Decap CMS

Open-source, Git-based content management for static site generators.

• Official Website: decapcms.org
• Category: Content Management
• Type: Git-Based Headless CMS

Overview

Decap CMS (formerly Netlify CMS) is an open-source, client-side content management system designed for static site generators. It runs as a single-page React application hosted directly alongside your static site (typically in an admin/ folder).

When content editors publish or update posts, Decap CMS commits the changes directly to your Git repository as Markdown, YAML, or JSON files, triggering your site's automated build process.

Key Highlights & Features

• Git as a Single Source of Truth: Content versioned alongside source code.
• Rich Text & Markdown Editor: Clean UI with live previews for editors.
• Media Library: Upload and manage images directly within the browser.
• Configurable Collections: Define content schemas using simple YAML.

How It Works with Static Websites

Create an admin/index.html file in your static site:

<!doctype html>
<html>
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8" />
  <title>Content Manager</title>
  <script src="https://identity.netlify.com/v1/netlify-identity-widget.js"></script>
</head>
<body>
  <script src="https://unpkg.com/decap-cms@^3.0.0/dist/decap-cms.js"></script>
</body>
</html>

Define your content schema in admin/config.yml:

backend:
  name: git-gateway
  branch: main

media_folder: "assets/uploads"
public_folder: "/assets/uploads"

collections:
  - name: "blog"
    label: "Blog"
    folder: "_posts"
    create: true
    fields:
      - {label: "Title", name: "title", widget: "string"}
      - {label: "Body", name: "body", widget: "markdown"}

When to Use It

• Client websites where non-technical editors need a friendly UI to publish posts.
• Static sites built with Astro, Hugo, Jekyll, or 11ty wanting Git-backed content.
• Projects avoiding the ongoing expense and hosting of database CMSs like WordPress.