FW/1 vs ColdBox vs Mura: Which ColdFusion Framework Fits Your Team in 2025?

These three aren’t the same kind of tool, and choosing well starts with knowing that. FW/1 (Framework One) and ColdBox are MVC application frameworks — you use them to build custom ColdFusion applications. Mura is a CMS (content management system) — you use it to run content-driven websites where non-developers edit pages, not to scaffold a bespoke app. So the real question isn’t “which framework,” it’s “am I building a custom application (FW/1 or ColdBox) or running a content site (a Mura-family CMS)?” Among the application frameworks: FW/1 is lightweight and minimalist — historically a single file, convention-over-configuration, with a tiny learning curve, ideal for small-to-medium apps and teams that want the framework to get out of the way. ColdBox is the full-featured HMVC platform — conventions-based, modular, with an ecosystem (WireBox DI, TestBox testing, CommandBox, LogBox, CacheBox), aggressive maintenance, and a conference (Into the Box) — ideal for larger, team-based, enterprise applications. Mura matters with a 2025 caveat: Mura CMS went closed-source/proprietary with v10 in 2020, and the open-source lineage now lives on as Masa CMS (a community fork of Mura 7.1). This guide compares all three by what they are, their strengths, and which fits your team.
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