Show HN: Exponential CMS 6.0.11 – PHP 8.5 Support for a CMS Born in the 1990s
by thekracker | 2026-01-02 09:14:17+00:00
Today we’re releasing *Exponential CMS 6.0.11*, the latest release in the *Exponential CMS 6.0.x series*, formerly known as *eZ Publish 6*.

Exponential CMS is a *GPL-licensed PHP CMS originally created in the late 1990s*, designed from the start for Object Oriented Enterprise-scale content modeling, structured content, and long-lived systems. The software lineage includes eZ Publish, with *Exponential CMS 6.0.x continuing the eZ Publish 6 codebase under active maintenance and development*. While many platforms from that era disappeared or rewrote themselves into something unrecognizable, Exponential continues to evolve while preserving its core architectural principles.

For many PHP Developers who felt eZ Publish was Impressive before with only limited PHP5 support which is where the product was reborn by others in the community defending the continued use of their favorite GPL PHP CMS Framework by updating what would become 7x Exponential 6.x, Exponential Platform Legacy 2.5.0.1, and Exponential Platform 3.2.9 which all support PHP 8.3 or greater.

#### What’s new in 6.0.11

* *Official PHP 8.5 compatibility*

* Kernel: (Minor) Deprecated and removed language features addressed
* Kernel: (Minor) Updated internals to align with modern PHP execution and typing expectations

* *Performance and reliability updates*

* Reduced runtime warnings under common PHP configurations
* Incremental improvements without breaking existing installations

This release continues our policy of *forward PHP compatibility without forced rewrites*.

Exponential sites that have been online for a decade or more—originally deployed as eZ Publish 5 installations—can upgrade PHP without abandoning their content model, templates, or editorial workflows.

#### Why this still matters

Most CMS platforms today are optimized for short-lived projects. Exponential exists for the opposite use case: *systems that must last*.

* Structured content, not pages
* Enterprise-grade versioning and permissions
* Designed for large editorial teams and complex publishing workflows
* GPL, self-hosted, and vendor-independent

Exponential is the power user CMS is actively maintained by *7x*, with monthly updates and a focus on keeping long-running PHP CMS deployments viable on modern infrastructure.

In the shortest way possible: Exponential is easy to use by non-technical people. Exponential is even more powerful when used by php developers and designers to customize the UIs to match your own needs (Setup/Design). Everything after is a stable dream made possible by advanced design patterns and full circle features that never disappoint only leave you wanting EVEN more through thousands of built-in and supported customizations.

#### Links

* Project site: [https://exponential.earth](https://exponential.earth)
* Download software: [https://exponential.earth/download](https://exponential.earth/download)
* Source code: [https://github.com/se7enxweb/exponential](https://github.com/se7enxweb/exponential)
* Forums & Community: [https://share.exponential.earth](https://share.exponential.earth)
* Extensions/Designs/Plugins: [https://projects.exponential.earth](https://projects.exponential.earth)
* Documentation: [https://doc.exponential.earth](https://doc.exponential.earth)

Questions, technical discussion, and criticism welcome. This project has survived multiple PHP generations already—and PHP 8.5 is just the next one. We are preparing for PHP 8.6+ now.

*Seattle, WA — January 1, 2026*

—
*Graham Heath Brookins*
Maintainer, Exponential CMS
7x