SynaptikCMS requires no database setup, no complex configuration, and no command-line expertise. Simply upload the files to your web server, and you're ready to go.
Installation Steps
- Download the latest SynaptikCMS release
- Upload all files to your web server
- Navigate to
yoursite.com/install.php - Set your admin folder name, username, password, email, website name and description
- Log into your admin with your newly-created credentials
- Start creating content!
Your First Login
Navigate to your site's /admin directory to access the administration panel. If you renamed your admin during the installation process, visit yoursite.com/your-admin-folder-name.
To log in, use the credentials (username and password) you entered on the install page.
Creating Your First Content
From the dashboard, click 'Add New' in the top right-hand corner to create your first article, page, or project. The visual editor makes content creation intuitive – write, format, add images, and publish. Your content is saved instantly to a JSON file, making it easy to backup and version control.
Next Steps
Explore the file manager to upload and organize your media, customize your site's appearance through themes, and configure SEO settings to help your content rank in search engines. SynaptikCMS grows with you – start simple and add complexity only when you need it.
Server requirements
Web server
| Requirement | Minimum | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Web server | Apache 2.2+ | Nginx works but requires manual config — see below |
| PHP | 8.0 and up | Arrow functions (fn() =>) used in the data layer |
| Database | — | None required. Flat-file JSON architecture |
Required PHP extensions
| Extension | Used for |
|---|---|
json |
All read/write operations on .json data files |
mbstring |
Search engine, contact form validation, UTF-8 string ops |
hash |
HMAC tokens (contact form CSRF, theme preview signing) |
session |
Admin authentication |
pcre |
Slug sanitization, HTML purification, content parsing |
filter |
Email validation in the contact form |
fileinfo |
MIME type detection on file uploads |
Required for image features
| Extension | Used for |
|---|---|
gd |
Image resizing, thumbnails, JPEG/PNG/GIF optimisation |
| GD + JPEG support | .jpg / .jpeg uploads |
| GD + PNG support | .png uploads |
| GD + GIF support | .gif uploads |
GD is bundled with most PHP packages. Verify JPEG and PNG support are compiled in via phpinfo() → GD section.
Optional extensions
| Extension | Used for |
|---|---|
| GD + WebP support | WebP conversion via imagewebp(). Gracefully disabled if absent |
zip / ZipArchive |
Theme upload via ZIP archive. The theme manager warns if missing |
Browser (admin panel)
| Browser | Minimum version |
|---|---|
| Chrome / Edge | 80+ |
| Firefox | 75+ |
| Safari | 13.1+ |
Internet Explorer is not supported.
Need Help?
Browse our documentation for detailed guides on specific features.