What happened to Osclass?
Upstream Osclass stopped shipping releases years ago. The codebase kept going as a community fork, and in 2026 that fork took its own name: ShopClass. Same code, same git history, same GPLv3 — still free, still yours to host.
One project, three names.
Every date below is checkable against the release history in the repository — which is the same repository Osclass was published from.
- 2017
The fork begins
Mindstellar starts maintaining a fork of Osclass, picking up the 3.x line where upstream releases had stopped.
- 2019
Osclass 3.9.0
The last release on the 3.x branch — still the version a lot of long-running Osclass sites are frozen on today.
- 2021
Osclass 5.0
A modernised core with PHP 8 support, a reworked installer and a security pass. The jump most surviving sites needed.
- 2024
Osclass 5.2
Compatibility and security work continues through 5.2.0 and 5.2.1, keeping installs patched.
- 2026
Osclass 5.2.2 — the last
The final Osclass-branded release. It repoints the built-in updater at the new repository, so sites on it move across on their own.
- 2026
ShopClass 6.0
The same project under its own name: Bootstrap 5 admin, jQuery out of the core, PHP 8 throughout, and a real CLI.
Upgrading is not a migration.
There is no export, no re-import and no rebuild. It is the same application continuing at a higher version number.
It updates itself
5.2.2 points its built-in updater at the ShopClass releases. Open Admin → Tools → Update and take the update as you always have.
Step up, then across
Update to 5.2.2 first, then let it carry you to 6.x. Unpacking a release by hand works too — run php oc-cli.php db:upgrade afterwards to reconcile the schema.
Back up your database and oc-content/uploads before you start.
Just install ShopClass
New sites should skip Osclass entirely. The guided installer checks your host, sets up the database and creates your admin login.
DownloadWhat carries over untouched
- The
osc_*template and helper functions - Hook and filter names, so plugin entry points still fire
- Theme and plugin folder layout, and the asset paths themes reference
- The database schema and its
oc_t_table prefix - Your listings, users, categories, locations and uploads
Extensions that reach past the public API into legacy internals — or that assume jQuery is loaded in the admin — may need a look. Test on a copy first.
Osclass 3.x, and where it is now.
The comparison most people arrive looking for: what a frozen Osclass install gives you against a current one.
| Osclass 3.9.0 | ShopClass 6.x | |
|---|---|---|
| Latest release | Osclass 3.9.0 (2019) | ShopClass 6.x, actively released |
| PHP support | PHP 5.x / 7.x era | PHP 8.0 – 8.5 |
| Security fixes | None upstream | Ongoing, with a disclosure policy |
| Admin panel | Legacy, jQuery-bound | Bootstrap 5, accessibility-checked |
| Plugin & theme API | osc_* API | Same osc_* API, preserved |
| Command line | None | oc-cli.php — cron, upgrades, backups |
| Licence | GPLv3 | GPLv3 |
| Price | Free | Free |
Still the reason people chose Osclass.
A classifieds site you own outright: your database, your server, your code. That did not change with the name — it is the whole point of keeping the project alive.
Questions people arrive with.
Is Osclass dead?
Upstream Osclass stopped shipping releases years ago, so in that sense yes. The codebase is not dead, though: it has been maintained continuously as a community fork since 2017, and that fork is now called ShopClass. If you are running Osclass today, there is a supported version to move to.
Is ShopClass the same thing as Osclass?
It is the same codebase and the same git history, carried forward and renamed in 2026. ShopClass is not a rewrite or a different product — it is what the maintained Osclass fork became. The licence is still GPLv3 and it is still self-hosted.
Will my existing Osclass themes and plugins work?
In most cases yes. ShopClass deliberately preserves the Osclass extension API: the osc_* helper functions, the hook and filter names, the folder layout and the asset paths. Extensions that reach directly into legacy internals or assume jQuery is loaded in the admin may need adjusting, so test on a copy first.
How do I upgrade an Osclass site to ShopClass?
It is an in-place upgrade, not a migration. Osclass 5.2.2 already points its built-in updater at the ShopClass releases, so an up-to-date site can update itself from Admin → Tools. From an older 3.x or 5.0 install, step up to 5.2.2 first. Always back up your database and uploads before upgrading.
Is ShopClass still free?
Yes — free under the GPLv3, with every feature in the box. There are no per-listing fees, no paid tiers and no hosted service you are pushed towards. You run it on your own hosting and your data stays in your database.
What happened to the Osclass GitHub repository?
It is the same repository, renamed. github.com/mindstellar/Osclass now redirects to github.com/mindstellar/shopclass, carrying its history, issues and releases with it. Old links, clones and the Osclass 5.x download archive all still work.
Try it before you upgrade anything.
The demo is a full install that resets every hour — post a listing, open the admin with admin / admin, break whatever you like.