General FlatPress: A Database-less Alternative to WordPress

[Num7]

Amid all the buzz about WPEngine vs WordPress, I thought I'd drop in and talk about a cool alternative: FlatPress. Unlike WordPress, FlatPress skips the whole database thing and uses flat files for storage instead. What does that mean for you? Speed and simplicity. Without a database to query, FlatPress is lightning-fast, making it perfect for anyone who values performance.​

https://www.flatpress.org/

Setting up FlatPress is a piece of cake. Just upload the files to your server, and you're off. No database headaches, no complicated installations. Plus, it’s super easy to customize. Whether you’re a developer or just starting out, you can tweak and create themes with ease. They've got modern, responsive themes that are simple to mod and look great right out of the box.

Back a couple of years ago, I created a new theme called Leggero-v2, that is now their default theme when you install FlatPress. You can see it in the screenshot above, the one with the red header.

I also created and currently support 2 themes that are modern and responsive. You’ll find them below. FlatRead is a remake of the Read WordPress theme, while Grey Matter is a remake of the default Jekyll theme.

https://num7.paranormalis.com/p/flatpress-themes.html

One of the best parts? Security. With no database to hack into, you’re adding an extra layer of protection. And because it doesn't rely on a database, FlatPress is gentle on server resources, making it perfect for smaller hosting plans or if you just want to keep things efficient.

If you're on the lookout for a simple, secure, and fast blogging platform, FlatPress is worth a try. It’s a fresh alternative to the usual suspects and meets the needs of modern bloggers without the extra baggage.

I’ve used FlatPress a couple of times for my personal blog, it was great. I chose to switch to Blogger at some point, because of FlatPress’ open source nature. I always felt the urge to “mod it until it dies.” Which means my blog was in a constant state of total turmoil and never-ending development. That’s how fun FlatPress is and how OCD I am sometimes. Oh well!

Looking forward to hearing from you! Hope you like FlatPress as much as I do.

 

[Cedric]

Back a couple of years ago, I created a new theme called Leggero-v2, that is now their default theme when you install FlatPress. You can see it in the screenshot above, the one with the red header.

That's so cool. Did you get a big paycheck?

Looks good though.

 

[Num7]

I got paid in experience, not money!

 

[Cedric]

I got paid in experience, not money!

Next best thing!

 

[Al]

it doesn't rely on a database.

That's very interesting. Where does it store all of the information if there is no database?

How lightweight is it when compared to Wordpress in terms of features?

 

[Num7]

All the content (posts and pages) are stored as text files on the server. It's in the "fp-content" directory, grouped by year, month, day, etc, IIRC. That way, all you need is PHP. No database required. It has its advantages, as even with a minimum hosting service, you're able to serve pages very quickly and at a very low cost.

And it's incredibly portable. No database, means no migration of any kind. Copy and paste it to your new host, and you're done!

I was about to say that the downside is that it's sometimes harder to search, but I think they have a couple of utilities to mitigate this, like an index, among other things. For a small personal blog like a lot of folks have, it's a non-issue.

It's a little inferior to WP in terms of features. While it has way less options and bells and whistles, I believe it has most of WP's basic, core features. But aren't we all used to seeing WP with a hundred installed addons? FlatPress doesn't have an answer to ALL of those addons and advanced features, but it has a lot of them. And it's surprisingly easy to create your own, just like the themes.

 

[Shawn Gossman]

How secure is information on a flat file versus a database?

 

[Num7]

How secure is information on a flat file versus a database?

Sorry for the delay, I had to test something before I could provide a proper answer. Here's an example that will help.

The test blog post is located at /flatpress/?x=entry:entry240318-143718

The flat file that it is stored in is located at: /flatpress/fp-content/content/24/03/entry240318-143718.txt

The flat file can be directly accessed if you have the link. And the link can be guessed. Is this a security issue? I don't think so, as the post itself is available anyway. FlatPress doesn't have post permissions as far as I know. So every post and page is visible at all times. Including their flat files.

Of course, a database can't be directly accessed, so there's that. I have to assume it's easier to hack into a file system than into a database. Is that right?

Overall, I don't think it's good or bad, compared to a database. It certainly is simpler and lighter. Many things to consider.