Grav CMS

Grav CMS is a modern, open-source content management system that belongs to the flat-file category — meaning it runs without a database. Instead of storing articles and configuration in MySQL tables, Grav keeps everything in plain files: content in Markdown, settings in YAML. Written in PHP, it emphasizes speed, simplicity and developer experience, which sets it apart from heavier, database-driven systems like WordPress.

How Grav CMS works

Grav's foundation is a directory structure that mirrors the site structure: each folder under user/pages is a single page, and the Markdown file inside holds its content together with metadata (YAML front matter). The system rests on three pillars:

• Flat-file — with no database, a backup is simply a copy of a directory, and migrating to another server needs no data export and import.
• Advanced caching — Grav aggressively caches rendered pages, so it responds very quickly under modest traffic despite having no database.
• Modular architecture — themes built on the Twig templating engine and plugins that extend functionality, installed from a built-in package manager.

Grav CMS in practice

Grav works best for projects where simplicity and performance matter more than heavy editorial workflows:

1. Blogs and brochure sites — quick to stand up, with authors writing comfortably in Markdown.
2. Technical documentation — the file-based structure fits perfectly with versioning content in Git.
3. Prototypes and microsites — with no database to install, deployment is as simple as unpacking an archive on the server.

Running Grav needs only standard hosting with PHP support; the absence of a database requirement eases maintenance and improves security, since one common attack vector disappears.