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CMS comparison EmDash vs Liferay DXP

EmDash vs Liferay DXP

EmDash is an open-source traditional CMS that you host yourself. Liferay DXP is a closed-source enterprise DXP that you can host yourself or run on the vendor's cloud. The table below sets them side by side on 28 features. They get a different status on 12.

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  • EmDash Traditional · Open source · 14 of 28 built in
  • Liferay DXP Enterprise DXP · Closed source · 26 of 28 built in

Sources checked: EmDash on 29 Sept 2026, Liferay DXP on 29 Sept 2026. Plans and releases can change after those dates.

WAYF is an official Payload partner and top contributor. Every platform in the table is classified by the same published definitions, and each answer lists the vendor page it came from.

Feature comparison

Built inPaid tierPlugin or add-onLimitedNot available
EmDash vs Liferay DXP feature comparison. Columns are the two platforms. Rows are features, grouped by area.
Platform
EmDash Traditional
Liferay DXP Enterprise DXP
Overview
What it is Open-source CMS from Cloudflare that runs inside an Astro site, with the admin and pages in one app on Cloudflare Workers or Node.js.Java platform for websites, portals and commerce, with a new object-based CMS. Self-hosted or run by Liferay as PaaS or SaaS.
Edition compared The product and release each column describes. EmDash 1.0, open source Version 1.0.1, released 28 Sept 2026 Liferay DXP 2026.Q3, Enterprise Subscription. The Free Tier replaced Liferay Portal CE from 2026.Q1. Version 2026.q3.5, released 25 Sept 2026
Vendor Cloudflare emdashcms.com Liferay, Inc. liferay.com
Licence Open source MIT Closed source Proprietary, under the Liferay EULA. Free Tier activation key at no cost
Hosting Self-hosting No vendor cloud No managed hosting. You deploy to your own Cloudflare account or Node.js server. Self-hosting Vendor cloud Free Tier suits smaller-scale use and gets no security patches, SAML or AI Hub.
Built with TypeScript, AstroJava, OSGi, React
Database SQLite, Cloudflare D1, PostgreSQL, libSQLMySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, Oracle, SQL Server, IBM Db2
Pricing Public list prices only. Hosting and implementation are extra everywhere. Free to start Free and open source. You pay only for hosting. Free to start Free Tier at no cost for smaller-scale use. Enterprise Subscription per server instance, price on request.
Content modelling
Content model in code You define content types in files in your repository, review them like any other code and apply them from there. Imperative migration scripts alone count as limited. Limited Seed files set up new sites. A live site's model changes through the admin, API or CLI. 20 Built in Definitions export to JSON and deploy from the repo as batch client extensions. 7
Content model in the UI Admins can create and change content types and fields in the admin interface without writing code. Built in Admin role only. 220 Built in Objects and web content structures. 6
Reusable blocks Editors compose pages from reusable, typed components or blocks, and can reorder them. Built in Blocks field with versioned block types. 5 Built in Fragments on content pages. 11
Localization Editors translate content per locale inside the CMS, by field or by entry, without a separate site for each language. Built in Each translation is a separate entry with its own status. 6 Built in
Image transformations The CMS resizes, crops or converts images on request, through URL parameters or generated sizes, with no external service. Built in Uses Astro's image endpoint for sizes and formats. Crop and focal point in the editor. 78 Built in Adaptive Media generates set image resolutions. 8
APIs and delivery
REST API A documented REST or JSON HTTP API returns content. Built in 9 Built in Headless REST APIs. 9
GraphQL API The vendor or an official module provides a GraphQL API for content. Not available Built in 9
Webhooks The CMS can call an external URL when content is created, changed or published. Plugin or add-on Official webhook-notifier plugin. 18 Built in Object actions call a webhook on add, update or delete. 10
Renders the website The CMS itself renders and serves the public pages through themes or templates. Headless-only products answer no. Built in The Astro site renders the pages. 2 Built in
Editorial workflow
Drafts Editors save changes as a draft and publish them later. The live version stays untouched until then. Built in 10 Built in
Scheduled publishing An editor can set a future date and time for content to publish or unpublish. Built in 10 Built in Display and expiration dates.
Version history The CMS keeps earlier versions of an entry, and editors can compare or restore them. Built in On revision-enabled collections. 10 Built in
Preview Editors can see unpublished content rendered as it will appear on the site before publishing. Built in Signed preview links. 11 Built in
Visual editing Editors can click on the rendered page and edit content in place or in a side panel next to it. Built in Signed-in editors get visual editing on the rendered page. 11 Built in Inline editing in the content page editor. 11
Approval workflows Content moves through review stages you configure, such as draft, review and approved, with permissions per stage. Not available Contributors cannot publish. No configurable review stages. 1210 Built in Kaleo workflow, also included in the Free Tier. 3
Content releases Editors group changes across several entries and publish them together as one release. Not available Built in Publications group changes and publish them together. 12
Real-time co-editing Two or more editors can work on the same entry at once and see each other's changes live. Not available Not available A page locks while one editor has it open. 13
Access and governance
Custom roles Admins define their own roles with granular permissions instead of picking from a fixed set. Not available Five fixed roles from Subscriber to Admin. 12 Built in
Field-level permissions Admins can restrict access to single fields, on top of content types and entries. Not available 12 Not available Permissions apply per object, entry or asset. 14
Single sign-on Editors can sign in through SAML or OpenID Connect against a company identity provider. Limited Microsoft Entra sign-in built in. Other IdPs through Cloudflare Access. No native SAML. 12 Built in SAML and OpenID Connect. The Free Tier lacks SAML. 315
Audit log The CMS logs who changed what and when across the whole installation, and admins can review the log. Plugin or add-on Official audit-log plugin. 19 Built in Audit framework with search and export of events. 16
Platform and extensibility
Multiple sites One installation or account can manage several separate websites or brands with shared users. Not available Built in
Extensible admin UI Developers can add their own components, views or fields to the editing interface. Built in Plugins add admin pages and dashboard widgets. 13 Built in Client extensions. 7
Plugin marketplace The vendor runs an official directory or marketplace of installable extensions. Built in Plugin registry, launched with 1.0. 143 Built in Liferay Marketplace. 17
Form builder Editors can build and publish forms and collect submissions without code. Plugin or add-on Official forms plugin. 17 Built in Liferay Forms.
Site member accounts The platform handles sign-up and login for public site users or members, separate from editors. Limited Subscriber role reads member-only content. Members share the editors' user system. 12 Built in
AI writing assistant A first-party AI feature in the editing interface generates, rewrites or translates content. Not available Built in AI Hub writing tools in the new CMS. Not in the Free Tier. 418
Official MCP server The vendor publishes a Model Context Protocol server so AI agents can read or write content. Built in Built in and on by default. 15 Built in Built-in MCP server released in 2026.Q3, switched on by feature flag. 19

EmDash sources

Checked 29 Sept 2026. EmDash 1.0, open source.

  1. emdash on the npm registry
  2. EmDash homepage
  3. EmDash 1.0: an open source CMS for Astro
  4. EmDash repository on GitHub
  5. EmDash docs: Blocks
  6. EmDash docs: Internationalization
  7. EmDash docs: Configuration reference
  8. EmDash docs: Media Library
  9. EmDash docs: REST API
  10. EmDash docs: Content lifecycle
  11. EmDash docs: Preview mode
  12. EmDash docs: Authentication
  13. EmDash docs: Plugins overview
  14. EmDash docs: Plugin registry
  15. EmDash docs: AI tools and MCP server
  16. EmDash docs: Database options
  17. @emdash-cms/plugin-forms on the npm registry
  18. @emdash-cms/plugin-webhook-notifier on the npm registry
  19. @emdash-cms/plugin-audit-log on the npm registry
  20. EmDash docs: Evolving a deployed site

Liferay DXP sources

Checked 29 Sept 2026. Liferay DXP 2026.Q3, Enterprise Subscription. The Free Tier replaced Liferay Portal CE from 2026.Q1..

  1. Liferay DXP 2026.q3.5 release files
  2. Now available: Liferay DXP Quarterly Release 2026.Q3
  3. Liferay DXP Free Tier (Liferay Learn)
  4. Liferay DXP Free Tier: what it is, how to get it, and when to upgrade
  5. CE is sunsetted. What's your next move?
  6. Liferay Learn: Content Management System
  7. Liferay Learn: Client Extensions
  8. Liferay Learn: Using Adaptive Media
  9. Liferay Learn: Consuming GraphQL APIs
  10. Liferay Learn: Object actions
  11. Liferay Learn: Using Content Pages
  12. Liferay Learn: Publications
  13. Liferay Learn: Configuring Locked Pages
  14. Liferay Learn: Objects permissions framework integration
  15. Liferay Learn: Using OpenID Connect
  16. Liferay Learn: Audit Framework
  17. Liferay Marketplace
  18. Liferay AI Hub
  19. Liferay Learn: Using Liferay as an MCP Server
  20. Liferay Learn: Cloud

Considering more platforms? Compare EmDash and Liferay DXP with the rest of your shortlist in the CMS comparison tool.

Where they differ

EmDash and Liferay DXP get a different status on 12 of the 28 features and the same status on 16. EmDash has 14 built in on its baseline edition, Liferay DXP has 26. Two matching statuses can still name different paid tiers or limits, so read the notes in the table before treating a row as equal.

Licence
EmDash is open source (MIT). Liferay DXP is closed source (Proprietary, under the Liferay EULA. Free Tier activation key at no cost).
Vendor cloud
EmDash has no vendor-run cloud. Liferay DXP has a vendor-run cloud.

Built in on Liferay DXP, a different answer on EmDash 12

  • Content model in code EmDash: Limited. Liferay DXP: Built in.
  • GraphQL API EmDash: Not available. Liferay DXP: Built in.
  • Webhooks EmDash: Plugin or add-on. Liferay DXP: Built in.
  • Approval workflows EmDash: Not available. Liferay DXP: Built in.
  • Content releases EmDash: Not available. Liferay DXP: Built in.
  • Custom roles EmDash: Not available. Liferay DXP: Built in.
  • Single sign-on EmDash: Limited. Liferay DXP: Built in.
  • Audit log EmDash: Plugin or add-on. Liferay DXP: Built in.
  • Multiple sites EmDash: Not available. Liferay DXP: Built in.
  • Form builder EmDash: Plugin or add-on. Liferay DXP: Built in.
  • Site member accounts EmDash: Limited. Liferay DXP: Built in.
  • AI writing assistant EmDash: Not available. Liferay DXP: Built in.

More comparisons

EmDash against other platforms

Liferay DXP against other platforms

Open the CMS comparison tool to put up to six platforms in one table.

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