Automad
A next-level flat-file content management system and page builder built for designers and creatives. Fast, flexible, and beautifully minimal.
Features that matter
Built on a flat-file architecture, Automad delivers the speed, flexibility, and feature set modern websites need — without the complexity and overhead of a database-driven CMS.
Files only
No database required. Automad stores content as plain files for simple deployment, shared hosting compatibility, and fully portable projects across environments.
Powerful page-builder
Create modern, responsive websites with an intuitive block-based editor and a flexible layout engine built for highly customizable page structures.
AI assistance
Write, refine, and transform content with opt-in AI assistance directly inside the editor for faster and more efficient content creation.
Flexible templating engine
Create custom themes with an intuitive and powerful template language designed to make building templates straightforward and flexible.
Extremly fast
File-based content, image optimization, and multilayer caching work together to deliver consistently fast page rendering and a highly responsive browsing experience.
Multilingual content
Optional language routing automatically serves visitors content in their preferred language for a seamless, localized browsing experience across your site.
Image editor
Automad includes an integrated image editor for quick adjustments, allowing you to edit visuals directly within the content workflow without external tools.
In-page editing
Edit content directly on the live site with real-time previews, allowing changes outside the dashboard for a faster, more intuitive workflow.
Drafts & publishing
Create and refine content in drafts, then publish when ready, enabling safe iteration and full control over what goes live.
Page versioning
Automatic snapshots capture page changes over time, allowing you to easily roll back to earlier versions when needed.
Customizations
Add custom styles and JavaScript globally or per page, giving you full control to extend and tailor your site’s behavior and appearance.
Git backups
Thanks to its file-based structure, Automad sites can be versioned and backed up effortlessly using Git or other standard version control systems.
Start instantly
Install, and you’re ready to go. The included Standard Lite theme gives you a solid starting point for blogs, portfolios, or simple sites — no setup friction, just start building.
Go beyond templates
Build layouts without fighting your theme. Automad’s page builder lets you compose pages freely — mixing content blocks, structure, and design the way you actually need it. No rigid templates, no constraints.
Focus on building
A built-in templating engine that keeps things simple but powerful. Create custom themes and layouts quickly, while Automad handles the logic behind the scenes. Start from scratch or use the Starter Kit to get moving right away.
Questions, answered
Answers to common questions about Automad’s architecture, features, and usage to help you understand how everything fits together.
Why should I use Automad and what are typical use cases?
Automad is perfect for websites that need rich content, flexible layouts, and an enjoyable editing experience. It shines for creative portfolios, blogs, technical documentation, and professional sites.
- Creative work: Artists, designers, architects, and photographers can showcase visually engaging layouts while keeping full control over presentation.
- Writing: Bloggers and writers enjoy a clean, focused editing experience that scales from a few articles to extensive collections.
- Documentation: Technical docs and knowledge bases benefit from clear structure and long-form content support.
- Professional presence: Agencies, law firms, consultants, cultural organizations, and local businesses get a modern site with contact info, services, and portfolios.
For designers and agencies, Automad is an intuitive, flexible foundation for custom websites that clients can manage independently after launch.
What are the minimum system requirements to host Automad?
Automad has minimal hosting requirements and runs on virtually any modern PHP hosting environment. To host Automad, you only need PHP 8.2 or newer with the GD, cURL, and ZIP extensions enabled, plus a modern web browser to access the dashboard.
For production websites, Apache (with mod_rewrite enabled), LiteSpeed, or Nginx are recommended. However, Automad can also run with PHP's built-in web server for local development and testing.
Since Automad is a flat-file CMS, no database server is required.
Does Automad offer any AI integration or uses my data for training AIs?
No. Automad itself does not use your data for training AI models or any other external processing.
AI features in Automad are fully optional. You can opt in to AI-assisted writing inside the editor and connect external providers such as the OpenAI or Anthropic APIs if you choose to use them. These integrations are entirely under your control and can be disabled at any time.
When using external AI services, the respective providers’ terms of service and data policies apply.
How can i contribute to the Automad ecosystem?
The best way to contribute to the Automad ecosystem is by helping improve its quality and visibility through feedback and real-world usage.
Since Automad is developed with a very focused design and development process, pull requests are generally not accepted. However, contributions are still highly valuable in other forms.
You can contribute by reporting bugs, sharing clear reproduction steps, and providing feedback on usability, documentation, and real-world usage. Responsible disclosure of security vulnerabilities is especially appreciated. You can also help by spreading the word about Automad, assisting other users, moderating discussions in the community forum, or contributing translations for the dashboard language packs.
I am missing a certain feature, what can I do?
If you are missing a feature, you can request it by opening an issue on GitHub and describing your use case in detail. This helps prioritize improvements based on real-world needs.
If the feature is related to design or layout, you can often implement it yourself using the Automad Starter Kit to build a custom theme tailored to your requirements.
In many cases, Automad’s flexible theming and content system already allows you to achieve the desired result without changes to the core system.
Do you offer a hosted cloud version?
A hosted cloud version of Automad is planned for the future.
The goal is to offer affordable, fully managed Automad installations as a simpler and cheaper alternative to traditional shared hosting. This service is not available yet, and there is currently no fixed release date.
If you are interested, you can sign up for the newsletter to stay updated on progress and availability.
Is Automad free to use?
Yes. Automad is free to use for both personal and commercial projects and is distributed as source-available software.
You can use it to build websites for yourself, your business, your organization, or your clients without paying any license fees. Agencies, freelancers, and web developers are free to use Automad for client projects and distribute websites built with it.
The only significant restriction is that you may not offer Automad itself as a competing hosted or SaaS product where the primary value of the service is the CMS software.
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Start exploring
Get hands-on with Automad through guides covering setup, usage, system internals, and development. Start simple or dive deep depending on your needs.