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AContent

atutor.github.io

Free plan Open source WebWindowsmacOSLinuxAPISelf-hosted
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Spec score 9.1 #1 of 18 in Learning Content Management Systems

What it is

AContent is an open source learning content management system for creating accessible, adaptive web-based learning materials. It can be used with learning management systems to develop, share, and archive lessons. Authors can make elearning content, tests or quizzes, activities, and AccessForAll adaptations. The system imports and exports IMS Common Cartridge, IMS Content Packaging, and IMS QTI. Its Web Service API lets third-party software search, preview, import, and export repository content, while an OAuth API supports single sign-on with a connected host system. Listed accessibility standards include WCAG 1.0 and 2.0, ATAG 2.0, US Section 508, and ISO/IEC 24751. Public users can search, browse, and export public repository content; registered users can bookmark lessons; authors create content; administrators manage users and groups. AContent is free and self-hosted, with web access and API support. It is distributed as a 6.5 MB TGZ, and installation requirements are stated to match ATutor's. The downloads page identifies version 1.4 as the latest stable release.

Spec sheet

What it does
AContent is an open-source learning content management system for creating accessible, adaptive and interoperable web learning material.Read 14 Oct 2026 · atutor.github.io
Product
AContent is an open source learning content management system for creating interoperable, accessible, adaptive web based learning content.Read 7 Oct 2026 · atutor.github.io
Deployment
AContent is distributed as a 6.5 MB TGZ and its installation requirements are stated to be the same as ATutor's.Read 7 Oct 2026 · atutor.github.io
Integrations
Its Web Service API supports searching, previewing, importing, and exporting repository content from third party software, and its OAuth API supports single sign on with a connected host system.Read 7 Oct 2026 · atutor.github.io
Access roles
Public users can search, browse, and export public repository content; registered users can bookmark lessons; authors can create content; and administrators can manage users and groups.Read 7 Oct 2026 · atutor.github.io
Accessibility
The listed accessibility standards include WCAG 1.0 and 2.0, ATAG 2.0, US Section 508, and ISO/IEC 24751.Read 7 Oct 2026 · atutor.github.io
Accessibility standards
The product lists WCAG 1.0 and 2.0, ATAG 2.0, US Section 508, Italy’s Stanca Act, IMS AccessForAll and ISO/IEC 24751 support.Read 14 Oct 2026 · atutor.github.io
API import operation
After OAuth authentication, clients can submit a URL for a Common Cartridge or content package and receive a course identifier.Read 14 Oct 2026 · atutor.github.io
App-store distinction
Apple lists a free iPad app named “aContent App” by Edusoft BG, described as an Erasmus augmented-content classroom app, rather than the ATutor AContent LCMS.Read 14 Oct 2026 · apps.apple.com
Assessment authoring
Test and quiz tools support question banks and exporting tests in IMS QTI formats.Read 14 Oct 2026 · atutor.github.io
ATutor integration
AContent can operate as a standalone repository or alongside ATutor and other systems that support IMS interoperability.Read 14 Oct 2026 · atutor.github.io
Authoring
Authors can build lessons with folders, pages, activities, assessments, themes, metadata and adapted content.Read 14 Oct 2026 · atutor.github.io
Company origin
A 2017 project post says Greg Gay began ATutor as a graduate-school project in the late 1990s and planned to step down as leader in 2018.Read 14 Oct 2026 · atutor.github.io
Current listed release
The downloads page labels AContent 1.4 as the latest stable version.Read 7 Oct 2026 · atutor.github.io
Demo
The AContent 1.4 demo page provides an Author login with the username and password both shown as demo.Read 7 Oct 2026 · atutor.github.io
Documentation
Documentation includes in-product handbooks, printable author and administrator guides, video material, lesson cartridges and Web Service/OAuth API references.Read 14 Oct 2026 · atutor.github.io
Documentation limitation
The documentation hub says most operational guidance is contained inside each installation’s handbook and context-sensitive help.Read 14 Oct 2026 · atutor.github.io
Download
The latest stable download page identifies AContent 1.4 as a 6.5 MB TGZ archive.Read 14 Oct 2026 · atutor.github.io
Independent activity
SourceForge reports the last project update as 2018-02-09, indicating an old published release state.Read 14 Oct 2026 · sourceforge.net
Independent feature listing
SourceForge describes AContent as a free web authoring tool and repository with IMS, QTI, AccessForAll, Web Service API and ATutor integration.Read 14 Oct 2026 · sourceforge.net
Independent platform listing
SourceForge tags the project for Windows, Mac, Linux, BSD and ChromeOS environments.Read 14 Oct 2026 · sourceforge.net
Independent technical stack
SourceForge lists a web interface, PHP and JavaScript implementation, and MySQL database environment.Read 14 Oct 2026 · sourceforge.net
Installation
Installation uses a browser-based eight-step process and requires a MySQL database plus writable content and configuration paths.Read 14 Oct 2026 · atutor.github.io
Interoperability
AContent supports IMS Common Cartridge, IMS Content Packaging, and IMS QTI import and export.Read 7 Oct 2026 · atutor.github.io
Interoperability standards
Supported formats include IMS Content Packaging, IMS QTI 1.2/2.1, IMS Common Cartridge 1.0 and W3C XHTML 1.0.Read 14 Oct 2026 · atutor.github.io
Licence
The project is distributed under the GNU General Public License; SourceForge identifies the AContent project specifically as GPLv2.Read 14 Oct 2026 · sourceforge.net
Limit: author permissions
Authoring access requires registration and administrator approval before the Create Lesson tools become available.Read 14 Oct 2026 · atutor.github.io
Limit: import handling
The handbook warns that malformed or malicious imported files can create problems, so administrators restrict upload types and permissions.Read 14 Oct 2026 · atutor.github.io
Limit: security vulnerability
OSV records a CVSS 8.8 high-severity command-execution vulnerability affecting AContent through version 1.4 through an arbitrary file-upload path.Read 14 Oct 2026 · osv.dev
Limit: support continuity
The ATutor GitHub repository banner says the project is no longer supported at the user level and seeks contributing maintainers.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
OAuth API
The API implements OAuth Core 1.0 with consumer registration, request-token, authorization and access-token endpoints.Read 14 Oct 2026 · atutor.github.io
Rating on SourceForge
No numeric rating or review count is displayed; the page invites users to be the first reviewer.Read 14 Oct 2026 · sourceforge.net
Release history
SourceForge records AContent 1.3 as released on 2013-03-15.Read 14 Oct 2026 · sourceforge.net
Release maintenance
SourceForge describes AContent 1.2, released 2011-10-14, as maintenance work including possible security and bug fixes.Read 14 Oct 2026 · sourceforge.net
Repository
The system provides public repository search, category browsing and export of learning content.Read 14 Oct 2026 · atutor.github.io
Runtime setup
The downloads page points to system software bundles including EasyPHP for Windows, XAMPP for all platforms, and MAMP for Macs.Read 7 Oct 2026 · atutor.github.io
Standards milestone
SourceForge says the 2010-11-24 AContent 1.1 release added IMS Common Cartridge, IMS Content Package, IMS QTI and AccessForAll support.Read 14 Oct 2026 · sourceforge.net
System requirements
The stated environment requires an HTTP server, PHP 5.0.2 or newer with listed extensions, and MySQL 4.1.10 through 5.6, with MySQL 5.7 added for ATutor 2.2.4.Read 14 Oct 2026 · atutor.github.io
Template editor
Administrators can create themes, page layouts and lesson structures, while authors apply them to content.Read 14 Oct 2026 · atutor.github.io
Use
It can be used with learning management systems to develop, share, and archive learning materials.Read 7 Oct 2026 · atutor.github.io
Web Service API
The Web Service API supports searching, previewing, importing and exporting repository content for connected systems.Read 14 Oct 2026 · atutor.github.io

Plans and prices

AContent Free Open source LCMS · Latest stable version listed as 1.4 Read 7 Oct 2026 · atutor.github.io
AContent open-source distribution Free Self-hosted installation · Apache/PHP/MySQL environment · administrator-managed updates Read 14 Oct 2026 · sourceforge.net

Every AContent plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Creates lessons, quizzes, activities, and adaptations
  • Imports and exports three IMS content formats
  • Web Service API supports third-party repository operations
  • Lists multiple accessibility standards
  • Free and open source

Limits

  • Latest stable version listed is 1.4
  • Installation requirements match ATutor's
  • Deployment is self-hosted

Who it suits

AContent suits organizations or educators who want to create and share learning materials alongside a learning management system. Its role permissions and import/export standards also suit repositories serving public users, authors, and administrators.

AContent in depth

Read the full write-up

Overview

AContent is a free, open-source content repository and authoring tool for teams building learning materials to use across learning management systems. Its strongest case is for institutions that need reusable, accessible content and can take responsibility for a self-hosted installation. It is less suitable for teams seeking a managed service or a broad range of delivery channels.

Key features

Authors can create e-learning content, quizzes, activities and AccessForAll adaptations, then share and archive materials for reuse. That combination makes AContent useful when content must be maintained as a repository rather than produced as isolated lessons. Public users can search, browse and export public materials; registered users can bookmark lessons; authors can create content; and administrators can manage users and groups. These roles provide a clear division of access, although the facts do not establish finer-grained permissions.

IMS Common Cartridge, IMS Content Packaging and IMS QTI import and export make AContent a practical option for exchanging materials with compatible learning systems. Its Web Service API supports searching, previewing, importing and exporting repository content from third-party software, while OAuth supports single sign-on with a connected host system. Those connections are valuable for organizations integrating a repository into an existing learning environment, but make technical ownership part of the choice.

The accessibility standards named for AContent include WCAG 1.0 and 2.0, ATAG 2.0, US Section 508 and ISO/IEC 24751. This breadth is relevant to teams with accessibility requirements. Content is delivered through the web, and learning standards are listed as none; AContent's supported exchange formats should not be mistaken for a stated alignment to learning standards.

Pricing

The AContent plan costs nothing and is open source. It gives teams a no-cost route to authoring, repository roles, content reuse and API access, with the latest stable version listed as 1.4. There are no paid tiers or seat and quota limits stated for this plan, so it suits institutions able to run and maintain the software themselves. The trade-off is operational rather than a subscription fee: deployment is self-hosted.

Platforms

AContent supports API, Linux, macOS, self-hosted, web and Windows. It is distributed as a 6.5 MB TGZ, and its installation requirements are the same as ATutor's. The downloads page points to system software bundles including EasyPHP for Windows, XAMPP for all platforms and MAMP for Macs. The project says most documentation is included in the AContent Handbook with each installation, with author and administrator handbooks also linked online. A demo page provides an Author login using demo for both username and password, offering a way to examine the author role before committing to an installation.

Who it's for

AContent is a sensible fit for education teams that need to create and reuse learning content across systems, value its named accessibility standards, and have the capacity to host and administer the software. Its public, registered-user, author and administrator roles also suit repositories serving more than one audience. Teams that want a hosted product, a stated learning-standard alignment or delivery beyond the web should consider other options.

Pros and cons

Pros: Free and open source, with no subscription charge for the AContent plan.

Pros: Imports and exports three IMS formats, supporting exchange with compatible systems.

Pros: Web Service and OAuth APIs support repository integration and single sign-on with a connected host.

Pros: Its role model distinguishes public access, bookmarking, authoring and administration.

Cons: Self-hosting and installation requirements place deployment and upkeep with the adopting organization.

Cons: Web is the stated delivery channel, and no learning standards are stated.

Alternatives

Learning Content Management Systems is the broader category to browse when AContent's self-hosted approach or web delivery does not match your needs.

Choose LCMS Cloud if you want a paid option with a free trial and web or self-hosted platforms; its Starter plan is 149 IDR a month. Edlib is another self-hosted, web option with a free, open-source plan and a paid Teams plan at 23.00 USD per; consider it when comparing open-source alternatives. edu-sharing is a free, open-source alternative with Android, iOS, API, self-hosted and web platforms, making it relevant if mobile platforms matter.

eXact LCMS is a paid option with a free trial and API, self-hosted, web and Windows platforms; its price is custom pricing. LON-CAPA is a free self-hosted option for Linux and web, with no fee for software and cluster membership but a dedicated-server and maintenance requirement. MadCap Flare may suit teams seeking paid desktop authoring for web and Windows; its Starter — Flare Desktop Only plan costs $3,150 a year. Edu-Suite CMS offers a free Starter plan on API and web, with an implementation fee from € 999 and up to 5 users; it is a consideration for teams evaluating a SaaS option. Instancy LCMS is a paid option with a free trial for Android, iOS and web, with custom pricing.

Verdict

Choose AContent if your institution needs a free, self-hosted repository for authoring and reusing accessible learning content across compatible systems, and has the technical capacity to run it. Its strongest reason to choose is the combination of IMS exchange formats, repository APIs and role-based access without a subscription charge. Look elsewhere if managed hosting, broader delivery channels or an explicit learning-standard alignment is central to your decision.

Verdict

AContent pairs authoring and repository roles with standards-based content exchange and API access. Its listed latest stable release is version 1.4, and deployment is self-hosted.

Where Specifiction places it

Alternatives to AContentAll alternatives →