Grav and VoxelSite both put website files on hosting you control. Grav stores content as Markdown and YAML and renders it through themes. VoxelSite uses AI to write PHP pages and JSON content, with SQLite for Studio accounts, settings, and revision history.
Editing, hosting, and website files
| Need | VoxelSite | Grav |
|---|---|---|
| Content files | PHP pages and JSON content | Markdown with YAML frontmatter |
| Layouts | Generated markup and shared PHP partials | Themes with Twig templates |
| AI access | Five provider options and an Agent API | MCP server and REST API; premium AI Pro assistant |
| Running the site | Published PHP pages can run without Studio; HTML export available | Grav renders content with its runtime and theme |
| Server | PHP 8.2+ and SQLite for Studio | Grav 2 requires PHP 8.3+; flat-file storage |
Choose Grav for content files and reusable themes
Grav stores page content in Markdown and YAML. Its themes use Twig templates to turn that content into pages. This suits teams that want to keep content and templates separate and work within a theme and plugin system.
Grav also supports AI workflows. Its MCP server and REST API let agents work with content through the site's permissions. Premium AI Pro adds an assistant in the admin. Check which parts your project needs.
Choose VoxelSite for generated page code
VoxelSite writes the page layout and content into PHP files from your brief. Shared header, navigation, and footer partials keep repeated code in one place. Collections store schemas and item data as JSON; the Studio keeps a SQLite index.
You can edit through chat, visual controls, or source code. Published PHP pages can run without the Studio, and you can export static HTML. Back up the website files and any retained Studio or form databases.
Check a repeated content update
Inspect a business page in the read-only demo. On your own installation, change a heading and review the page code. For repeated items such as team profiles or services, review the content files and confirm the fields and editing tools fit your work.
For a large editorial team, check roles, review steps, and publishing needs before choosing either CMS. The file-based CMS guide explains VoxelSite's storage and runtime limits.
Common questions
Does Grav support AI?
Yes. Grav 2 includes an MCP server and REST API for agents. Its premium AI Pro product adds an assistant and AI provider connections in the admin.
Is VoxelSite database-free?
The published PHP pages and JSON content are files. The Studio uses SQLite for accounts, settings, revisions, and metadata. Installed contact forms also use SQLite to store submissions.
Official sources
Checked October 6, 2026. Check the vendor documentation before choosing a plan or moving a site.