What is PyroCMS?

PyroCMS is a simple, flexible, community driven Content Management System built with the PHP framework CodeIgniter.

The CMS was originaly developed by Phil Sturgeon in 2008 for various personal and commercial freelance projects and over the coarse of a few years got to be a very useful system for quickly making simple sites. In 2009 this CMS was released open-source under the name PyroCMS, taken from Phil's handle at the time "thepyromaniac".

Since those early days PyroCMS has grown rapidly to be translated into over 16 languages, accepted code from over 65 contributors and had almost 20,000 installations since v1.0 alone. Even more recently PyroCMS has evolved into two logical branches: Community and Professional. One is free, one asks a little in return for some features only those making money from PyroCMS will require.

Philosophy

PyroCMS takes a different approach to many content management systems and tries very hard not to try too hard. So many content managent systems try to do everything and they often end up seriously confusing the end-users. PyroCMS can make the majority of simple websites out of the box and will be the first 80% of anything more complex. When you need to fill in the final 20% you can take a look at the Add-on Store for existing modules, widgets and plugins or you can make your own and sell them afterwards.

By avoiding the full 100% we have built a much more usable system and we will keep it that way, while the extensibility and simplicity of Add-on development makes it easy and financially viable for everyone.