What is ClassicPress used for?

ClassicPress is a community-led, lightweight CMS forked from WordPress 6.2 that keeps the classic editor and drops the block editor. It is a good fit for sites that prefer the classic editor and developers staying with a lightweight WordPress-style CMS.

Is ClassicPress open source?

Yes. ClassicPress is open source under the GPL-2.0 licence. Its source code is on GitHub at ClassicPress/ClassicPress and is written mainly in PHP.

Is ClassicPress free?

Yes. ClassicPress is open source, so the software itself is free to use.

Can I self-host ClassicPress?

Yes. ClassicPress can be self-hosted on your own server or infrastructure.

What is ClassicPress an alternative to?

ClassicPress is an open-source alternative to WordPress.com. Other open-source alternatives to WordPress.com include WordPress, Grav and Joomla.

Is ClassicPress actively maintained?

Yes. The most recent commit to ClassicPress was on 2 October 2026, and the latest release is 2.7.3+dev, published on 23 September 2026. The project has 861 stars on GitHub.

ClassicPress: open-source alternative to WordPress.com

About ClassicPress

ClassicPress is a community-led open-source content management system for creators. It is a fork of WordPress 6.2 that preserves the classic TinyMCE editor as the default, so site owners who prefer the traditional editing experience keep a familiar interface.

According to the project, it is about half the size of WordPress, carries less bloat for better performance and does not include the block editor (Gutenberg) or full site editing. Because it descends from WordPress, its PHP code, admin interface and extension model remain familiar to WordPress developers, and the project credits the long history of WordPress contributions.

ClassicPress is written in PHP and licensed under GPL-2.0, and you host it on your own PHP web hosting. Governance, documentation and a feature-suggestion process are published on the project site, and it is funded through corporate sponsors and donations.

Key features

Fork of WordPress 6.2
Classic TinyMCE editor by default
No block editor or site editing
Smaller codebase than WordPress
Familiar admin interface
Community governance

Good fit for

→Sites that prefer the classic editor
→Developers staying with a lightweight WordPress-style CMS

Built with: PHP
Tags: cms; wordpress-fork; php; blogging; classic-editor; lightweight; self-hosted

ClassicPress: questions and answers

What is ClassicPress used for?: ClassicPress is a community-led, lightweight CMS forked from WordPress 6.2 that keeps the classic editor and drops the block editor. It is a good fit for sites that prefer the classic editor and developers staying with a lightweight WordPress-style CMS.
Is ClassicPress open source?: Yes. ClassicPress is open source under the GPL-2.0 licence. Its source code is on GitHub at ClassicPress/ClassicPress and is written mainly in PHP.
Is ClassicPress free?: Yes. ClassicPress is open source, so the software itself is free to use.
Can I self-host ClassicPress?: Yes. ClassicPress can be self-hosted on your own server or infrastructure.
What is ClassicPress an alternative to?: ClassicPress is an open-source alternative to WordPress.com. Other open-source alternatives to WordPress.com include WordPress, Grav and Joomla.
Is ClassicPress actively maintained?: Yes. The most recent commit to ClassicPress was on 2 October 2026, and the latest release is 2.7.3+dev, published on 23 September 2026. The project has 861 stars on GitHub.