Craft CMS is a self-hosted, open-source content management system built on the Yii2 framework that empowers developers and content creators to design custom digital experiences without being constrained by rigid templates or assumptions. Unlike traditional CMS platforms, Craft offers a clean-slate approach to content modeling, allowing teams to define exactly how content should be structured and presented. It is designed for developers who need fine-grained control over data architecture, templating, and extensibility while providing an intuitive interface for non-technical users. With its built-in GraphQL API, plugin ecosystem, and commerce integration, Craft is ideal for agencies, enterprises, and developers building tailored websites, headless applications, or e-commerce platforms that require scalability and customization beyond what generic CMS solutions offer.
What You Get
- Intuitive control panel - A user-friendly admin interface for content creators to manage structured data without needing technical skills, with custom field layouts and draft workflows.
- Twig-based templating system - A powerful, secure templating engine that allows developers to create dynamic layouts using Twig syntax, with full access to content models and variables via Craft’s template variables.
- Auto-generated GraphQL API - A production-ready GraphQL endpoint automatically exposed for headless content delivery, enabling frontend frameworks like React or Vue to query structured content without REST endpoints.
- Built-in plugin store - Access to hundreds of free and commercial plugins (e.g., Redactor, Super Table, SEOmatic) that extend functionality without modifying core code, installed via Composer or the control panel.
- Extensible extension framework - Developers can create custom modules, plugins, and field types using PHP, with hooks for events, services, and database schema modifications.
- E-commerce integration via Craft Commerce - Native support for building custom online stores with products, variants, taxes, shipping rules, and payment gateways—all integrated into the same content management interface.
Common Use Cases
- Building a multi-tenant SaaS dashboard with custom content types - A developer uses Craft’s field layout builder to create unique content structures for each client, then leverages the GraphQL API to feed data into a React-based admin dashboard.
- Creating a mobile-first e-commerce platform with 10k+ SKUs - Using Craft Commerce, a team models product variants, inventory rules, and localized pricing, then serves the storefront via a headless Vue.js frontend using GraphQL queries.
- Problem → Solution flow: Need to manage editorial content across 10+ regions with custom fields per region → Craft’s global sets and site-specific field layouts allow content editors to manage localized content in one unified interface
- DevOps teams managing microservices across multiple cloud providers - Craft’s self-hosted architecture and Composer-based deployment allow teams to containerize the app with Docker, use environment-specific config files, and automate deployments via CI/CD pipelines.
Under The Hood
Craft CMS is a feature-rich, extensible content management system built on PHP with a modular architecture that emphasizes developer flexibility and component-based development. It integrates seamlessly with the Yii2 framework while offering a robust plugin ecosystem and modern frontend tooling.
Architecture
Craft CMS follows a layered architecture with clear separation of concerns, enabling modular growth and extensibility.
- The system uses a layered approach combining core functionality, web assets, and plugin modules with well-defined interfaces.
- Loose coupling is achieved through traits, behaviors, and dependency injection patterns.
- Design patterns such as strategy, factory, and observer are consistently applied to manage authentication, component creation, and event handling.
Tech Stack
The project leverages PHP as its primary language, enhanced with modern JavaScript and frontend tooling.
- Built on PHP with extensive use of Vue.js, Webpack, and TypeScript for a dynamic developer experience.
- Relies on the Yii2 framework and Craft-specific packages like @craftcms/webpack for enhanced functionality.
- Integrates modern build tools such as PostCSS, Sass, and ESLint alongside comprehensive testing frameworks.
Code Quality
The codebase reflects a mature approach to quality with strong testing practices and consistent standards.
- Comprehensive test coverage includes end-to-end, integration, and unit tests across multiple domains.
- Error handling is implemented with proper try/catch blocks and centralized exception management.
- Code linting, formatting, and CI/CD pipelines support consistent and maintainable development practices.
What Makes It Unique
Craft CMS distinguishes itself through its balance of flexibility, extensibility, and developer-centric design.
- Its modular architecture enables deep customization without sacrificing performance or maintainability.
- The extensive plugin ecosystem and component-driven UI provide a unique level of extensibility for content creators.
- Seamless integration with Yii2 and modern frontend technologies sets it apart from conventional CMS platforms.