Skip to content
Tom's Software Emporium

MultiCMS

The Lightweight, Flexible CMS with Multi-Mode Content Parsing

Enter MultiCMS, a lightweight, PHP-based CMS that offers a streamlined, efficient way to manage and deliver content. Built with simplicity and flexibility in mind, this CMS stands apart by supporting multiple content parsing modes, allowing for versatile content creation, while seamlessly coexisting with other applications on a server.

Three Powerful Content Parsing Modes

MultiCMS offers a unique blend of content management options, designed to cater to a wide range of developers and content creators. The system features three distinct content parsing modes:

  1. Templated HTML: This mode unleashes the full power of HTML, JavaScript, and CSS. It allows developers to design rich, fully customizable web pages without constraints. This option is ideal for users who want complete control over every aspect of their page's design and functionality, making use of cutting-edge web technologies and frameworks.

  2. BBCode: Popularized by forums, BBCode is a simplified markup language that makes content creation fast and easy. Using simple tags like [b] for bold text or [spoiler] for collapsible sections, BBCode allows non-technical users to format their content without diving into complex markup. It's a great way to create structured content like discussion threads, articles with expandable sections, or annotated documents with minimal overhead.

  3. Markdown: For those who value simplicity and readability in content creation, Markdown is a powerful choice. With fewer formatting characters and a focus on clean, readable source code, Markdown is perfect for creating lightweight documents, blogs, or content pages. Its minimalist syntax makes it easy for anyone to write well-formatted text with links, images, and lists.

Experience MultiCMS in Action

Curious about how MultiCMS works in real life? This very website you're viewing right now is powered by MultiCMS! Want an example of a Web Service instead? Check out MailHider.

Dynamic Templating and Variable Support

Regardless of the parsing mode used, MultiCMS offers templating functionality to bring content to life dynamically. Using PHP-style template variables, developers can easily insert data into their content, with variables like <?=$date?> to automatically display the current date or custom user-generated content. This dynamic templating allows for seamless integration of data pulled from SQL databases or processed from user requests.

Even better, templating isn't limited to individual pages. MultiCMS supports templated headers, footers, navigation, and other common elements across your entire site. This ensures a consistent look and feel throughout your project, while still enabling the flexibility to customize any section as needed.

Model-View-Controller (MVC) Architecture

The power behind MultiCMS lies in its robust Model-View-Controller (MVC) architecture. Controllers act as the brains of your application, processing data received from requests or fetched from your database. This data is then passed to views, which use template variables to inject it into your content in a clean and efficient way.

This separation of concerns means that your content can be managed, updated, and rendered with minimal effort. Whether you're displaying a blog post, rendering forum discussions, or showcasing a dynamic list of products, the MVC framework ensures your data is handled efficiently and delivered in the most appropriate format.

Accessible by Default

MultiCMS goes the extra mile to ensure that accessibility is built into its core. By default, it generates semantic HTML, which provides additional context and improves the overall accessibility of the site while also enhancing SEO. All pages created with MultiCMS include skip-links, making navigation faster and more efficient for screen reader users (Press [Tab] for example). These skip-links allow users to bypass repetitive elements, such as headers and navigation menus, and jump straight to the main content. Additionally, MultiCMS facilitates the inclusion of helpful metadata such as alt tags that further aid assistive technologies in delivering a highly accessible experience.

A CMS That Plays Well with Others

What truly sets MultiCMS apart from traditional, bulkier CMS platforms is its lightweight design and focus on coexistence. Instead of routing all site traffic through the CMS, MultiCMS only handles requests to specific file types that invoke its functionality. Think of it as a specialized file handler, similar to how Apache processes requests for certain file extensions.

This modular approach means that MultiCMS can sit alongside other applications on your server without conflict. Whether you're running additional CMS platforms, forum software, or custom applications, MultiCMS won't interfere. It's a perfect solution for developers who need to manage specific content types or sections of a site without overhauling their entire architecture.

Following UNIX Principles

At its core, MultiCMS adheres to the UNIX philosophy of doing one thing well. Rather than attempting to be an all-encompassing platform, this CMS focuses on efficiently managing content in three flexible modes while providing seamless integration with other systems. Each content mode is treated as a separate file type, ensuring that every request is handled with precision and minimal resource consumption.

This design philosophy ensures that MultiCMS remains fast, efficient, and adaptable - perfect for developers looking for a lightweight, yet powerful CMS solution.