As a web developer, well not a web developer as such more a guy who runs websites, I’m always on the lookout for tools and technologies that can streamline my workflow and improve the performance of the websites I manage. Recently, I’ve made the decision to migrate a couple of my WordPress-powered sites (Jabi & Media Labs) to Grav CMS, a powerful and flexible flat-file CMS.

The sites that I have migrated over to Grav CMS don’t require much as they are simple one page websites with a few links. Whilst WordPress can do this it’s a bit much for a simple landing page don’t you think. I can always migrate back to WordPress or another Dynamic CMS in the future if the need requires.

Why Flat-File CMS?

Before diving into the specifics of the migration process, let’s explore the fundamental differences between database-driven CMSs like WordPress and flat-file CMSs like Grav.

Database-Driven CMS

Database-driven CMSs store all content, settings, and user data in a centralized database. This complex architecture requires a web server, database server, and PHP interpreter. As a result, database queries can slow down page load times, especially on high-traffic sites. Additionally, databases are vulnerable to hacking attempts, SQL injection, and other security threats.

Flat-File CMS

In contrast, flat-file CMSs store content in individual text files, typically in Markdown or YAML format. This simplified architecture requires only a web server to run, eliminating the need for database queries and leading to faster page load times. With fewer moving parts and no database to exploit, flat-file CMSs are inherently more secure.

The Benefits of Grav CMS

Grav offers a wide range of benefits that make it an attractive choice for developers and content creators alike:

• Speed and Performance: As a flat-file CMS, Grav delivers lightning-fast performance, improving user experience and SEO.
• Flexibility and Customization: Grav’s modular architecture allows you to easily customize your site’s functionality and design.
• Ease of Use: A user-friendly interface and intuitive workflow make it easy to create and manage content.
• Security: With no database to worry about, Grav is inherently more secure than database-driven CMSs.
• Scalability: Grav can handle both small personal blogs and large-scale enterprise websites.

The Migration Process

Migrating from WordPress to Grav involves a few key steps:

1. Backup Your WordPress Site: Create a complete backup of your WordPress site, including the database and files.
2. Install Grav: Follow the official Grav installation instructions to set up a new Grav site. I set mine up via docker I’ll pop the compose file at the end of the post for anyone that is interested.
3. Migrate Content:
   • Pages and Posts: Grav doesn’t have a built in import wizard so you’ll have to have a search on GitHub for relevant plugin. As I recreated my simple landing pages in markdown quite easily I didn’t use any plugins so I’m not able to recommend any, If you find any that work for you though please let me know in the comments below.
   • Media Files: Transfer media files to Grav’s user/pages/media folder.
   • Plugins and Themes: Install and configure any necessary plugins and themes to replicate WordPress functionality.
4. Redirect Old URLs: Set up 301 redirects from your old WordPress URLs to the corresponding Grav URLs.
5. Test Thoroughly: Test your migrated site to ensure everything is working as expected.

By migrating to Grav CMS, I’ve experienced a significant boost in performance. I’m still getting used to formatting posts as I’ve not really used Markdown script before, so I’m not sure about it’s flexibility at this stage, but from what I have read, with a little learning I should be able to create some interesting websites if I need to in the future. While the initial migration process may require some effort, the long-term benefits far outweigh the short-term costs, as far as page speed is concerned, I was astonished at how quickly the pages have been loading, having used WordPress for so long I think I may have gotten a little brain washed and found the slower speeds acceptable.. If you’re looking for a fast, secure, and customizable CMS, I highly recommend giving Grav a try.

I should probably point out that I did look at a few other Flat-File CMS options but unlike Grav, none of the other options had a built in admin UI. as much as I’m willing to learn some new things I can’t quite live without a nice interface to work with. I spend enough time using terminal as it it is it’ll be nice to not have to do that when updating a website.

As much as the thought of transitioning this blog over to Grav has gone through my head, especially with the boost in the page loading speeds, I would miss some of my feature comforts too much, well at this stage anyway. I may revisit that thought again in the future when I have a bit more experience using Grav… or when I inevitably FUBAR my blog again. I may just start a fresh with Grav.

What are you thoughts? Do you use Grav or another Flat-File CMS for your Web Projects? Would you consider moving any of your projects to Grav? Do you know of any easy to follow resource that might help me get to grips with Grav quicker? Please let me know either in the comments below or on the social post that brought you here.