I'm thrilled to announce the release of Core CMS v0.3.0. This update represents a major leap forward in usability, customization, and security. While v0.2.0 laid the foundation for content creation, v0.3.0 turns the system into a fully managed platform ready for diverse teams and designs.
Here is what's new in this release.
🎨 The Theme System
One of the most requested features is now live. You are no longer stuck with a single hardcoded look.
- Theme Manager: Switch between visual designs instantly from the Admin Dashboard.
- Dark Mode: We've included a "Dark Mode" theme out of the box to demonstrate the system's flexibility.
- Developer Friendly: Creating a new theme is as simple as adding a folder to
/themes. Check out the newTheme Builder Guidein the docs.
👥 User Roles & Security
As teams grow, security becomes paramount. We have implemented a strict Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) system.
- Administrators: Have full control (Settings, Plugins, Users).
- Editors: Can manage content and media but cannot touch system configurations.
- Subscribers: Read-only access (ready for future membership features).
- User Management: Admins can now Add, Edit, and Delete users directly from the dashboard.
⚙️ Site Identity & Customization
You shouldn't need to write PHP just to change your logo.
- Site Identity: Update your Site Title, Logo, and Footer Text directly in Site Settings.
- Label Editor: Want to change "Read More" to "Discover"? You can now override UI text strings via the admin panel—perfect for branding or simple localization.
- Scroll to Top: A configurable "Back to Top" button to improve navigation on long pages.
🖼️ Media & Editor Upgrades
Content creation gets smoother and more accessible.
- Media Metadata: You can now add Alt Text, Titles, and Descriptions to your images for better SEO and accessibility.
- Editor.js Image Tool: Drag and drop images directly into your posts using the block editor.
- Menu Enhancements: Reorder menu links manually and link to internal pages by ID (so links don't break if you rename a slug).
📊 A Modern Dashboard
We've refreshed the Admin Dashboard. The old text links are gone, replaced by a responsive Quick Actions Grid that makes navigating the backend faster and more touch-friendly.
🚀 What's Next?
With the core experience now robust and customizable, we are officially moving to Phase 5. The next major update will introduce the Event Planner Plugin, transforming Core CMS into a specialized tool for managing events and bookings.