I've been feeling quite frustrated with WordPress and its recent design choices. I've worked extensively with it, building everything from dashboards to APIs, but I'm looking to explore something new that's more developer-focused. Specifically, I'm interested in a system that utilizes document storage instead of traditional relational MySQL.
I'm looking for a solution that allows me to:
1. Create custom collections (like post types)
2. Add various fields, including text, number, links, and especially repeaters
3. Use any tech stack (PHP, Node.js, etc.), as I'm comfortable in all of them
4. Expose APIs and manage CRUD operations
5. Have a user-friendly GUI for creating field sets and styling them
I've already tried out Directus, Keystone, and Strapi, but they all feel bloated and don't offer the same level of flexibility and ease that I find with the WP and ACF combination.
5 Answers
You might want to check out Statamic. It has both an open-source version and a paid option. It includes collections and blueprints, similar to ACF fields, and it's built on Laravel, so it offers a nice API wrapper.
For maximum control, consider using Django with Django Rest Framework (DRF). This gives you a highly customizable API with built-in security features. It's basically bloat-free since you can tailor everything as needed.
Have you looked into PayloadCMS? It's another solid option.
Strapi is another great option; it's like ACF on steroids! But just a heads up—only go for a document store if you really need it. I've seen cases where people try to replicate relational database features poorly with Mongo or similar technologies.
If self-hosting is your preference, Webiny is my top choice. Otherwise, Webflow might be worth considering.
That's a bold claim calling Django "bloat-free!" It's great for many projects, but it's often referred to as a "kitchen sink" framework for a reason.