Run it on hosting. Extend it from source.
VonCMS is a hybrid publishing suite for publishers, from personal blogs to high-traffic news portals. Use the Deploy ZIP for runtime installs, or use the source repository when you want custom themes, plugins, APIs, fixes, and release packages.
Requirements
VonCMS keeps the production server ordinary. Source development needs Node tooling, but runtime hosting does not.
PHP
PHP 8.2 or newer for the runtime and API layer.
Database
MySQL 5.7 or newer, or MariaDB 10.3 or newer.
Web Server
Apache or LiteSpeed with `.htaccess`. Nginx deployments need focused rewrite configuration.
Source Work
Node.js LTS and npm are only needed when building or modifying the source.
Deploy ZIP Install
Use this path for normal site owners and shared-hosting installs.
- Download: Get `VonCMS_v1.25.1_Deploy.zip` from GitHub Releases.
- Upload: Extract the ZIP into the hosting web root.
- Database: Create a MySQL database and database user.
- Installer: Open `https://yourdomain.com/install` and complete the wizard.
- Admin: Sign in at `/admin`, choose a theme, then publish or import content.
Production hosting does not need Node.js, Vite, npm, or a separate frontend server.
Architecture
VonCMS is a compiled React application plus a PHP API/runtime. The public entry point handles routing, crawler metadata, install checks, maintenance mode, canonical URLs, redirects, and hydration data.
Included Systems
VonCMS ships the core publishing surface as baseline product behavior.
Content
Posts, pages, drafts, scheduled publishing, TipTap editor, media manager, categories, metadata, keywords, and quick edit.
Admin
Dashboard, settings, users, role boundaries, comments moderation, contact forms, newsletter tools, database utilities, audit logs, and repair tools.
Public Site
Themes, navigation menus, profiles, category views, search, comments, feeds, sitemap, robots output, llms.txt, JSON-LD, canonical URLs, Open Graph, and Twitter cards.
Themes
VonCMS ships with Default, TechPress, Digest, Portfolio, Prism, and Corporate Pro themes. Theme code belongs in the source theme system and should preserve shared renderers, SEO ownership, and public runtime behavior.
Theme Registry
Theme registration lives in the core theme registry, while theme implementations live under the source theme folders.
Local Fonts
Fresh installs use Inter locally. VonCMS does not need Google Fonts at runtime for bundled themes.
Plugins And Extensions
Plugins and extensions are for optional behavior such as SEO helpers, analytics, widgets, article blocks, campaign bars, integrations, and admin tools.
- Keep plugin settings explicit.
- Sanitize public HTML before output.
- Verify activation state in both admin UI and public theme runtime.
- Use existing APIs and shared renderers instead of duplicating runtime behavior.
Installer, Routing, And Updates
The installer uses `public/install.sql` and PHP installer endpoints under `public/api/`. Public routing is handled by `public/index.php` and `.htaccess` rules.
If updating an older site through OTA to v1.25.0, run System Tools > Repair `.htaccess` once after the update.
Security Notes
Security guidance belongs in focused docs and code review, not marketing claims. The v1.25.1 release tightened SSR JSON-LD escaping, Root-account boundaries, guest comment CSRF coverage, and WordPress XML importer handling.
- Do not publish exploit details in public issues.
- Back up files and database before upgrades.
- Review security-sensitive PHP API changes with focused tests.
Documentation Map
The full VonCMS developer and operator docs live in the source repository. Use the focused file for the area you are changing instead of treating the README as the only source.
Install & Upgrade
Installation, Upgrade, and VPS deployment cover hosting, updates, and server notes.
Runtime Internals
API, Routing, and Security explain the PHP runtime, route handling, and review boundaries.
Customization
Theme development, Plugin development, and Custom fonts cover source-level changes.
Project Truth
Changelog is shipped release truth. Contributing covers issues, pull requests, and security reporting.
Release Checks
Maintainer-level release work should run the full gate before packaging.