SHSelfHostIndex

Fork CMS vs MODX Revolution

A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted content management systems options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.

Not the right match-up?
FO Fork CMS User-friendly CMS aimed at content editors VS MO MODX Revolution CMS and application framework with creative freedom
FeatureFork CMSMODX Revolution
Deploy effortUnder-an-hour setupUnder-an-hour setup
Health score26 · At risk80 · Excellent
CategoryContent Management SystemsContent Management Systems
LicenseMITGPL-2.0
LanguagePHPPHP
Setup difficultyEasyMedium
Min. RAM256 MB512 MB
Deploymentdocker, bare-metal, sourcedocker, bare-metal, source
GitHub stars★ 1,171★ 1,411
First released20102005
ReplacesWordPressWordPress, Drupal

What are Fork CMS and MODX Revolution?

Fork CMS

Fork CMS is an open-source content management system built on Symfony components, designed to be easy for content editors while remaining flexible for developers. It includes built-in SEO and analytics modules.

  • Editor-friendly interface
  • Built-in SEO module
  • Analytics integration
  • Multilingual support

Read the full Fork CMS guide →

MODX Revolution

MODX Revolution is an open-source content management system and web application framework that imposes no constraints on markup or design. It is used to build custom websites and applications.

  • Complete design freedom
  • Flexible templating
  • Extensible with packages
  • Granular permissions

Read the full MODX Revolution guide →

Fork CMS vs MODX Revolution: key differences

Both projects are written in PHP. Licensing differs — MIT for Fork CMS versus GPL-2.0 for MODX Revolution. Fork CMS is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for MODX Revolution. MODX Revolution is the more established project (first released 2005), while Fork CMS arrived in 2010.

Why pick each one

Choose Fork CMS if…

  • Easy for non-technical users
  • Good built-in modules

Watch out for

  • Smaller community
  • Slower development pace
Fork CMS details

Choose MODX Revolution if…

  • No markup constraints
  • Good for custom builds

Watch out for

  • Steeper learning curve
  • Smaller community
MODX Revolution details

Frequently asked questions

Is Fork CMS or MODX Revolution better?

Neither is universally better. MODX Revolution has the larger community, while Fork CMS is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.

Are Fork CMS and MODX Revolution free and open-source?

Yes. Fork CMS is licensed under MIT and MODX Revolution under GPL-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.

Can I run Fork CMS and MODX Revolution with Docker?

Fork CMS: yes. MODX Revolution: yes.

Which is lighter on resources, Fork CMS or MODX Revolution?

Fork CMS has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for MODX Revolution. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.

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