MODX

MODX is an open-source content management system (CMS) that doubles as a content management framework (CMF) written in PHP. Its hallmark is complete control over the generated HTML — MODX imposes no layout or theme, letting designers build any page structure they want and embed dynamic content within it.

How MODX works

Unlike WordPress, where the theme dictates structure, MODX separates content from presentation using its own tag language. The developer writes clean HTML and inserts calls that the system replaces with data. The core concepts are:

• Resources — individual documents that form the site's tree structure.
• Templates — HTML markup defining the look, with embedded tags for fields and snippets.
• Chunks and Snippets — static reusable HTML fragments and dynamic PHP scripts executed when a page renders.
• Template Variables — additional configurable content fields attached to resources.

MODX comes in two branches — the classic Evolution and the more modern Revolution, built on an object-oriented architecture and a MySQL database.

MODX in practice

MODX shines where design precision and security matter:

1. Corporate and portfolio sites — full fidelity to a bespoke visual design without the compromises a theme imposes.
2. Sites with elevated security needs — a minimal core and no mass-targeted plugins reduce the attack surface.
3. Projects demanding clean code — control over the HTML makes SEO and performance optimisation easier.
4. Large editorial sites — flexible content fields and a tree structure scale well across many subpages.

MODX runs on standard hosting with PHP and MySQL, which keeps it accessible even for smaller projects.