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Caution: This documentation is for Exponential, from version 3.x to 6.x.
For 5.x documentation covering Platform see Exponential Platform Documentation, for difference between legacy and Platform see 5.x Architecture overview.

Choosing a product

Six products share the name Exponential. The cards below compare them side by side: what each one is, who it is best for, its kernel and stack, its editing and administration, its key features, the PHP versions it supports and what there is to learn.

How to choose matches the most common needs to the product that answers them, and the recommendation at the end gets you started with the one most projects take.

Six products share the name Exponential. Here is how they differ, and which one fits what you need.

  • Exponential Recommended

    What it is
    The complete content management system and application framework, maintained by 7x, and the line this help center documents
    Best for
    Structured content, several sites or several languages from one installation; agencies, hosting providers and developers who build without Symfony
    Kernel and stack
    The Exponential 6 kernel in plain PHP, no Symfony; SQLite, MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, MongoDB or Oracle
    Editing and administration
    The admin4 administration and the editor siteaccess, in more than 150 languages, with the help center built in
    Key features
    Customizable content model, versions and translations, roles and policies, multisite, a shop, workflows, REST and GraphQL, Exponential Layouts, Exponential Velocity
    PHP
    8.0 to 8.5 (7.4 usable without support)
    Learning curve
    One stack: PHP and Exponential's templates; installs with two commands on SQLite

  • Exponential Platform

    What it is
    The Symfony based family of Exponential: Legacy, Nexus and DXP, the free continuation of eZ Platform and Ibexa Open Source
    Best for
    Teams that build on Symfony
    Kernel and stack
    Symfony 3.4, 5.4 or 7.4 by distribution and line; the Exponential 6 kernel in Legacy and the older Nexus lines
    Editing and administration
    The platform's Symfony administration; Legacy and the older Nexus lines add the Exponential administration
    Key features
    By distribution: Exponential Layouts in Nexus and in Legacy 4.6 and 5.0, none in DXP
    PHP
    By distribution and line (see each one)
    Learning curve
    Symfony, plus Exponential 6 where it is included

  • Exponential Platform Legacy

    What it is
    A Symfony platform with a full Exponential 6 inside: two kernels share one database
    Best for
    Existing Exponential sites that want Symfony next to them, and teams that need both stacks at once
    Kernel and stack
    Symfony 3.4, 5.4 or 7.4 by line, with the Exponential 6 kernel through the legacy bridge
    Editing and administration
    The Exponential administration next to the platform's Symfony administration
    Key features
    The Exponential 6 kernel next to the Symfony platform; Exponential Layouts on the 4.6 and 5.0 lines
    PHP
    By line, 7.4 to 8.5
    Learning curve
    Two stacks: Symfony and Exponential 6

  • Exponential Platform Nexus

    What it is
    A finished website project: the Symfony platform with the media site, its designs and demo content
    Best for
    Agencies and teams that want a complete website with demo content and a page builder in minutes
    Kernel and stack
    Symfony 3.4, 5.4 or 7.4 by line; the Exponential 6 kernel up to the 1.2.0.x line
    Editing and administration
    The platform's Symfony administration and the Exponential Layouts page builder
    Key features
    Exponential Layouts, Tags, the site API and the media site's demo content
    PHP
    By line, 8.0 to 8.5 (8.4 or later on 1.3.0.x)
    Learning curve
    Symfony, plus Exponential 6 on the older lines; always install with a version

  • Exponential Platform DXP

    What it is
    A Symfony-only digital experience platform, the free continuation of eZ Platform and Ibexa Open Source
    Best for
    New Symfony projects, and teams leaving eZ Platform or Ibexa Open Source for current PHP
    Kernel and stack
    Symfony 7.4 LTS (Platform v5), without the Exponential 6 kernel
    Editing and administration
    The platform's admin UI; no layouts editor, approval workflow or scheduler
    Key features
    REST, GraphQL, the HTTP cache, Solr and core search
    PHP
    8.3 or later (the 4.6 branch: 7.4 to 8.5)
    Learning curve
    Symfony only

  • Exponential Basic

    What it is
    The small CMS of the 2.x line, a code base of its own and not a version of Exponential 6
    Best for
    Education, personal use and very small sites
    Kernel and stack
    Exponential Basic in PHP, no Symfony; MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite or Informix
    Editing and administration
    A user website and an admin website of its own
    Key features
    A simple personal home page CMS, extendable through settings
    PHP
    8.2 or later
    Learning curve
    Small and easy to understand

How to choose

  • You want the most complete CMS with the best editor experience: many sites and languages, a shop, workflows, Exponential Layouts and a built-in help center Exponential
  • You build on Symfony and need the Exponential 6 kernel and its administration inside Exponential Platform Legacy
  • You want a finished Symfony website with Exponential Layouts and demo content Exponential Platform Nexus
  • You want a Symfony-only stack, without the Exponential 6 kernel Exponential Platform DXP
  • You want a very small site for learning or personal use Exponential Basic

Which one should I choose?

The best user experience and the most features are in Exponential 6, not in Platform, Basic or even DXP.

Not sure? Choose Exponential 6.x today and get started fast.

Fastest way to try it: Exponential Starter Distribution (ESD) Exponential 6 ready to run on SQLite, with the Composer vendor directory included: clone it and serve it.

Install Exponential 6 More about Exponential 6

Starter distributions

Ready-to-run installations, one GitHub repository each: the Composer vendor directory is included and SQLite is set up, so a clone is most of the installation. The static site starter is a template for static publishing, not a product.

  • Exponential Starter Distribution (ESD) Release 1.0.0.7

    Starts Exponential

    Exponential 6 as a ready-to-run installation: the whole kernel with the Composer vendor directory and a small SQLite database already in the repository.

    What it is
    A default installation of Exponential, preconfigured for immediate use without any configuration
    Product and kernel
    Exponential 6.0.13, the kernel of release 1.0.0.7; the features new in 6.0.15, such as static publishing, are not in it yet
    Best for
    Trying Exponential 6 in minutes, and starting a new site from a working installation
    Stack and database
    The Exponential 6 kernel in plain PHP, no Symfony; SQLite (var/storage/sqlite3/starter.db included); Composer vendor directory included
    PHP
    8.1 to 8.5
    How to get it running
    Clone the repository and serve its folder with a web server (the README names the PHP built-in server, Apache and Nginx). The README gives the starting password of the admin account: change it at the first login
    Commands from the README
    git clone https://github.com/se7enxweb/exponential-starter.git
    Learning curve
    One stack: PHP and Exponential's templates; nothing to set up before the first page

    GitHub Product page

  • Exponential Platform Legacy Starter Distribution (EPLSD) Release 1.0.0.2

    Starts Exponential Platform Legacy

    Exponential Platform Legacy v5 with the Composer vendor directory in the repository and SQLite set up in .env: Symfony 7.4 LTS with a full Exponential 6 inside.

    What it is
    The Platform v5 project skeleton of Exponential Platform Legacy, with the legacy bridge enabled by default
    Product and kernel
    Exponential Platform Legacy, the Platform v5 (5.0) line: the Platform v5 kernel and the Exponential 6 kernel side by side
    Best for
    Teams that want Symfony 7.4 and the Exponential 6 administration, templates and extensions in one project
    Stack and database
    Symfony 7.4 LTS with the legacy bridge and Exponential Layouts; SQLite by default, MySQL, MariaDB or PostgreSQL by DATABASE_URL; Composer vendor directory included
    PHP
    8.3 or later
    How to get it running
    Clone the repository: the vendor directory is in it, so the README's Composer step is done. For SQLite set MESSENGER_TRANSPORT_DSN=sync:// in .env.local (README step 2); the install command creates the database; the README lists the steps for the assets and the REST key before the start
    Commands from the README
    git clone https://github.com/se7enxweb/exponential-platform-legacy-starter.gitcd exponential-platform-legacy-starterphp bin/console exponential:install --no-interaction exponential-osssymfony server:start
    Learning curve
    Two stacks: Symfony and Exponential 6

    GitHub Product page

  • Exponential Platform Nexus Starter Distribution (EPNSD) Release 1.0.0.1

    Starts Exponential Platform Nexus

    The Nexus v5 site as a repository of its own, with the Composer vendor directory and the SQLite database var/data_dev.db already included.

    What it is
    The Exponential Platform Nexus v5 site: the 7x fork of the Netgen media site blueprint on Platform v5
    Product and kernel
    Exponential Platform Nexus as on the 1.3.0.x line (Platform v5), without the Exponential 6 kernel
    Best for
    A finished Symfony website with Exponential Layouts and demo content, to try or to build on
    Stack and database
    Symfony 7.4 LTS with Exponential Layouts, Tags and the Netgen site API; SQLite by default (var/data_dev.db included), MySQL, MariaDB or PostgreSQL by DATABASE_URL; Composer vendor directory included
    PHP
    8.4 or later (tested on 8.5)
    How to get it running
    Clone the repository: the vendor directory and the SQLite database are in it, so the README's Composer and install steps are done. Build the assets with Node.js 22 and Yarn and create the REST key as the README's steps 6 to 12 say, then start the Symfony server
    Commands from the README
    git clone https://github.com/se7enxweb/exponential-platform-nexus-starter.gitcd exponential-platform-nexus-startersymfony server:start
    Learning curve
    Symfony and Twig, Node.js for the assets

    GitHub Guide Product page

  • CJW Exponential Platform Nexus Starter Release 1.0.0.8

    Starts Exponential Platform Nexus

    The ready-to-run copy of the partner distribution CJW Exponential Platform Nexus

    Tuned for SQLite: the CJW example site with the Composer vendor directory and the SQLite databases in the repository, so it runs without Composer or an install step.

    What it is
    CJW Exponential Platform Nexus with its CJW example site, as a ready-to-run installation
    Product and kernel
    Exponential Platform Nexus 1.0.0.x (the eZ Platform 2.5 generation) with the Exponential 6 kernel through the legacy bridge
    Best for
    Trying the CJW example site, and Symfony based Exponential Platform (Legacy) applications that start from it
    Stack and database
    Symfony 3.4 with the Exponential 6 kernel; SQLite (var/data_dev.db and var/data_prod.db included); Composer vendor directory included
    PHP
    8.3 to 8.5
    How to get it running
    Install it with git clone and point a web server at its web/ folder; the repository carries the Apache and Nginx configurations in doc/apache2 and doc/nginx
    Commands from the README
    git clone https://github.com/se7enxweb/cjw-exponential-platform-nexus-starter.git
    Learning curve
    Two kernels: Symfony and Twig, and Exponential's templates for the legacy side

    GitHub Product page

  • Exponential Platform DXP Starter Distribution (EPDSD) Release 1.0.0.0

    Starts Exponential Platform DXP

    Exponential Platform DXP v5 as a ready-to-run repository: the skeleton with the Composer vendor directory and the SQLite database var/data_dev.db included.

    What it is
    The Platform v5 skeleton of Exponential Platform DXP, with no legacy bridge and no Exponential 6 kernel
    Product and kernel
    Exponential Platform DXP, Platform v5
    Best for
    Trying the Symfony-only platform, and new Symfony projects
    Stack and database
    Symfony 7.4 LTS, Symfony only; SQLite by default (var/data_dev.db included), MySQL, MariaDB or PostgreSQL by DATABASE_URL; Composer vendor directory included
    PHP
    8.3 or later
    How to get it running
    Clone the repository: the vendor directory and the SQLite database are in it, so the README's Composer and install steps are done. For SQLite set MESSENGER_TRANSPORT_DSN=sync:// in .env.local, build the assets with Node.js 20 and Yarn and create the REST key as the README's steps 5 to 8 say, then start the Symfony server
    Commands from the README
    git clone https://github.com/se7enxweb/exponential-platform-dxp-starter.gitcd exponential-platform-dxp-startersymfony server:start
    Learning curve
    Symfony only

    GitHub Product page

  • Exponential static site starter Template repository

    A template for Exponential

    Not a product but a GitHub template repository for static publishing: it builds a static copy of an Exponential site with GitHub Actions and hosts it free on GitHub Pages.

    What it is
    A template that publishes plain HTML pages and files, with no PHP and no database on the public side, while editors keep working in Exponential
    Product and kernel
    Exponential with static publishing, new in 6.0.15; until that release the workflow installs the main branch
    Best for
    Site owners who want a free, fast, static public copy of an Exponential site
    Stack and database
    GitHub Actions and GitHub Pages; the build installs Exponential with Composer on SQLite and makes the copy with exp:static:build
    PHP
    8.3 in the workflow; 8.0 or later to build on your own computer
    How to get it running
    Click Use this template, set Settings > Pages > Source to GitHub Actions, add your site (or leave data/ empty for the default site package) and push to main. On your own computer the README's two commands build the copy and serve it
    Commands from the README
    bash scripts/build-static-site.shphp -S 127.0.0.1:8090 -t build/site
    Learning curve
    GitHub Actions and Pages; the help center's guide walks through every step

    GitHub Guide Product page

How to choose a starter

Community and partner distributions

Ready-made distributions of partners and the community, built on the kernels of the products above.

  • CJW Exponential Platform Nexus Supported

    The CJW distribution of Exponential Platform Nexus: Platform Legacy with the Netgen media site, Exponential Layouts and Tags on the eZ Platform 2.5 kernel APIs, with the CJW JAC example site and the Composer vendor files included.

    What it is
    Exponential Platform Nexus with the CJW JAC example site: a Symfony platform on the eZ Platform 2.5 APIs with Exponential 6 inside
    Best for
    Symfony based Exponential Platform (Legacy) web applications that start from a complete example site
    Kernel and stack
    Symfony 3.4 with ezpublish-kernel 7.5 (the eZ Platform 2.5 API) and the Exponential 6 legacy kernel (6.0.12 or later) through the legacy bridge; MySQL, SQLite, PostgreSQL or Oracle
    Editing and administration
    The platform's admin UI, the Netgen AdminUI bundle and the Exponential 6 administration
    Key features
    Netgen media site, Exponential Layouts, Tags, the Netgen site API, GraphQL, the HTTP cache, Solr search, RichText and XmlText fields; a ready-to-run starter tuned for SQLite
    PHP
    8.0 to 8.5 (8.5 recommended)
    Learning curve
    Two kernels: Symfony and Twig, and Exponential's templates for the legacy side

    Install Ready-to-run starter GitHub Website

  • CJW Exponential Starter Supported

    CJW Multisite, the CJW starter site package of Exponential 6.0.15: an English and a German site in the design of CJW Themes Jumper, with the starter content, its layouts and the administration.

    What it is
    The CJW starter site on the Exponential 6 kernel: the site package cjw_multisite with the design starter of the cjw_themes_jumper extension, the look of the Nexus v2 CJW starter site in Exponential templates
    Best for
    A ready German and English site with the CJW design on Exponential 6, installed from the setup wizard or one console command
    Kernel and stack
    The Exponential 6 kernel (6.0.15) in plain PHP, no Symfony; the Layouts engine explayouts and ezjscore
    Editing and administration
    The Exponential 6 administration: the admin and editor siteaccesses
    Key features
    Starter content in German and English with its layouts, paged list and grid blocks, Leaflet maps through a cached tile proxy, feedback forms with a honeypot field, the cjw image aliases
    PHP
    8.0 or later (the imagick extension for the image aliases)
    Learning curve
    One stack: PHP and Exponential's templates; installs with ./console exp:install --package=cjw_multisite

    Install Demo site GitHub

How to choose

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