• Parameters: Placeholders for content passed to the template from Composr / PHP.
• Symbols: Global functions that perform operations, calculations, or retrieve information.
• Directives: Instructions that control the flow or logic of content, such as conditional statements and loops.
• Language strings: References to pre-defined text stored in language files for easy translation.
• Escaping: Ensures the content generated is properly escaped according to its use case.

• GIMP/GIMPShop: These free, open-source image editors provide a robust set of features comparable to Photoshop.
• Paint.NET: This free, Windows-only software offers a user-friendly interface and essential image editing tools.
• Corel Paint Shop Pro: A more affordable alternative to Photoshop, Corel Paint Shop Pro delivers a good balance of features and ease of use.

• Avoid using it as the sole backup method; rely on regular database backups.
• Work primarily under the "var" meta-filesystem and copy specific folders/files rather than the entire repository.
• Do not use tools like "rsync" or Git on the whole repository without careful consideration.

• Automatic syndication is not performed for content added via the repository.
• Multi-language content translations are not retained.
• Transferring complex data schemas between staging sites may have limitations.
• Merging separate websites into one is not supported through the repository. You should use Composr's import tool instead.

• bin: Stores Commandr scripts.
• database: Provides access to the raw database.
• etc: Allows access to Composr configuration options.
• home or filedump: Provides access to the File/Media Library.
  • home contains the files in a special JSON format with metadata
  • filedump contains the raw files
• members: Lists registered members with their settings and user groups.
• raw or root: Provides access to the Composr installation directory.
  • raw contains the raw files without overrides, and modifying any file modifies them directly without automatic override handling
  • root contains the files with applicable overrides applied automatically, and Composr will automatically handle overrides and utilizing _custom directories when these files are modified
• var: Contains structured website resources and content.

• Opacity: Provides a clear view of Composr's content and resource data.
• Tactility: Allows easy manipulation of data through drag-and-drop operations.
• Data transfer: Simplifies transferring data between sites.
• Desktop application integration: Enables using text editors and file-search tools for tasks like mass search and replace.
• Configuration management: Tracks changes to options and facilitates transfer between sites.
• Backups: Allows backing up portions of the repository.
• Revision control: Supports built-in and advanced revision control.
• Filesystem for Commandr: Acts as a file system for the Commandr command line.
• Resource API: Offers an abstract resource API for programmers.
• API for external apps: Provides an API for mobile apps and other external applications.

Quick installer: Our self-extractor allows faster uploads and will automatically set permissions.

Wizard-based installation

Auto-scans for compatibility problems: Be informed of problems before installing

Get your site up and running in just a few minutes

Keep your site closed to regular visitors until you're happy to open it

Configures server: Automatically generates an htaccess file for you (for Apache).

Auto-detection of forum settings for easy integration

Install test content

Add virtually unlimited pages to your site

WYSIWYG editor (powered by CKEditor)

Convenient edit links: Staff see “edit this” links at the bottom of every page.

PHP support: Upload your PHP scripts and run them inside Composr (may require adjustments to the script code).

Hierarchical page structure: Supports parent and child pages

Periodic content reviews: Helping you ensure ongoing accuracy of your content.

Add Comcode pages (the default) or static HTML pages

Supports revisions and revision control systems (such as git); add new pages as files, and Composr will automatically register them in its system.

Clear organisation: Uses a tree structure for unlimited categorisation.

Anti-leech protection: download links contain a session ID

Community-centred: Allow users to comment upon and rate downloads

Many ways to add new files: Upload files. Link-to existing files. Copy existing files using a live URL. Batch import links from existing file stores.

Author support: Assign your downloads to authors, so users can find other downloads by the same author.

Set licences: Make users agree to a licence before downloading.

Images: Show images along with your downloads (e.g. screen-shots) (this implicitly uses galleries).

Basic file versioning support

Control monthly bandwidth use site-wide

Think “structured wikis”.

Create an encyclopaedic database for your website

Use a tree-structure or traditional cross-linking

Supports revisions: Track changes

Display the tree structure of your entire Wiki+

Allow users to jump in at random pages

Make your pages either wiki-style or topic-style

Allow members to contribute to Wiki+ pages by adding Wiki+ posts

Run a competition: Choose winners randomly from those who passed the quiz.

Surveys: Gather data and find trends.

Tests: Test members' knowledge on a variety of topics.

Cheat prevention: Settings to prevent cheating, such as time limits, question / answer shuffling, and re-testing rules.

Integration with points: Charge points to enter a competition, or award points for winning.

Member blogs: Allow members to have their own blogs on their profile

RSS and Atom support: Export and import feeds.

Trackback support: Send and receive trackbacks.

Scheduled publishing

Ping support and RSS Cloud support

Multiple news categories and filtering

Multiple ways to integrate news into your website

Import from RSS feeds

Supports geotargeting

Members can rate and comment on news articles and blog posts

Send out a news article as a newsletter

Day/week/month/year views

Advanced “recurring event” settings

Event subscriptions: Receive reminders and notifications by event or event type

Warnings about conflicting events

Microformats support

Integrate a calendar month view, or an upcoming events view, onto your design

Supports categories: Have multiple event types

Multiple time zones: Have different events in different time zones with configurable conversion settings.

Priority flagging: Choose between 5 priorities

Programmers can even use the calendar to schedule custom tasks (Commandr) to be run

RSS and Atom support: Export support, but also support for overlaying news feeds onto the calendar.

Supports geotargeting

Feedback: Allow members to comment and rate events. Segregate feedback on recurring events by date.

Multimedia: Supports images, videos, audio, and more.

Personal galleries: Allow your members to create their own galleries which show up on their profile.

Support for embedding YouTube videos: Save on bandwidth.

Auto-detection of video length and resolution (most file formats)

Full tree-structure support: Have galleries within galleries within galleries.

Multiple display modes

View entries as a slideshow

Automatic thumbnail generation

Mass import: Also supports importing metadata

Optional watermarking: To guard against thieving swines .

Geotargeting

Adjustments: Automatic size and orientation adjustments according to metadata.

Think “databases on my website”.

Flexible data control: Set up multiple catalogues, each with its own set of fields. There are many types of fields, such as short text fields, upload fields, and date fields.

Multiple display modes: Display the contents of categories using tables, boxes, or lists.

Powerful structure: Each catalogue contains categories which contain entries. Catalogues can have a tree structure of categories and/or work from an index.

Configurable searching: Choose which fields are shown on categories, and which can be used to perform searches (template searches).

Compliance with data protection legislation: Specify which fields may contain sensitive data. These fields will be anonymised as appropriate when members download or purge their data.

Entirely customisable: Full support for customising catalogues, categories, and entries, exactly as you want them- field by field. You can even make custom page templates per-catalogue.

Classified ads: Entries can automatically expire and get archived. You can also send out view reports.

Community interaction: You can allow users to comment upon and rate entries.

Import data from CSV files

Periodic content reviews: Helping you ensure ongoing accuracy of your data.

Joined Chris Graham behind the scenes in the development of Composr CMS in 2016.

Took on the lead developer role in 2023 when Chris Graham stepped back to attend to his new lifestyle changes.

Spearheaded the development of Composr CMS v11 and the new website, Composr.app.

Formed the company PDStig, LLC to take on professional support and development for Composr CMS users especially after the discontinuation of ocProducts, Ltd.

PDStig, LLC