Grav 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.
Grav
Fast flat-file CMS with no database required
VS
PublicCMS
High-performance Java content management system
| Feature | Grav | PublicCMS |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 95 · Excellent | 86 · Excellent |
| Category | Content Management Systems | Content Management Systems |
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | PHP | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 256 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal, source | bare-metal, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 15,671 | ★ 2,097 |
| First released | 2014 | 2015 |
| Replaces | WordPress, Squarespace | WordPress |
What are Grav and PublicCMS?
Grav
Grav is a modern open-source flat-file CMS that requires no database, storing content in Markdown files. It is fast to deploy and well suited to blogs, documentation, and small to medium websites.
- No database needed
- Markdown-based content
- Plugin and theme ecosystem
- Fast page rendering
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
Grav vs PublicCMS: key differences
Grav is written in PHP, while PublicCMS is built with Java. Licensing differs — MIT for Grav versus Apache-2.0 for PublicCMS. Grav is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for PublicCMS. Grav has the considerably larger community, at 15,671 GitHub stars versus 2,097. Grav lists first-class Docker deployment; PublicCMS does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Grav if…
- Trivial to back up and migrate
- Quick to set up
Watch out for
- Less ideal for very large sites
- Admin plugin needed for GUI editing
Choose PublicCMS if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- Active community (2.1k GitHub stars)
- Written in Java
Frequently asked questions
Is Grav or PublicCMS better?
Grav is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider PublicCMS if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Grav and PublicCMS free and open-source?
Yes. Grav is licensed under MIT and PublicCMS under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Grav and PublicCMS with Docker?
Grav: yes. PublicCMS: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Grav or PublicCMS?
Grav has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for PublicCMS. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.