Jul 09 2008
Chyrp: Lightweight Blogging Engine
I’ve currently got an ongoing project at work, part of which entails redeveloping a website and providing a news section. Given the functionality needed (not a lot) I would normally knock something together with PHP and MySQL, give it a basic admin panel and make do. This is totally sufficient, and would normally take maybe 4-6 hours depending on the day of the week and my caffeine intake (you think I’m kidding? ;) )
Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on which way you look at it) I’ve got a lot on at the moment so I’m looking to efficiently reduce my workload without sacrificing quality of code. In this scenario I would normally resort to the likes of WordPress, but given the size and scope of it I felt it was more than overkill for this particular website. Instead, I looked to Chyrp.
I downloaded Chyrp, and had extracted the zip and installed the script in less than 30 seconds. WordPress has a famous “5 minute install”… well, Chyrp should market a famous 1 minute install because assuming you are able to create a database, that’s all it takes. Despite the fact that I have never seen, let alone used Chyrp before, I thought it was quite impressive that I’d mastered the basics of the script in less than 30 minutes and had fully integrated it into the redeveloped site in around two hours. There are a few things I need to tweak layout-wise, but everything is working.
Chyrp is seriously lightweight. I’m talking better than WordPress before the bloat fairy got her grubby mitts on it lightweight. The unzipped script comes in at less than 1MB (with WP weighing in at around 5MB) and given the speed and the way it handles, it shows.
That said, I don’t think Chyrp is necessarily a beginners script. It comes bare-bones in terms of formatting, which means knowledge of HTML is a requirement unless you add a module to do it for you. The themes are based on a templating system which, although not overly complex, does require some initial brainstorming to understand the structure and methodology behind it. There is no structured ‘codex’ like WordPress — although I’m led to believe a wiki is in progress — and support seems slow in places because the script author seems to be the only one with the required knowledge of the whole shebang (understandably).
I can certainly see the benefits of such a small script, and assuming the project really takes hold and gains the support of other knowledgeable developers (i.e. people who know more than me) I can seeing it being a great contender in the blog-script arena. I certainly find myself looking for excuses to play with it at the moment!
Screenshot of Default Theme
37 Responses so far
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Awh, it looks so cute!
What’s the security like? Will I be haxx0red if I have Chyrp on my server?
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I’ll have to check this out. I’ve been looking for a lightweight, easy to use news script. I’ve downloaded it and wow! The .zip is 300 KB. I’m impressed.
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@Rachael: I saw no obvious flawed, and basic XSS attempts were thwarted. That said, the quality of the code is waaay above my own and takes time to go through ;)
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I was just checking the demo and actually downloaded the Chyrp :P Then I went to Snark and noticed that you have wrote about it :D.
Hmm… I don’t think I will ditch TXP immediately, but I could try Chyrp with one other site instead of WP.
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Wow. This could really come in handy for me Jem, I’m always looking for new stuff like that. Thank you!
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That’s weird.. the site was loading to some porn site. It’s fine now…
Unfortunately, Chyrp doesn’t work on my site.. but a change Alex is going to make will probably fix that. :) -
This could come in really handy for me! Thanks Jem! :D
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That’s interesting! Since I don’t really want a CMS (just a blogging script) I might try it out.
I’m not really ken on it being in a beta release, as I recently had to work with Silverlight 2 (I seriously thought I’d commit suicide). -
*cough* keen …
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I used to use Chyrp for my blog, but I could never get the hang of the template system, and documentation was scarce. It looks like a lot has changed since then, though, so maybe I should give it another look.
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Looks interesting, I’ll have a better look at its features and whatnot later.
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I played with the demo a bit a few weeks ago, and it seemed alright. :)
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I tried installing it 3 times already and I kept getting some error about SQLite or something and when I tried Googling it, I couldn’t figure out what to do, so I gave up.
I checked out the demo and I liked it so I’m sad that it wouldn’t work for me :(
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I was thinking about trying this as i want a lightweight blogging system. I tried using flatpress as that way I wouldn’t have to get a database set up, but making themes for it was near impossible. I might try Chyrp and see how I make out with that.
I like WordPress, but as useful as the full CMS blogging engine is for some, I don’t need it. It’s just I’m so used to coding themes for WP and there is so much documentation on it…
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Sounds pretty sweet. I love toying with bare bones kind of things. I’ve stayed with WP, since I couldn’t be bothered. But, boring summer days and all lol. I would like to see what I could whip up with that baby. :D
Thanks for sharing, I’ll definitely look into it.
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I tried it out a little while ago. I liked it a lot, but I had a little but of trouble creating a custom theme. I didn’t spend much time on it, though, so that may be the reason. Overall I think it’s really great – lightweight but very functional.
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Ahhh yes! Upon recommendation from Fuse Magazine, I downloaded this script a few days ago. I love how lightweight it but creating a theme was a bitch.
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:O I spent some time playing around with the demo and I really like it! I just wish you’d posted about it back when my WP 2.5.1 upgrade went wrong, because it’s so cool I probably would have switched over then. I don’t see any form of categorisation or tagging on it, though, so I’m not going to switch over now. If upgrading to WP 2.6 also goes wrong, that’s when I’ll have to look at it again.
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@ Jessica:
I don’t have the slightest idea how good it is, but there is a “tagging” extension…http://chyrp.net/extend/view/11
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Nice find, Jem. Now I just need to get out of my lazy slump and actually try it. :) -
I’m definitely going to play with this. Though, I don’t know if I would use Chyrp – I’m too scared for a new commitment. If the occasion arises that I do end up using it, I’ll know who to thank for the referral! Thank you, Jem
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Oooo that looks really freaking cool! I’m gonna have to download it and go play with it :D!
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I’ve used it for two client sites before, too. It took me a little while to grow accustomed, but I was impressed as well. :)
V xx
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In the true spirit of accessibility, the Chyrp website redirects me to Save the Developers and lectures me on updating my browser. Because, you know, I have a choice as to which browser I use at work and all.
I’ve been looking at the possibility of changing CMS however I need something that supports Flash/multimedia embedding and can do so in a way that isn’t hopelessly stupid.
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Once WordPress’ bloats gets to me, I’m considering Chyrp (amongst TXP and EE, of course).
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I might consider Chyrp too, I guess. I mean light weight sounds better than dealing with WordPress and its… uh… heaviness…?
But the previous comments about creating “templates” and “themes” scare me. I hate making themes for any CMS :P
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Jolly good! While you are looking at that, you can also look into giving me my spelling mistake thingy back please :) Oh and I hope you enjoyed your courgette ;)
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Very lightweight, not to mention a cute name ;) But no comments? Maybe they have a module for that *goes to look around*
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I was considering Chyrp (because, yeah, it’s just got a cute little name ^^) but I’m fearfully scared of PHP. I’m going with WordPress mostly because it’ll be easier to find help and tutorials…
I kind of want to try Chyrp, though. At least I can point it out to a friend, who might need a blogging thing sometime (just not as complicated and heavyweight as WordPress).
Then again, though, if theming is harder for Chyrp than WordPress I’d never manage. I’m still finding my way around. =P
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I think I’ll stick with WordPress for the time being. I’ve found my comfort zone :P
On the link rotation you have on your sidebar, Calm Banana is ‘Clam Banana’. Just an FYI. :)
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I was all curious and excited to go check it out, since it looks like a nice alternative for people that don’t need something as heavy as WP, but I kept getting redirected to savethedevelopers.org bc I’m still on IE6 (Its my laptop from work, since mine is dead) and it will not let me on the chyrp site, so Im unable to check it out :(. Kinda short sighted though as there are people who given the choice of upgrading their browser or finding another product, will rather find another product.
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I agree Ian, and had I known about the silly redirect I probably wouldn’t have bothered plugging the site. Even I know that sometimes IE6 is a necessity, rather than a choice.
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I looked at it, but until it gets some more info on how to create the themes and such, I can’t use it. I have enough trouble with creating my wordpress thems, lol. But I will keep it in my bookmarks. I like the look of it.
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4-6 hours? Nonstop? If so, you sound like me.
Are you the sort that starts something and finishes it there and then, no matter how long it takes?
Well, I am anyways.
I’m having the shittiest day ever. It really could not get any worse.
Saw my boyfriend for the last time EVER today; he’s leaving the country and not returning! Heartbreaking, that.
Then, I found out that the airshow I was going to go to got cancelled. BUT only on the day I booked tickets! Tickets are sold out, too. :( Biggest airshow in Europe.
And then to top it off, my hosting company put suspended pages on ALL of the sites I’m reselling for. Gosh knows why, because they never have done in the past, and they didn’t warn me about it!Well, I’m sure you don’t care. I’m just trying to distract myself from my life, and your blog is awesome for it. :)
Many thanks. :p
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My first time using Chyrp and I love the demo! But I might have problems with the layout. =( *sigh* if people start making Chyrp themes and offer them free, I might just switch to it. ;)
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ooooh may look into that got a lot of projects to do may come in handy thanks for the link
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Chyrp! has moved along a bit – V2 is up to RC2 and will soon be out. I’m using it and cannot but speak highly of it, similar to you…
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SO… is chyrp worthy to be used as a blogging script?? i mean, is it vulnerable to spams?
would you recommend it?
