For a headless CMS for managing website content, the strongest matches are strapi/strapi (Strapi is an open-source headless CMS with a built-in), wordpress/wordpress (WordPress is the most widely used open-source CMS, providing) and drupal/drupal (Drupal is a battle-tested open-source enterprise content management system). craftcms/cms and alchemycms/alchemy_cms round out the shortlist. Each is ranked by relevance to your query, popularity and recent activity.
Compare the top headless CMS options for your next project. We ranked these open-source repositories by activity and features to help you pick the best fit.
Strapi is an open-source headless content management system and JavaScript framework used for defining content schemas and managing structured data. It functions as a REST and GraphQL API gateway that decouples backend data storage from frontend delivery. The system includes a self-hosted administration interface for managing content entries and defining data models without manual database queries. The framework utilizes a plugin-based extension system to inject custom logic into the application lifecycle. It employs schema-driven content modeling to automatically generate database tables and
Strapi is an open-source headless CMS with a built-in admin panel, plugin system, REST and GraphQL APIs, role-based access, media library, and database support, making it a comprehensive solution for managing and publishing digital content.
WordPress is an open-source content management system and PHP-based application framework designed for building and maintaining websites. It functions as a visual, block-based website builder that allows users to construct layouts and manage digital content without manual code entry. The platform supports a wide range of operational needs, from managing individual sites to administering complex multi-site networks from a single installation. The system is distinguished by its highly extensible, plugin-driven modular architecture, which allows for the integration of third-party modules to add
WordPress is the most widely used open-source CMS, providing a block-based WYSIWYG editor, a media library, granular role-based access control, a vast plugin ecosystem, a REST API, and a database backend—exactly matching every feature the visitor needs.
Drupal is an open-source enterprise content management system and PHP web application framework. It provides a toolkit for creating digital experiences through custom content types, blocks, and an extensible administrative interface. The platform is designed for enterprise web publishing, managing complex website hierarchies and digital assets across multiple languages. It supports multilingual website administration through content translation and the import of locale files. The system includes capabilities for managing user permissions, controlling access to unpublished content, and calcul
Drupal is a battle-tested open-source enterprise content management system that provides everything you need—WYSIWYG editing, a media library, role-based access control, a vast plugin ecosystem, a REST API, and a database backend—making it a direct and comprehensive fit for managing and publishing digital content.
Build bespoke content experiences with Craft.
Craft CMS is a full-featured open-source content management system with a WYSIWYG editor, asset management, user permissions, extensible plugin architecture, and a REST API, making it an excellent fit for managing and publishing digital content.
Alchemy CMS is a content management system built on the Ruby on Rails framework that provides a modular environment for constructing websites. It utilizes a component-based architecture to organize content into reusable blocks, allowing for consistent design and structure across pages while supporting both traditional server-side template rendering and headless content delivery. The platform distinguishes itself by offering a dual-delivery approach, exposing structured content through standardized application programming interfaces to support decoupled front-end architectures. It includes an
Alchemy CMS is an open-source Rails CMS framework that supports both classic server-rendered and headless delivery, making it a direct fit for managing and publishing digital content with the typical CMS features like a media library, user roles, and an API.
Ghost is an open-source publishing platform and headless content management system designed for professional publishers. It provides a decoupled architecture that separates the content management backend from the front-end delivery layer, allowing users to manage editorial workflows and site data through structured web services. The platform distinguishes itself by integrating a built-in membership and subscription engine, which enables creators to manage gated content, paid tiers, and secure member profiles directly within the system. It also features a dedicated infrastructure for professio
Ghost is a professional open-source headless CMS with a REST API, role-based access control, media library, and a rich editor, which aligns well with managing and publishing digital content.
Grav is a flat-file content management system that eliminates the need for a traditional database by storing site content and configuration in human-readable Markdown and YAML files. Built as a modular PHP web framework, it uses a hierarchical page routing system where the physical directory structure directly determines the site's URL paths. The platform is distinguished by its event-driven plugin architecture and a command-line interface that prioritizes system administration, deployment, and maintenance tasks. It utilizes a blueprint-driven system to generate administrative forms from stru
Grav is a flat-file content management system with a plugin architecture and flexible page routing, but its use of Markdown files instead of a database backend means it does not meet all the listed database requirements — it is still genuinely a CMS.
October is a self-hosted content management system and website engine built on the Laravel PHP framework. It provides a modular platform for developing custom websites and web applications, featuring an integrated administration interface for organizing and delivering digital content. The system utilizes a plugin-based extension model that allows core functionality to be expanded through independent modules. This architecture enables the registration of custom routes, views, and database schemas to build complex web features. The platform includes tools for asset compilation and bundling, a
October CMS is a self-hosted content management system built on Laravel, offering a plugin-based extension model and an integrated administration interface for organizing and publishing digital content — it directly matches the CMS category, though some required features (WYSIWYG editor, media library, REST API, role-based access) are not explicitly confirmed in the description.
Fuel CMS is a modular content management platform built on the CodeIgniter framework, designed for managing structured data and administrative workflows. It functions as a server-side application that provides a centralized dashboard for organizing site-wide variables, custom data models, and reusable content blocks. The system distinguishes itself through model-driven administrative generation, which automatically creates management interfaces by inspecting database schemas. It supports granular security through hierarchical permission access control and user activity auditing, allowing admi
This is a CodeIgniter-based content management system, which fits the need for managing and publishing digital content, though its specific features (WYSIWYG editor, media library, etc.) are not detailed.