RooCMS is an open-source Content Management System (CMS) built entirely in pure PHP without external frameworks or ORM dependencies. Founded by alex Roosso, our collective focuses on developing modern, secure, and high-performance web solutions that prioritize developer experience and architectural purity.
Our collective specializes in creating framework-free PHP applications that demonstrate the power of native PHP capabilities combined with modern development practices. RooCMS represents our vision of what web development should be: clean, efficient, and dependency-free.
- Pure PHP Advocacy: We believe in the strength of native PHP and actively promote framework-free development approaches
- Modern PHP Excellence: Leveraging PHP 8.1+ features including strict typing, attributes, and modern language constructs
- API-First Architecture: Building systems that are both traditional CMS and powerful API platforms
- Security-First Design: Implementing enterprise-grade security measures including CSP, role-based access, and comprehensive input validation
Our flagship project, RooCMS, is undergoing a complete architectural rewrite with several key innovations:
Technical Excellence:
- Universal database support (MySQL, PostgreSQL, Firebird) with a single codebase
- Advanced file management system with multi-format support and automatic processing
- Comprehensive backup and migration systems with CLI and API interfaces
- Custom dependency injection container following SOLID principles
- RESTful API endpoints for complete system integration
Modern Frontend Stack:
- Tailwind CSS 4.x for utility-first styling
- Alpine.js for reactive components and interactivity
- CSP-compatible architecture for enhanced security
- Modular theme system supporting multiple rendering engines
Enterprise Features:
- Database migration system with versioning and rollback capabilities
- Multi-layer security including JWT authentication and role-based permissions
- Comprehensive logging and health monitoring systems
- Performance optimization with sub-15ms API response times
We contribute to the PHP ecosystem by:
- Demonstrating framework-free development approaches
- Providing educational resources about modern PHP practices
- Maintaining high code quality standards with automated testing and analysis
- Supporting multiple database systems in a unified way
Our collective operates on principles of:
- KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid): Preferring straightforward solutions over complex abstractions
- Performance First: Optimizing for speed and resource efficiency
- Security by Design: Building security measures into every component
- Maintainability: Writing clean, well-documented code that stands the test of time
We invite developers and organizations interested in pure PHP development, modern web practices, and contributing to an open-source project that values quality and simplicity.
RooCMS is an open-source, framework-free CMS written in modern PHP (8.1+). We are rebuilding the core as RooCMS 2.0 (dev branch) to deliver a database-agnostic, API-first platform with modular theming, advanced file management, and enterprise-grade security. We need support for ongoing core development, CI and hosting costs, improved documentation, test infrastructure, and community outreach to grow contributors and sustain maintenance.