Craft CMS: Looking ahead to the next chapter

CraftCMS CEO Brandon Kelly opened the day and the big conversation was Craft 6. 
The next major version is moving to Laravel, one of the most established frameworks in the PHP ecosystem. That’s a significant technical change, but the real opportunity is what it unlocks: broader integration possibilities, more efficient development and greater freedom to create tailored digital experiences.

Craft has always appealed to us because it gives content teams control without forcing every brand into the same set of templates. The move to Laravel builds on that strength. It should make it easier to connect Craft to the wider systems that modern websites rely on, while giving development teams a strong foundation for bespoke functionality.

The roadmap shared at Dot One points towards a Craft 6 beta in November 2026, with a full release targeted for March 2027. 

Of course, no technology event in 2026 would be complete without a conversation about AI. What was particularly interesting at Dot One was seeing how Craft is approaching it.

The introduction of Model Context Protocol (MCP) support in Craft 6 is an important development. MCP provides a standard way for AI tools to connect with external systems and understand how information is structured.

In practical terms, this opens up some interesting possibilities for Craft websites. AI assistants could interact with structured website content, while content teams could use AI-powered tools to help review, create and manage content directly within the CMS.

And more good news is that MCP will also be made available in the next V.5 update so our existing clients don't have to wait to take advantage of this great addition.

As an agency, we're particularly interested in how these integrations could help us build smarter digital experiences for our clients. There's a lot of potential here, and we're looking forward to exploring what becomes possible as the technology develops.

There was plenty for the development team to get their teeth into, too.

Sessions covering the transition to Laravel, upgrading custom modules and plugins, and the new control panel UI provided a valuable insight into the practical changes coming with Craft 6.

We also saw how new development tools could help with the process of updating existing codebases, potentially making migrations more efficient and adding a built-in import tool to help with large data imports.

The redesigned control panel is another welcome development. Built around a shared set of reusable UI components, it should make it easier for developers to create custom functionality that feels like a natural part of Craft itself.

These are the kinds of improvements that matter to us. They help us build better websites, work more efficiently and continue delivering the bespoke functionality our clients expect.

One of the things we've always appreciated about Craft CMS is that it continues to evolve without losing sight of what makes it such a great platform. It's flexible, developer-friendly and gives content teams the control they need without unnecessary complexity.

Being an official Craft CMS Partner means we're part of that ongoing journey. We keep up with the latest developments, get involved in the community and bring that knowledge directly into the projects we deliver.

Dot One was a great reminder of why we've stuck with Craft for more than a decade. With Craft 6 on the horizon, a growing range of AI integrations and a clear focus on making the platform even better, we're as enthusiastic about its future as we've ever been.

We've spent the last 10 years building with Craft. We can't wait to see what the next 10 bring.

Interested in what Craft CMS could do for your website? Find out more about our Craft CMS development services or get in touch with the team.