---
title: "REDAXO"
description: "REDAXO is a flexible PHP and MySQL CMS popular with agencies. Learn its module architecture, the AddOn system and typical use cases for custom websites."
url: "https://nodea.io/en/glossary/redaxo"
lang: "en"
updated: "2026-07-13"
---

# REDAXO

> REDAXO is a flexible, open-source content management system (CMS) built on PHP and MySQL, valued by agencies for the freedom it gives in building templates.

**REDAXO** is an open-source content management system ([CMS](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/cms)) written in [PHP](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/php) and backed by a [MySQL](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/mysql) database. It comes from the German web scene and is especially popular with agencies and freelancers who value complete freedom in shaping a site's structure. Unlike systems heavily wrapped in ready-made themes, REDAXO gives the developer a raw, flexible foundation on which to build templates themselves.

## How REDAXO works

REDAXO's architecture rests on a few distinctive concepts:

- **Templates and modules** — the developer defines templates (page layout) and modules (content blocks with their own input and output code) that an editor assembles into coherent subpages.
- **Slices** — individual module instances filled with content in the panel, giving editorial flexibility without touching code.
- **AddOns** — extensions that add features such as media management (MediaPool), SEO-friendly URLs or forms.
- **Separation of content and presentation** — the data structure is independent of the visual layer, making unusual layouts easier to build.

This design leads REDAXO to be described as a CMS for developers — its strength is flexibility rather than out-of-the-box themes.

## REDAXO in practice

REDAXO shines mainly in bespoke projects:

1. **Corporate sites and portfolios** — agencies build sites with a unique layout while fully controlling the code.
2. **Sites with unusual structure** — the flexible content model eases the implementation of non-standard subpage layouts.
3. **Multilingual projects** — built-in mechanisms simplify handling language versions.

Like other PHP-and-MySQL systems — such as [WordPress](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/wordpress) — REDAXO needs standard [hosting](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/hosting) with PHP and database support, so it runs on most popular servers.

### Who is REDAXO for?

REDAXO targets mainly digital agencies and developers who want full control over template code. It offers great freedom but requires PHP and HTML knowledge — it is less suited to users looking for a ready-made, click-to-build solution without coding.

## Related

- [CMS](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/cms)
- [PHP](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/php)
- [MySQL](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/mysql)
- [WordPress](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/wordpress)
- [Hosting](https://nodea.io/en/glossary/hosting)

---

Languages: [pl](https://nodea.pl/pl/slownik-pojec/redaxo.md)  
Site index: [llms.txt](https://nodea.io/en/llms.txt)