Self-host LocomotiveCMS Engine
v4.1.1Open-source CMS with local dev workflow and auto back-office
- Stars
- 2 321
- Port
- 3000 (Rails server (Engine))
- Requires
- MongoDB, Node.js
What is LocomotiveCMS Engine?
LocomotiveCMS Engine is the server-side Ruby on Rails application of the LocomotiveCMS platform. Developers create sites locally using the companion CLI tool Wagon (supporting Liquid, SASS, HAML, Webpack), then deploy to an Engine instance which automatically generates a back-office interface for non-technical editors based on the defined content types and editable regions. The Engine supports multi-site management, full content localization, a RESTful API for programmatic access, and custom sections for reusable UI components. It runs on Ruby 3+, Rails 7, and MongoDB 6 via Mongoid. Self-hosting options include Docker Compose (with MongoDB), Heroku with MongoDB add-ons and S3 for assets, or a manual Rails installation on any server. The project is MIT-licensed and maintained by NoCoffee.
Should you self-host LocomotiveCMS Engine?
LocomotiveCMS Engine scores 58/100 on selfhost.directory (how scoring works) and ranks #9 of 18 in Content Management. It has 2 321 GitHub stars.
There was no stable release in the past 12 months, so check the repository's recent activity before you rely on it.
Setup is advanced: plan for several services and some ongoing maintenance. It is Other-licensed and written mostly in Ruby.
Its closest alternative on selfhost.directory is EmDash (67/100, 14 030 stars). It scores higher overall, so compare the two before you pick. See LocomotiveCMS Engine vs EmDash side by side.
Features
- Auto-generated back-office
- Content relationships
- CSV Import
- Custom content types
- Custom sections
- Full localization
- Liquid Templating
- Local development with Wagon
- Multi-Site Management
- RESTful API
LocomotiveCMS Engine README
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