Mabaloo - Building a fully function website but without a DATABASE

Building a fully function website but without a DATABASE

Written by Girish Singh

Most of the website building tools which are commonly used today require the use of a database management system something like mySql or MsSql etc. However these database systems have to be running on the computer that are hosting the websites. Almost all of the website are hosted on computers owned by special hosting companies.

Thus you might not have database access for your website. This might be due to various reasons. Your webhosting company might not support a database, or your company cannot provide a database access on there servers.(Especially true for free hosting services)

Now you want to build a great website however you do not have access to a database. Whatever the reason be it is still possible to build a great looking website with advanced features.

There are many website building tools available that use flat files (simple files) to store there data. A list of such resources I have compiled and listed below.

Technically it is possible to implement any feature without the use of database. However database provide easy and fast management of large sets of data. Consequently even though you maybe building a website without the use of database, the performance of the website is acceptable only for small websites. However by small I do not mean very small. By small I mean a website which is around 1000 pages and has around 4-5 users online at any time. These are very acceptable figures if you want to build a website for your company or a restaurant, your own blog, publish your portfolio, or just a place to discuss things.

If you are a developer then probably a flat file database would best suit your purpose. A flat file database like Gladius provides the same sql functionality as a database engine does except the fact that it stores its stuff into a files. Thus you can treat it as a normal database system except the fact that it internally everything is stored in flat files.

A very important fact that all the software below are free for use and most of them are under GNU GPL(or any other open source license). They mostly use php as the server side language and thus it is important that your web host supports php. Please make sure if your webhost supports php. Most of the webhosting service providers do support php. This is true of free hosting service providers too.

Flat File Databases

Gladius - Gladius DB is a fast and efficient PHP flatfile database engine written in pure PHP; its SQL syntax is compatible with a subset of intermediate SQL92. You will not need any specific extension to have it work, and it is bundled with an adoDB lite driver.

Flat File DataBase (FFDB) for PHP - Advanced PHP database for those without mySQL or similar dedicated databases. Supports many data types and advanced features through a simple PHP object API. Low-level implementation very efficient with indexes.

Flat File Content Management Systems

flatCMS - The FlatFile WebSiteEngine. No need for a database.

CMSimple - The most popular flat file content management system around. It is actually very simple. Good documentation and a all the basic attachments and templates are there. Although its is true that they recommened using it for only sites with less than 1000 pages. However it is not the fault of there its actually the fact files are slower than database. So it takes more time to use them. However a 1000 pages are lot of content for any small commercial website. And thus you should be worried about.

CuteNews.ru - Another flat file based CMS. It supports search engine friendly url's. In the new version 2.5.4 many new features have been added. A good thing that this CMS works with our without database. Thus if you plan to change to a database supported website you wont you can use this there too as it can change between the file supported and Database supported. I would recommend this if you are a little advanced user. This one does have not have a good support and already available plugins like CMSimple has. So you are kinda stuck. But none the less its got good features.

JAF CMS - JAF CMS - ...just another flat file CMS, is a Content Management System (CMS) consist of a powerful set of PHP scripts that allow you to maintain personal home page in an easy way. There is no need for a database. The pages stored in a simple flat file. (taken from there website)

Eclatis - Eclatis is an new free Content Management System under licence GNU and Creative Commons. Eclatis is designed to create a website in a few minutes without specifics knowledge. Eclatis gives non-technical people the ability to quickly add, edit, and delete content on their Web sites. Eclatis works only with PHP without database.

Synergiser - Synergiser is a complete content management system for any website, written in PHP and designed for any PHP webserver combination. It uses flat file structures over mySQL databases (or any SQL database), and yet is still able to deliver very impressive speed and stability.

Drake CMS - Still in its development series, although promises to be good. It can be made to work with Gladius. A video tutorial is also available for it.

NanoCms - Another flat file Cms. Still in development stage.

Flat File Blogs

SIPS - SIPS is an integrated weblog and link indexing system written 100% in PHP.It is aimed at those with access to databaseless, PHP enabled web servers who want to run a weblog site like Slashdot and/or a simple link index like Yahoo!.

FlatPress - Is very simple and similar to wordpress blog. Uses flat files instead of database.

Simple PHP Blog - I started this project because I wanted a dead-simple blog. One that didn't need a database, used flat text files, and looked nice. It's main advantage is that it only requires PHP 5 and write permissions.(from the website)

Flat File Forums

Navboard - Navboard is a php based web forum using text files to store data instead of using a database, compatible with any server running php 4.0 or higher, all the features of most major forum software and no installation needed.

PBLang - PBLang is an international BBS-software based on PHP. It does not require any database but bases on a flatfile system. Many professional features.

If you have built or know of a software that can be added to this list please leave the link in the comments.

Note - Some of the excerpts are taken from the respective websites of the softwares and resources listed above.

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Comments (3)

1 thanks
Written by This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , on 24-04-2008 21:52
this will be very useful for me, thanks

2 Question
Written by This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , on 17-05-2008 14:40
Maybe I am missing something but isn't a flat file database still a database?

Just because it isn't using a specialist program like MySQL does that mean it's not a database?

After all isn't a database just a collection of information.

3 Written by This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , on 18-05-2008 07:01
Well technically you are write, a flat file database is actually a database, which can run some minimal SQL functionality like select, insert, delete etc... But these are language specific, and can be run on maybe a webserver, or embedded environment...

However when it comes to flatfile CMS and blogs and forums, they do not use a flat file database, instead they maintain there own records in there own files which they use through specific coding, not SQL syntax