The software is designed for easy setup, use and maintenance, and is used in public and private institutions.

SPIP integrates a cache mechanism, an authentication system, an automatic setup module and an interface for administration and input of articles. SPIP can create dynamic pages without any PHP knowledge, using a web template system known as 'skeletons.

The software is written in PHP, and relies on one or more databases: SQL, SQLite or PostgreSQL.

A caching system avoids the generation of pages at each request: when a page is requested, SPIP checks if it doesn't exist in its cache and if it isn't too old, it will be displayed. The life-span of a page is adjustable in its presentation skeleton.

It is used both by institutional sites, community portals, academic sites, personal webpages, and news sites