Overview
Grav is a flat-file web platform: pages are Markdown files and settings are YAML, so there is no database to run. Themes use Twig templating, plugins and themes install from the bin/grav CLI, and a cache layer keeps pages fast. It installs by unpacking a ZIP or with Composer.
What it does
- Flat-file content in Markdown
- Twig templating and YAML configuration
- Plugins and themes installed from the CLI
- Built-in caching
Capability source: Project documentation
Who Grav fits
Small sites and docs where content lives in files under version control.
How you run it
Grav runs on infrastructure you manage.
Documented deployment options: ZIP package, Composer.
Before you choose it
There is no database, so plan backups around the user folder.
Self-hosting and deployment
- Self-hostable
- Yes
- Cloud / hosted offering
- Not recorded
- Docker noted in deployment tags
- Not recorded
- Deployment tags
- ZIP package, Composer
- Difficulty
- Easy
Grav questions
- What is Grav?
- A flat-file CMS that stores content in Markdown, with no database. It is listed under CMS on PickOpenSource.
- Is Grav open source?
- Yes. Its source code is public on GitHub under the MIT license.
- Can you self-host Grav?
- Yes. Listed deployment options: ZIP package, Composer.
- Is Grav free?
- Pricing is not recorded in this catalog. Check the official website for hosted plans and edition limits, and the MIT license for usage conditions. Self-hosting also requires infrastructure and maintenance.
- What are alternatives to Grav?
- Similar cms projects include Strapi, Ghost, and Payload.
- Is Grav actively maintained?
- The latest commit on GitHub was October 15, 2026, and the repository has 16k stars.
Related projects
Other approved projects in CMS: Strapi, Ghost, Payload.
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