Kirby

Kirby is a German file-based CMS that stores content in plain files and folders, with no database to install, back up, or break. Sites deploy by copying files, version cleanly in Git, and stay fast under load, which is why designers and developers have made it a quiet favorite since 2012.

The admin Panel is fully customizable through blueprints: editors see exactly the fields their content needs, nothing more. Kirby renders through classic PHP templating or runs headless via its API, and a rich plugin ecosystem extends both. Licensing is refreshingly simple: a one-time payment per site, three years of updates, no subscription.

Key features:

• No database, content lives in files and folders you can version in Git
• Customizable Panel with blueprints shaping the exact editing interface
• Headless or templated output from the same content
• One-time license of 99 euros per site, no subscription lock-in
• Unlimited free local installs for development and staging
• Plugin ecosystem with an official directory and stable APIs
• Free licenses for students, educators, and selected showcase projects

Kirby is developed by Content Folder GmbH & Co. KG near Heidelberg, Germany, and proudly carries its Made in Europe branding. As a self-hosted product your content never touches a third-party cloud, and the source is publicly auditable even though the license is commercial.

Ideal for design studios and developers replacing WordPress on client sites that need speed, clean content modeling, and zero database maintenance.