Bludit

Bludit is an open-source, self-hosted content management system designed for building websites and blogs. It operates as a flat-file CMS, meaning it stores all content and configuration in JSON format rather than relying on a traditional database installation. This architecture removes the need for database setup, maintenance, or complex configuration, making it a lightweight option for content delivery.

The software is deployed on a web server with PHP support. Users can install it by uploading the extracted zip files to a hosting directory or by utilizing a provided Docker image for rapid testing and deployment. Once the files are in place, the system provides a web-based installer that guides the user through the initial setup of the website and administrative credentials.

Key features

• Flat-file storage using JSON format
• Support for Markdown and HTML content
• Database-free installation and configuration
• Plugin and theme support
• Integrated installer for initial setup
• Support for UTF-8 via the PHP mbstring module
• Image processing via the PHP gd module
• DOM manipulation via the PHP dom module

Bludit is built with PHP and requires version 8.0 or higher to function. It is intended for developers and site owners who want a system for content management without the overhead of managing a SQL database. The architecture allows for easy backups, as the entire site can be duplicated by copying the files and directories. The system includes a login brute-force blocklist and visitor statistics, though these require specific web server configurations when running behind a reverse proxy like Nginx or Apache to ensure client IP addresses are correctly identified via the REMOTE_ADDR variable.

Bludit is a lightweight tool for users seeking a simple, file-based approach to website and blog management.