Freedom251 › Content Management Systems
Kotti CMS
What Kotti CMS is
Kotti CMS is a free, open-source Python web application framework based on Pyramid and SQLAlchemy, with an extensible content management system. It targets CMS-like applications requiring complex security, workflows, or hierarchical data. Editors can change content in place through a contextual interface with a rich text editor. The system supports custom user roles, multilingual content, custom content types, and editorial workflows. Its security model combines users, groups, roles, permissions, and workflows, including local roles for content and child items. Most content types have private and public workflows that can be customized or disabled. Bootstrap supports responsive desktop and mobile design, while add-ons, INI configuration, templates, and a defined API allow developers to alter views, access control, content types, and workflows. Kotti supports PostgreSQL, MySQL, and SQLite and can run as a WSGI application with Apache or Nginx. It is self-hosted across API, Linux, macOS, and web environments. The latest listed release is version 2.0.9 from May 5, 2022; its release notes pinned Pyramid below version 2.
Who it suits
Kotti suits developers building self-hosted CMS applications with complex permissions, workflows, hierarchical data, and extensible Python components.
What it does well
- Open-source and free
- Custom roles and workflows
- Multilingual content support
- PostgreSQL, MySQL, and SQLite
- Responsive Bootstrap design
What to know first
- Latest listed release is from May 2022
- Release notes pinned Pyramid below version 2
- Requires self-hosted deployment
Verdict
Kotti offers a flexible, developer-oriented CMS framework with detailed security and workflow controls. Its older listed release and self-hosted setup should be considered before adoption.
Facts from Kotti CMS's own pages
- Add-ons and API
- Developers can customize the built-in CMS through add-ons and INI configuration, and use a defined API to add or modify views, templates, content types, access control, and workflows. · kotti.readthedocs.io, 12 Oct 2026
- API and developer docs
- The documentation lists API references including security, resources, views, and workflow modules. · kotti.readthedocs.io, 12 Oct 2026
- Audience
- The documentation is for developers of Kotti or applications built on it. · kotti.readthedocs.io, 12 Oct 2026
- CMS inspiration
- Kotti CMS is heavily inspired by Plone. · pypi.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Compatibility limit
- The release notes say Kotti pinned Pyramid below version 2 at that time. · pypi.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Customization
- The CMS can be extended with add-ons and customized through an INI configuration file. · pypi.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Custom content types
- Yes · github.com, 23 Sept 2026
- Custom user roles
- Yes · github.com, 23 Sept 2026
- Databases and deployment
- Kotti supports PostgreSQL, MySQL, and SQLite, and can be deployed as a WSGI application using web servers such as Apache or Nginx. · kotti.readthedocs.io, 12 Oct 2026
- Design
- Kotti builds on Bootstrap for a responsive design intended to work on desktop and mobile. · pypi.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Design and customization
- Kotti uses Bootstrap for responsive design and supports extending its templates and look and feel with little programming. · kotti.readthedocs.io, 12 Oct 2026
- Editing
- Editors can edit content where it appears, and Kotti includes a rich text editor. · pypi.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Editorial workflows
- Yes · github.com, 23 Sept 2026
- Intended use
- Kotti is described as useful for CMS-like applications with complex security requirements, workflows, or hierarchical data. · kotti.readthedocs.io, 12 Oct 2026
- Internationalization
- The user interface is fully translatable, and Unicode is used to store data. · kotti.readthedocs.io, 12 Oct 2026
- License
- The project describes Kotti as offered under the BSD-derived Repoze Public License. · github.com, 12 Oct 2026
- Multilingual content
- Yes · github.com, 23 Sept 2026
- Notable release limit
- The PyPI change history identifies version 2.0.9, dated 2022-05-05, as the latest listed release. · pypi.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Platform type
- self_hosted · github.com, 23 Sept 2026
- Product
- Kotti is a Python web application framework based on Pyramid and SQLAlchemy that includes an extensible content management system. · kotti.readthedocs.io, 12 Oct 2026
- Release information
- PyPI lists version 2.0.9, released May 5, 2022, as the latest release. · pypi.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Security
- Kotti describes its user and permissions management as advanced and configurable for large organizations. · pypi.org, 12 Oct 2026
- Support
- The project lists a mailing list or forum, IRC, and GitHub issues as help channels. · kotti.readthedocs.io, 12 Oct 2026
- What it is
- Kotti is a Python web application framework based on Pyramid and SQLAlchemy that includes an extensible content management system. · kotti.readthedocs.io, 12 Oct 2026
Where Kotti CMS stands on Freedom251
- Content Management Systems#156 of 165