Open Source Content Management System : : CMS Made Simple

CMS Made Simple is a free, open-source content management system (CMS) built with PHP and Smarty, designed for developers, designers, and content editors to create and manage customizable websites.

🚀 Overview

CMS Made Simple (CMSMS) is a lightweight, modular open-source CMS that emphasizes simplicity, extensibility, and design freedom. It uses the Smarty templating engine to separate content, functionality, and presentation, making it easy to customize without the bloat found in more complex systems like WordPress or Drupal.

This project solves the problem of needing a user-friendly CMS that allows non-technical users to manage content easily while giving developers and designers full control over themes and modules. It's perfect for small to medium websites, portfolios, blogs, and applications requiring custom functionality via addons.

It's built for content editors who need intuitive tools for updates, designers who want flexible templating, and developers seeking a solid extensible base. Created around 2004 as a straightforward alternative to heavier CMS platforms, it prioritizes speed, security, and ease of use.

✨ Key Features

Smarty Templating Engine: Straightforward customization of themes and layouts with powerful tags for dynamic content, enabling design freedom without deep coding.
Modular Addon System: Thousands of modules for galleries, e-commerce, blogs, forms, calendars, and more, with easy installation via Module Manager.
Web-based Admin Panel: Full content management, user permissions, page building, and site configuration from any browser.
Core Tools: News manager, search, WYSIWYG editor (MicroTiny), themes repository, and built-in help/documentation.
Upcoming: Continued security updates and PHP 8+ compatibility enhancements.

🛠 Tech Stack

Frontend: Smarty templating engine, HTML/CSS/JS (custom themes)
Backend: PHP (7.4+ recommended)
Database: MySQL (5.7+)
Auth: Built-in user groups and permissions system
Hosting: Any standard PHP/MySQL web hosting (shared, VPS, etc.)

👥 Who Is This For?

This project is useful for:

Developers who want to build and extend custom CMS-powered sites quickly
Designers looking for flexible, lightweight templating without restrictions
Indie makers and small teams building portfolios, blogs, or business sites

📸 Screenshots / Demo

Live demo: https://softaculous.com/demos/cms_made_simple
GitHub: https://github.com/cmsmadesimple/cmsmadesimple

🔥 Project Status

🟢 Actively building

Last updated: 2026-03-24

❓ FAQ

Is this project free?

Yes — Open Source under GPL license. Completely free to download, use, and modify.

Is the source code available?

Yes — https://github.com/cmsmadesimple/cmsmadesimple

Can I contribute?

Yes — Report bugs and feature requests at https://dev.cmsmadesimple.org/, submit PRs on GitHub, participate in forum discussions at https://forum.cmsmadesimple.org/, or join the community Slack.