Anchor CMS vs PublicCMS
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted content management systems options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Anchor CMS | PublicCMS |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 15 · At risk | 86 · Excellent |
| Status | Archived | Actively maintained |
| Category | Content Management Systems | Content Management Systems |
| License | GPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | PHP | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, docker, source | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,293 | ★ 2,095 |
| First released | 2012 | 2015 |
| Replaces | WordPress | WordPress |
What are Anchor CMS and PublicCMS?
Anchor CMS
Anchor CMS is a super-simple, lightweight open-source blogging platform and CMS written in PHP. It focuses on minimalism and getting out of the writer's way.
- Minimal and lightweight
- Markdown editing
- Simple theming
- Quick setup
PublicCMS
PublicCMS is an open-source content management system written in Java that generates static pages for high performance and supports managing multiple sites. It is aimed at organizations needing a fast, template-driven publishing platform.
- Static page generation
- Template-driven
- Multi-site support
- High performance
Anchor CMS vs PublicCMS: key differences
The biggest difference is maintenance: Anchor CMS's repository is archived and no longer developed, while PublicCMS is actively maintained. Anchor CMS is written in PHP, while PublicCMS is built with Java. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Anchor CMS versus Apache-2.0 for PublicCMS. Anchor CMS is the lighter option, starting around 128 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for PublicCMS. Anchor CMS is the more established project (first released 2012), while PublicCMS arrived in 2015. Anchor CMS lists first-class Docker deployment; PublicCMS does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Anchor CMS if…
- Very lightweight
- Easy installation
Watch out for
- Limited features
- Development inactive
Choose PublicCMS if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- Active community (2.1k GitHub stars)
- Written in Java
Frequently asked questions
Is Anchor CMS or PublicCMS better?
Anchor CMS is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Anchor CMS if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Anchor CMS and PublicCMS free and open-source?
Yes. Anchor CMS is licensed under GPL-3.0 and PublicCMS under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Anchor CMS and PublicCMS with Docker?
Anchor CMS: yes. PublicCMS: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Anchor CMS or PublicCMS?
Anchor CMS has the smaller minimum footprint at 128 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for PublicCMS. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.