Kirby CMS

Bastian Allgeier launched Kirby in Germany in 2012 as a file-based CMS — no database, just folders and text files. Kirby was opinionated about one thing: simplicity and developer control. Content lived in folders, templates were PHP, and the Panel (admin interface) was a beautiful custom-built dashboard that ran without any server requirements beyond PHP. Bastian sold Kirby as a one-time license for personal and commercial use and bootstrapped the project entirely solo for years. The CMS became beloved in the European designer and developer community for its flexibility, clean architecture, and the quality of its documentation. Bastian added a team of helpers and contributors over time but kept the company tiny. Kirby is used on tens of thousands of sites globally — from personal portfolios to mid-size brand sites to arts and cultural institutions. A solo-founder CMS competing against open-source giants by being genuinely better designed and better documented, generating an estimated $30k+/month from perpetual licenses.