Installation
Requirements
ZANACMS requires a web server with PHP 7.4 and file write access for the configuration directory, image uploads and cache files. No database is required.
1. Download and upload ZANACMS
Download the ZANACMS archive.
Then use one of these two ways:
Option a: Unpack the archive on your computer and upload all files to your webspace.
Option b: Upload the archive to your webspace and unpack it there.
The ZANACMS files must be placed directly in the website directory. Do not leave an extra archive folder between the website directory and the ZANACMS files.
2. Choose the mode
ZANACMS supports three operating modes:
- PHP mode – for developers who write pages as PHP files with full control over page structure and content.
- MD mode – for users who prefer lightweight Markdown files, editable directly or through the built-in Markdown editor.
- Rich mode – for website owners who maintain page content through a visual rich text editor without writing code.
Use PHP mode if you want to write pages with PHP and arrays. Use MD mode if you want lightweight Markdown files with automatic cache building. Use Rich mode if you want the normal visual editor workflow.
2a. Prepare PHP mode
Copy this file:
/__config/conf.example-php.php
––> to:
/__config/conf.php
Copy this file:
/index.example-php.php
––> to:
/index.php
PHP mode does not need example page files below /pages/.
Open the website in the browser.
2b. Prepare MD mode
Copy this file:
/__config/conf.example-md.php
––> to:
/__config/conf.php
Copy this file:
/index.example-rich-or-md.php
––> to:
/index.php
Copy the files from:
/pages/example/md/
––> to:
/pages/
Copy the contents of the directory, not the directory itself.
Open the website in the browser.
2c. Prepare Rich mode
Copy this file:
/__config/conf.example-rich.php
––> to:
/__config/conf.php
Copy this file:
/index.example-rich-or-md.php
––> to:
/index.php
Copy the files from:
/pages/example/rich/
––> to:
/pages/
Copy the contents of the directory, not the directory itself.
Open the website in the browser.
3. Register the admin browser
Admin access is granted to single browsers or devices.
Open this file by FTP or in the file manager of your hosting account:
/__config/EDITACCESS_ENABLE.php
For the first setup, open a short temporary access window. Example:
return [5,1,0];
The first number is the temporary access window time in minutes. The second number is the number of new device cookies that may be created during this temporary access window. The third number is the adminexposure level for newly created cookies. Use 0 as the third value to use the normal configured level.
Open the admin area in the browser that should get admin access:
/admin/
Click Get access. This opens the access page.
Click Activate this device now.
After the allowed device cookies have been created, the temporary access window is closed automatically.
4. Open the admin area
Click the Admin link in the navigation and enjoy your admin access.
In MD and Rich mode, the [e] editor links are available in the footer of each web page.
In PHP mode, you have to edit the files via FTP, but can access the admin area via the [i] link in the footer that helps you upload images and copy PHP image code for your pages.
Continue with the Introduction to learn about the shared concepts — layouts, languages, navigation and footer — before starting with the mode-specific guide.