Install & Configure Grav CMS Without Database: Performance Guide

When the database becomes the bottleneck

On a client project, a WordPress site kept crashing under peak load — MySQL couldn't handle N+1 queries, and LCP hit 3.2 seconds. The solution was migrating to Grav, a flat-file CMS without a database. Pages now generate directly from files, boosting speed by 4x and cutting LCP to 0.8 seconds. Grav stores content in YAML files, not tables, eliminating SQL-related downtime. Below is how we install and configure Grav end-to-end.

Why Grav solves these problems

No database means no classic CMS issues: N+1 queries, slow JOINs, table locks. Grav reads content straight from files — delivering up to 4x speed improvement over typical CMSs (e.g., Grav loads pages 4x faster than WordPress). Deployment is simpler: only PHP and a web server are needed; no separate database server required. Grav caches static pages; on a 2 vCPU, 4 GB RAM server, LCP drops 4x. Our team, with 10+ years of experience implementing such solutions, guarantees stability. This reduces TTFB by 2-3x compared to database-driven CMS.

Installation and basic configuration

Choosing the installation method

We recommend Composer — easier maintenance and seamless core/plugin updates.

# Composer
composer create-project getgrav/grav /var/www/mysite

# Permissions
find . -type f | xargs chmod 664
find . -type d | xargs chmod 775
find . -type d -name cache -o -name logs -o -name images -o -name assets | xargs chmod 777

Nginx configuration

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name mysite.com;
    root /var/www/mysite;
    index index.php;

    location / {
        try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php?$query_string;
    }

    location ~ ^/(\.git|cache|logs|backup|bin|system|vendor|\.env) {
        return 403;
    }

    location ~ \.php$ {
        fastcgi_pass unix:/run/php/php8.1-fpm.sock;
        fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$fastcgi_script_name;
        include fastcgi_params;
    }
}

For Apache, use the .htaccess provided with Grav.

Basic configuration

---
# user/config/system.yaml
home:
  alias: /home
pages:
  theme: my-theme
markdown:
  extra: true
  auto_line_breaks: false
cache:
  enabled: true
  driver: auto
  lifetime: 604800
debugger:
  enabled: false
errors:
  display: 0
  log: true
languages:
  supported: [en, ru]
  include_default_lang: false
  translations: true
# user/config/site.yaml
title: My Site
author:
  name: Company
  email: [email protected]
metadata:
  description: Site description
taxonomies: [category, tag]
summary:
  enabled: true
  size: 300
---

Performance and security

Caching and compression

For maximum performance, we configure Redis — this speeds up server response by an additional 30% compared to file cache.

Environment management

Switch between production and development using the GRAV_ENVIRONMENT variable:

---
# user/config/env/production/system.yaml
cache:
  enabled: true
  driver: redis
  redis:
    socket: '/var/run/redis/redis.sock'
debugger:
  enabled: false
# user/config/env/development/system.yaml
cache:
  enabled: false
debugger:
  enabled: true
shutdown:
  close_connection: true
---

The environment is set by the GRAV_ENVIRONMENT variable at request start (production or development).

Plugin and admin management

GPM package manager

bin/gpm index bin/gpm install form login admin sitemap feed bin/gpm update bin/gpm selfupgrade bin/gpm list 

Creating an administrator

Create an admin with bin/plugin login newuser --user=admin --password=... --admin=true — adjust parameters for your data.

What’s included in our setup service

• Full installation and initial Grav configuration on your server.
• Nginx/Apache, PHP-FPM setup, protection of sensitive directories.
• Installation of core plugins: Form, Login, Admin, Sitemap.
• Configuration of system.yaml and site.yaml for your project.
• Enabling caching (Redis or file) and compression.
• Creating an administrator and removing the installer.
• Documentation: access details, GPM commands, backup recommendations.
• Consultation on further optimization and support.

Our basic setup costs $200-$500, depending on complexity, and saves you $500-$1000/month on database hosting fees. We guarantee your Grav site will achieve LCP under 1s on a standard 2 vCPU server.

Step-by-step Grav launch: from zero to live site

1. Install Grav via Composer: composer create-project getgrav/grav /var/www/mysite.
2. Configure the web server — copy the Nginx config above or use the .htaccess for Apache.
3. Install Admin plugin: bin/gpm install admin login form sitemap.
4. Create an admin with bin/plugin login newuser using your credentials.
5. Configure user/config/system.yaml — enable cache, set theme, add desired languages.
6. Switch environment via GRAV_ENVIRONMENT=production for the live server.
7. Check permissions for cache, logs, images folders — they must be 777.
8. Block sensitive directories in the web server config as per the Nginx example above.

After these steps, the site is ready for content. For complex projects with multi-language, custom themes, or e-commerce, we can configure Grav end-to-end in 1–3 days. The cost of basic setup is determined after analysis; we offer transparent pricing based on your needs.

We are a team with 10+ years of web development experience, having configured over 200 Grav projects. We guarantee our work: if something doesn't work, we fix it free of charge. Order Grav installation and we'll turn your site into a fast, reliable flat-file project.