⚠️ Note: Pico CMS is no longer maintained (EOL since August 2020). For new projects, consider these actively maintained flat-file CMS alternatives.
Grav CMS: Modern flat-file CMS with admin panel, active development. Recommended by Pico team. Fast, flexible, with excellent theming.
Typemill: Modern flat-file CMS with clean UI. Recommended by Pico team. Vue.js-based, easy to use.
HTMLy: Databaseless PHP blogging platform. Recommended by Pico team. Focus on blogging with Markdown support.
Automad: File-based CMS with template engine. Active development. Good for documentation sites.
Kirby: Premium flat-file CMS with excellent content management. Commercial license.
Pagekit: Modern flat-file CMS with Vue.js backend. (Note: Also has limited maintenance)
| CMS | License | Admin UI | Active | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pico | MIT | ❌ No | ❌ EOL | Legacy sites only |
| Grav | MIT | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | Modern flat-file sites |
| Typemill | MIT | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | Simple content sites |
| HTMLy | GPL | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | Blogging platforms |
| Automad | BSD | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | Documentation sites |
| Kirby | Commercial | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | Professional sites |
If you’re migrating from Pico CMS:
content/ directory