oCMS is an open-source content management system for developers who want to run their own site and keep control of its markup, content, and deployment. A Go binary runs the application, SQLite stores the data, and the admin panel handles everyday publishing.
Who it suits
Use oCMS for a developer-run blog, a small publication, a project website, or a content site with its own design. Editors can work in the admin panel while the site's owner manages the templates and server.
- Personal and project sites: publish pages and posts without building an editing interface yourself.
- Small publishing teams: use accounts, roles, drafts, and linked translations to organize the work.
- Custom sites and integrations: write your own theme and connect other tools through the REST API.
What you run
A prebuilt release includes the application, admin assets, core themes, and built-in modules. You do not need Go or Node.js installed to run it. Your site's database, uploads, configuration, and custom themes live alongside the binary.
That layout makes the moving parts clear. Updating the application and preserving the site's data are separate jobs. Back up a consistent SQLite database, uploaded files, custom themes, and the .env file, including its session and MFA keys.
The practical trade-offs
oCMS gives you control over the site; it also leaves you responsible for operating it. Plan for a writable data directory, HTTPS through a reverse proxy, backups, and a process manager that can restart the application.
Choose it when you are comfortable editing HTML and CSS and managing a server, or have someone who does that for you. If you need a fully hosted service with infrastructure and maintenance handled for you, compare that requirement with what you are prepared to operate.
Review the deployment guide, configuration guide and supported release platforms before choosing a setup.
Your design, your extensions
Custom themes use Go HTML templates, CSS, and optional JavaScript. You can change the site's layout without rebuilding the CMS binary. The admin panel manages pages, posts, media, and translations.
Explore the theme gallery and editor's guide for design and publishing. Custom modules are Go packages compiled into the application; installing their source beside a prebuilt binary does not load them at runtime. The module reference (GitHub Wiki) covers that development workflow.
Read the IT Digest case study for a real publication using oCMS articles, categories, tags and a distinct theme.
Maintainer and license
oCMS is maintained by Oleg Ivanchenko. The source is available under the GNU General Public License v3.0 or later. Issues, fixes, and contributions are welcome in the GitHub repository.
Use the Support page for troubleshooting, a bug-report template and contact options. You can also email webmaster@ocms.tech.
Start with a small site
Try the live demo to explore the interface, or download oCMS and run it locally. The first-site walkthrough takes a small project from its first page through theme changes and deployment.