What is Dropbits?
Dropbits is a tool-driven CMS you edit in the browser. Site truth lives in SQLite; the server renders HTML for visitors; optional packs stay off until you enable them. An optional Assistant shares the same tools as the editor — you do not need it for everyday edits.
What you get
- Edit where you are — change copy, images, and nav on the live page.
- Layout on the page — reorder and insert sections without a separate theme builder.
- Site map — pages, navigation, visibility.
- Hub — Pages, Site (identity + Appearance), Backup, Records.
- Boring hosting — PHP + SQLite; checkpoints; ZIP backup.
How it works (plain language)
- Log in on your site (
/login). - Use each section’s Content / Layout handle to edit fields or rearrange blocks.
- Use the hub for Pages, Site, and Backup; edit the header menu from its section handle; Records for staff listings.
There is no separate admin app and no draft/publish vocabulary for everyday edits — you edit where visitors already see the page (visibility still controls who can view a page).
What you do not need
- No programming for everyday edits.
- No LLM key unless you want the assistant — the site stays fully editable without AI.
- No separate “theme builder” for colours — use Hub → Site → Appearance.
Two audiences
| Audience | Path |
|---|---|
| Site owners | These guides — hub and handles on a running site |
| Site builders | Install, deploy, WXR — start at Install locally |
Try a hosted demo: playground.dropbits.org. Self-host: Get the kernel.