https://github.com/bmehder/nostalgiaphp

A caveman-simple file-based CMS
https://github.com/bmehder/nostalgiaphp

cms markdown minimal php

Last synced: about 2 months ago
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A caveman-simple file-based CMS

• Host: GitHub
• URL: https://github.com/bmehder/nostalgiaphp
• Owner: bmehder
• License: mit
• Created: 2025-09-05T23:03:11.000Z (10 months ago)
• Default Branch: main
• Last Pushed: 2025-09-20T17:26:24.000Z (10 months ago)
• Last Synced: 2025-09-20T18:31:05.096Z (10 months ago)
• Topics: cms, markdown, minimal, php
• Language: PHP
• Homepage: https://nostalgiaphp.onrender.com/
• Size: 2.28 MB
• Stars: 0
• Watchers: 0
• Forks: 0
• Open Issues: 0
• Metadata Files:
  • Readme: README.md
  • License: LICENSE

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README

          
# Nostalgia PHP  

🚀 **Live Demo:** [nostalgiaphp.onrender.com](https://nostalgiaphp.onrender.com/)

> A file-based CMS for people who survived WordPress and the JavaScript framework wars.  

---

## Why?  

Back in 2004, making a site was simple:  

- A couple of PHP files on a server.

- Maybe a MySQL table or two.

- Edit `header.php` and `footer.php` live and hit refresh.

Then the web went sideways:  

- WordPress themes turned into small operating systems.  

- JavaScript discovered frameworks… then metaframeworks… then frameworks for those.  

- Every site suddenly needed `npm install` and a thousand dependencies just to render “Hello World.”  

All you wanted was a website.  

---

## What is NostalgiaPHP?  

It’s **not a framework**.  

It’s **not a static site generator**.  

It’s **definitely not WordPress**.  

👉 It’s a tiny flat-file CMS that:  

- Uses Markdown files as your database.  

- Routes everything through one `index.php`.  

- Renders with simple templates and partials.  

- Makes URLs pretty with `.htaccess`.  

That’s it.  

---

## Features  

- Write pages and collections in **Markdown**.  

- Drop in **partials** (`header.php`, `footer.php`).  

- No database. No build step. No Node.  

- Runs anywhere PHP runs (which is… everywhere).  

---

## Installation  

1. Copy the files.  

2. Run `php -S localhost:8000`.  

3. Visit [http://localhost:8000](http://localhost:8000).  

4. Make pages. Done.  

---

## Why Markdown?

Because it’s the glue.  

Your content lives in **Markdown + front-matter**. That’s the portable layer.  

Write it once, and it can be rendered by just about anything:  

- **PHP** → NostalgiaPHP + Parsedown  

- **Python** → Flask + Markdown/Mistune + Jinja2  

- **Ruby** → Sinatra + Kramdown  

- **JavaScript** → Eleventy (11ty) + Markdown-it  

- **Haskell** → Hakyll (Pandoc under the hood)  

- **Go** → Hugo (Markdown + front-matter baked in)  

The runtime doesn’t matter. The content does.  

NostalgiaPHP just happens to be the tiniest, laziest way to get it on the web right now.

---

## Philosophy  

- Simple sites deserve simple tools.  

- Markdown first, HTML if you need it.  

- PHP is fine. Stop pretending it isn’t.  

- If your site needs a build system, you’re overthinking it.