✳ Open source · PHP · No database

A simpler, faster, fuller website CMS.

Timber is a WordPress alternative made by indies, for indies. Pages, posts, forms, SEO, privacy tools, email and a visual site Playground — built in, in plain PHP, with no database to set up and no build step.

Install Timber →Why Timber?Coming from WordPress

0databases to set up

0build steps

~1.7 MBwhole CMS, unzipped

1 minfrom upload to editing

The 30-second version#

unzip timber.zip && cd timber
php -S localhost:8430 router.php     # then open http://localhost:8430

A fresh copy sends you to a one-page installer: site title, admin email, a password. You land in the admin with a working starter site, three designs to choose from, a contact form and sample content.

What you get#

📝Pages & postsFour editors (Simple, HTML, Coder, Builder), drafts, scheduling, live previews. 🎛️The PlaygroundRun several designs of your site side by side, share a private link, switch with one click. 📬Forms & inboxA real form builder with spam protection, autoresponders and webhooks. 🔎SEO built inTitles, Open Graph, JSON-LD, sitemap, robots, RSS and redirects — no plugin. 🍪Privacy toolsA cookie banner with Google Consent Mode v2 and a data-request form. 🚚WordPress migratorImport posts, pages, menus, images — and rebuild your old site's look.

Who it's for#

Timber is for people who want a real website with a real admin, but don't want to run a database, babysit plugins or learn a build toolchain: indie developers and studios, designers, writers, small businesses, anyone who has ever thought "this shouldn't need this much stuff."

It is not (yet) for large editorial teams, e-commerce stores or sites that need per-user roles. See Roadmap & limits for an honest list.

Where to go next#

New here? Read Why Timber? and Timber vs WordPress.
Ready to try it? Installation takes about a minute.
Moving a WordPress site? Migrate from WordPress.
Want to build a theme? Building themes.