a href="http://monstra.org/">http://monstra.org/</a>
Monstra is an XML based flat file CMS that is fast, extensible and  has a nice selection of plugins to extend the system. Monstra is  multi-user and very customizable as well. You can also check out their  website for a free demo of the interface to see if it's right for you.  From my testing, it was very responsive and has a well designed  administrative interface.
<figure class="kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/flat-file-cms---3.png" alt="Monstra - Flat File CMS - Dashboard" /><figcaption>Monstra Dashboard</figcaption></figure>
<h2>razorCMS</h2>
Website: <a href="http://www.razorcms.co.uk/">http://www.razorcms.co.uk/</a>
razorCMS is an easy to use flat file CMS that provides you with easy  in-page editing as opposed to having to modify your content from within  an admin panel. It's been around for many years and has forums you can  use to get support should you need it, although at last check, they  didn't appear to be very active in the last year.
<figure class="kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/flat-file-cms---4.png" alt="Razor - Flat File CMS - Admin" /><figcaption>Razor CMS Admin</figcaption></figure>
<h2>GetSimple</h2>
Website: <a href="http://get-simple.info/">http://get-simple.info/</a>
GetSimple has been around for many years and is another great option  to consider. It is a flat file XML based CMS that has plenty of plugins,  themes available for you to use. With an easy to use admin interface  and content editor (as well as a demo on their website for you to try)  it's a good option to consider.
<figure class="kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/flat-file-cms---5.png" alt="GetSimple - Flat File CMS - Admin" /><figcaption>GetSimple Admin</figcaption></figure>
<h2>HTMLy</h2>
Website: <a href="https://www.htmly.com/">https://www.htmly.com/</a>
HTMLy is an open source blogging platform that focuses on simplicity  and speed. It's a great option to consider if you are looking to start a  blog or simple CMS and is easy to install and set up. Unfortunately, I  wasn't able to find a screenshot of the admin interface so I'm sharing a  screenshot of a theme instead.
<figure class="kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/flat-file-cms---7.png" alt="HTMLy Flat File CMS - Admin" /><figcaption>HTMLy Admin</figcaption></figure>
<h2>Automad</h2>
Website: <a href="http://automad.org/">http://automad.org/</a>
Automad is a file-based flat CMS that offers a two step caching  system makes your site extremely fast. A web-based user interface makes  it easy – even for beginners – to manage a website. The template engine  enables designers to build custom themes and templates without PHP  knowledge. The extension interface allows developers to create plugins  for all kind of functionality. It is also possible to put a whole site  under version control using Git or Mercurial.
<figure class="kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/flat-file-cms---8.jpg" alt="Automad Flat File CMS Admin" /><figcaption>Automad Admin</figcaption></figure>
<h2>WonderCMS</h2>
Website: <a href="https://www.wondercms.com/">https://www.wondercms.com/</a>
WonderCMS is an open source CMS (Content Management System) built  with PHP, jQuery, HTML and CSS. It doesn't require any configuration and  can be simply unzipped and uploaded to your hosting provider. The  database is a text file which is easily copied, moved, backed up and  restored.
<figure class="kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/flat-file-cms---9.png" alt="Wonder CMS - Flat File CMS Admin" /><figcaption>WonderCMS Admin</figcaption></figure>
<h2>Typesetter</h2>
Website: <a href="http://www.typesettercms.com/">http://www.typesettercms.com/</a>
Typesetter is another flat file content management system that lets  users create rich and flexible Web sites with a simple and easy-to-use  interface. True WYSIWYG takes the guesswork out of editing page content  while auto-saving makes sure none of your work is lost.
<figure class="kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/flat-file-cms---10.png" alt="Typesetter Flat File CMS Admin" /><figcaption>Typesetter Admin</figcaption></figure>
<h2>BatFlat</h2>
Website: <a href="https://batflat.org/">https://batflat.org/</a>
Batflat is a Polish content management system that is simple, light  and fast. It was first released in May 2016. It requires no  installation, is chock full of features to make your website fast and  efficient and uses no database, like other flat file CMS.
<figure class="kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/flat-file-cms---11.png" alt="BatFlat Flat File CMS" /><figcaption>BatFlat</figcaption></figure>
<h2>FlexType</h2>
Website: <a href="https://flextype.org/">https://flextype.org</a>
Flextype is an open source flat file CMS that was developed in 2018 by Sergey Romanenko.  It's purpose is to provide a lean, open source solution without the  complexities found in many other content management systems. You can read more about it over on our <a href="/flextype-review/">FlexType review.</a>
<figure class="kg-card kg-image-card kg-card-hascaption"><img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/flat-file-cms---12.png" alt="FlexType Flat File CMS - Admin" /><figcaption>FlexType Admin</figcaption></figure>
Are you aware of any that I am missing in this list? If they are  actively maintained (meaning updates within the last year), please feel  free to point them out in the comments below.

A List of the Best Flat File CMS

Umbraco today launched Umbraco Heartcore, a software-as-a-service (SaaS) “headless” content management system (CMS) for easily structuring and sharing content across multiple platforms, devices and channels. Available software development kits (SDKs) let app developers use the software language and platform of their choice to build a highly configurable and easy-to-use content management infrastructure for any website, smartphone, smartwatch or other smart (Internet of Things—IoT) device. Unlike other headless CMS platforms, Umbraco Heartcore is built on the flexible, friendly and full-featured open source Umbraco CMS, and inherits its mature and powerful capabilities to intuitively organize large volumes of content.
Headless is defined as a back-end-only CMS built as a content repository that makes content accessible via a RESTful application program interface (API) for display on any device. While traditional CMS platforms are ideal for managing content on a single website, a headless CMS allows developers to create and maintain multiple digital platforms with synchronous content updates.
“With Umbraco Heartcore, it’s never been easier to ‘future-proof’ and facilitate content creation and organization across myriad devices,” said Kim Sneum Madsen, Umbraco’s chief executive officer. “Half a million websites rely on the powerful yet friendly capabilities of the Umbraco CMS, so we are well-positioned to help companies expand their digital footprint beyond websites to reach audiences through new channels and devices. With its logical content structure capabilities, the ultimate editing experience Umbraco is known for, and the ability to use the software of their choice for development, Heartcore is poised to be the platform of choice for both long-time and new Umbraco users.”
<h2>Umbraco Heartcore Organizes Content for All Developers, Multichannels</h2>
Umbraco Heartcore uniquely lets editors create a logical content structure so they can more easily and more quickly manage, find and update large amounts of content. For example, a main branch of the content tree could be “Movie genres” with sub-branches such as “Thrillers,” “Romance” and “Science Fiction.” The actual “Movies” would be located below the genres, and editors could make new movie content available by creating new movies, placing them into the appropriate genres and adding additional relationships such as “Starring actors” or “Subtitles”, “Synopsis”, “Trailers” and “Related movies.” This content would be made available on websites, streaming services, or in ad campaigns, or any other relevant context.
In addition to this unique organizational structure, Umbraco Heartcore offers:
Greater flexibility when integrating new delivery formats and introducing advanced or mobile functionality to an application Decreased development time, deployment and user testing to get content in front of customers faster Enhanced security, including straightforward user management that ensures that each user only has access to relevant, permitted areas Overall better performance when deploying information to end users Immediate software and API upgrades through the Umbraco Cloud
<h2>SDKs Make Heartcore Accessible to Any Developer, on Any Platform</h2>
In addition to the well-structured back-office, Umbraco Heartcore offers SDKs that allow any developer—even those who aren’t familiar with Umbraco—to use their chosen language to develop applications. SDKs for NodeJS and .NET Core are available today, making it easy to get started with Javascript and C#. Other SDKs will be available soon, but if developers want to use Umbraco Heartcore with another language now or want to create their own client library, they can use the full RESTful APIs to create and consume Umbraco content.
Heartcore is available for a 14-day free trial at <a href="http://icm-tracking.meltwater.com/link.php?DynEngagement=true&amp;H=btYXC68syxmDVppbhVzFoYHdeMNV9070xvOlf%2FNdDQ0wXj6aidRhm8dpvjh%2Fxd2DSMiI7e8D%2B0LK0FW3kBzlrgqLzJ6ibLoDlzxGyWvtRFLiwHKbnu857g%3D%3D&amp;G=0&amp;R=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.umbraco.com%2Fheartcore&amp;I=20191202142606.000009ee62b1%40mail6-114-ussnn1&amp;X=MHwxMDQ2NzU4OjVkZTE2ZDkzN2I5OWRiMzIxNTg0NzliNTs%3D&amp;S=okv5DvvSDNNjhaFsQhNb7La5TeapUMEkOhXsTNXBl0I" target="_blank">Umbraco.com/heartcore</a>.

Umbraco Launches Heartcore, the Most Intuitive Headless Content Management System (CMS) to Manage Large Volumes of Content Across Any “Smart” Platform

Mike is the founder of CMS Critic, which he established in 2008.

Mike Johnston

Articles by Mike

Articles by Mike

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