Froggy-BLC 1.0: file-based CMS without DB

# Froggy-BLC 1.0: File-Based CMS with Tree Structure for Content Publishing

The stable release of Froggy-BLC 1.0 is out — an open-source content management system without a database. All data is stored in files, with code implemented in JavaScript and PHP under the MIT license. The project is designed for building sites with deep hierarchies of pages and comments, where semantics and taxonomy define the structure.

The system is ideal for scenarios requiring transparent data control without SQL or frameworks. Inspired by early versions of CMSimple, Froggy-BLC implements the 'Book Site System' concept for publishing books, documentation, and personal resources.

Main Use Cases

Froggy-BLC is optimized for projects with complex nesting:

• Author websites with long texts organized into sections and subsections;
• Online books and tutorials with clear hierarchies of chapters and paragraphs;
• Personal sites in the style of the early web with tree-based navigation;
• Documentation and notes structured as a tree rather than a linear feed.

The key mechanism is a full tree model. Pages form a 'section → chapter → paragraph' structure, similar to comments, providing semantic depth without relational DBs.

Architecture and Implementation Features

Froggy-BLC is fully file-based: content, metadata, and configuration are stored in the filesystem. The lack of a DB minimizes dependencies and simplifies deployment — just a web server with PHP and Node.js for JS components.

Semantics are built on taxonomy: each page has explicit links to parents and children. This enables on-the-fly generation of navigation, tables of contents, and indexes. Comments inherit the page tree structure, supporting nested discussions.

The project emphasizes transparency: source code is available for inspection and modification without vendor lock-in. Version 1.0 marks a major update with an online demo for testing.

Advantages for Developers

For mid-level and senior specialists, Froggy-BLC offers:

• Zero-DB approach: scaling via files, suitable for static hosting;
• Flexible taxonomy: customizable hierarchies without schema migrations;
• MIT license: free use in commercial projects;
• Lightweight: no overhead from ORMs or query builders.

Integration with a JS frontend allows rendering dynamic trees. The PHP backend handles file operations atomically, avoiding race conditions in multi-user scenarios.

Key Points

• Froggy-BLC 1.0 is the first stable file-based CMS focused on tree-structured content;
• Fully independent of DBs: data in files, code in JS+PHP;
• Ideal for books, documentation, and personal sites with deep structures;
• Semantic taxonomy for pages and comments without frameworks;
• Demo and sources available under MIT.

— Editorial Team