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Open course sites, multi-course hubs, and publishing spaces. Free and open-source, fully customizable, with a browser-based Admin panel for editing – created for educators, writers, and teams who want an open publishing workflow with full platform independence.
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These Grav Open Source Skeletons are Paul's original Grav projects – a family of free, open-source ready-to-run packages that transform the open-source Grav CMS into course hubs, multi-course sites, and open publishing spaces. Built on Markdown file-based content with no database required, a fully customizable open-source theme, a browser-based Admin panel for day-to-day editing, and optional Git Sync for a version-controlled open authoring workflow.
Your content stays in open Markdown files you fully own and control – portable, with no database, no proprietary format, and a browser-based Admin panel you fully control.
Grav Open Course Hub
Grav Open MultiCourse Hub
Grav Open Publishing Space
Each skeleton shares a common foundation: open, portable Markdown files, a browser-based Admin panel for editing without a code editor, optional Git Sync for version-controlled collaborative editing, and a flexible embedding workflow for LMS platforms like Canvas and Moodle. Start with a single course and grow from there – bringing your content with you at each step.
How do These Compare to Helios Course Hub and Helios Open Reader?
The Grav Open Source Skeletons are completely free – no premium theme license required – and use fully customizable open-source themes. Helios Course Hub and Helios Open Reader offer a modern premium theme, context-aware search, and a versioning system – at the cost of a Grav Premium Helios theme license. The browser-based Admin panel, Markdown file-based content, and optional Git Sync workflow are shared across all Grav projects.
A complete, free, and fully customizable ready-to-run site from your Markdown files – yours to host, customize, and share wherever you choose.
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Free and open-source No premium theme license required – all skeletons include free, open-source themes and are available at no cost beyond web hosting.
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Browser-based Admin panel Edit pages, update content, and manage your site directly in the browser – no code editor or technical knowledge required for day-to-day editing.
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Fully customizable Customize fonts, colors, layout, and behavior using Grav's theme and CSS override system – customize as little or as much as you need.
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Optional Git Sync Enable Git Sync to keep your content version-controlled in a GitHub or Codeberg repository, with full collaborative editing support.
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Optional "Edit this Page" link Enable a direct link to each page's Markdown source for easy community contribution and open authoring workflows.
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LMS-ready embedding Use URL parameters to display only page content, toggle a Table of Contents, show or hide the navbar, and more.
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Open by default (you control it) Free, open-source, and your content lives in open Markdown files you fully own and control – portable, version-controllable, and free from vendor dependence.
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