In The Beginning...
razorCMS began as a databaseless flat file content management system, forked from a project called uCMS. It's structure allowed you to have just the amount of functionality you needed in a flat file CMS solution, adding extensions (blade packs) for further functionality, whilst allowing setup on simple servers with no database.
Starting with a core system install, razorCMS gave you base functionality required to run a website, add the extra functionality as you needed it via the blade pack management system. Everything from WYSIWYG editors to SEF URL was added as extra functionality.
Looking Forward...
Since its conception, technology has changed dramatically, with more and more functionality being handled via JavaScript. In addition to this, a more modular object based approached can be used to make things more extendible, allowing for integration with other technologies like mobile applications.
With all this in mind, razorCMS V3 was born, utilising technologies like angularJS, PHP and RESTfull approaches to dealing with data management. Yes we are still a file based CMS, but we are no longer flat file, adapting a new method for file based DB storage.