What is ProcessWire used for?

ProcessWire is an open-source PHP content management system and framework with custom fields, templates and a strong API, developed since 2010. It is a good fit for building custom-structured websites, developing content-heavy sites with a clean API and agency projects needing control over markup.

Is ProcessWire open source?

Yes. ProcessWire is open source under a custom licence. Its source code is on GitHub at processwire/processwire and is written mainly in PHP.

Yes. ProcessWire is open source, so the software itself is free to use under the terms of its own licence.

Can I self-host ProcessWire?

Yes. ProcessWire can be self-hosted on your own server or infrastructure; there is no official hosted version.

What are some alternatives to ProcessWire?

Similar open-source tools in the CMS category include TYPO3, Joomla and Squidex. SaaS products in the same category include Contentful, Adobe Experience Manager and ButterCMS.

Is ProcessWire actively maintained?

Yes. The most recent commit to ProcessWire was on 1 October 2026. The project has 1.2k stars on GitHub.

ProcessWire: open-source CMS

About ProcessWire

ProcessWire is an open-source content management system and framework written in PHP. It lets developers define their own fields and templates and work with content through an API, giving more control over markup and structure than many other platforms, and it can be used for small sites as well as larger applications.

The README describes it as both a CMS and a content management framework, with custom fields for all content, a secure foundation and a focus on scalability and performance. New versions of the development branch are released frequently. It started in 2003, took the name ProcessWire in 2006 and has been an open-source project since 2010. The README includes sections on installation, upgrading, troubleshooting and support.

ProcessWire runs on your own PHP hosting with a database and is self-hosted. The repository lists its licence as other, so check the licence file before commercial use. It suits web developers and agencies who want a code-friendly CMS where the content model is defined by the developer rather than imposed by the platform.

Key features

Custom fields for all content types
Template-based output control
Powerful content API
CMS and framework in one
Frequent development releases
Documented install and upgrade process

Good fit for

→Building custom-structured websites
→Developing content-heavy sites with a clean API
→Agency projects needing control over markup

Built with: PHP
Tags: cms; php; processwire; content-management; framework; api; custom-fields; self-hosted

ProcessWire: questions and answers

What is ProcessWire used for?: ProcessWire is an open-source PHP content management system and framework with custom fields, templates and a strong API, developed since 2010. It is a good fit for building custom-structured websites, developing content-heavy sites with a clean API and agency projects needing control over markup.
Is ProcessWire open source?: Yes. ProcessWire is open source under a custom licence. Its source code is on GitHub at processwire/processwire and is written mainly in PHP.
Is ProcessWire free?: Yes. ProcessWire is open source, so the software itself is free to use under the terms of its own licence.
Can I self-host ProcessWire?: Yes. ProcessWire can be self-hosted on your own server or infrastructure; there is no official hosted version.
What are some alternatives to ProcessWire?: Similar open-source tools in the CMS category include TYPO3, Joomla and Squidex. SaaS products in the same category include Contentful, Adobe Experience Manager and ButterCMS.
Is ProcessWire actively maintained?: Yes. The most recent commit to ProcessWire was on 1 October 2026. The project has 1.2k stars on GitHub.