# Decap CMS — Git-Based Open Source Content Management > An open source content management system that provides a web-based editing interface for content stored in Git repositories, enabling non-technical editors to manage Markdown and structured data in static site workflows. ## Install Save as a script file and run: # Decap CMS — Git-Based Open Source Content Management ## Quick Use ```bash # Add to any static site (e.g., Hugo, Gatsby, Eleventy) mkdir -p admin cat > admin/index.html << EOF EOF # Configure collections in admin/config.yml ``` ## Introduction Decap CMS (formerly Netlify CMS) is a Git-based headless content management system that gives editors a friendly web UI for managing content stored as files in a Git repository. It works with any static site generator and does not require a database, since all content is committed directly to the repo. ## What Decap CMS Does - Provides a browser-based editorial UI with rich text editing, media uploads, and live preview - Stores all content as flat files (Markdown, YAML, JSON) in your Git repository - Supports custom content types through a declarative YAML configuration schema - Integrates authentication via GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket OAuth, or a custom backend - Enables editorial workflows with draft, review, and publish states tracked as Git branches and pull requests ## Architecture Overview Decap CMS is a single-page React application that runs entirely in the browser. It communicates with Git hosting APIs (GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket) to read and write files. Content types are defined in a `config.yml` file that specifies collections, fields, and widgets. When an editor saves content, the CMS creates a commit (or pull request in editorial workflow mode) on the configured branch. There is no server component beyond the Git host itself. ## Self-Hosting & Configuration - Add the CMS by placing an `admin/index.html` and `admin/config.yml` in your static site - Define collections in `config.yml` with folder paths, fields, and widget types (string, markdown, image, list, etc.) - Configure the `backend` section to point at your Git provider and repository - Set up authentication using the Git Gateway proxy, OAuth applications, or Netlify Identity - Customize the editor UI with custom widgets, preview templates, and CSS ## Key Features - Git-native storage means all content changes are version-controlled with full commit history - No database or server to maintain; the CMS is a static JavaScript bundle - Editorial workflow enables content staging with draft/review/ready states as pull requests - Media library supports image uploads to the repo or external services like Cloudinary - Extensible widget system lets developers build custom field types for structured content ## Comparison with Similar Tools - **TinaCMS** — also Git-backed but offers visual inline editing on the live page; Decap CMS uses a separate admin panel - **Strapi** — server-based headless CMS with a database backend; Decap CMS is serverless and Git-native - **Sanity** — hosted real-time CMS with a custom query language; Decap CMS is self-hosted and stores data as files - **Keystatic** — newer Git-based CMS from the Thinkmill team with TypeScript-first config; Decap CMS has wider adoption and more community plugins ## FAQ **Q: What happened to Netlify CMS?** A: Netlify CMS was renamed to Decap CMS in early 2023 when it transitioned to community-driven governance. The codebase and functionality are the same; only the name and npm package changed. **Q: Which static site generators work with Decap CMS?** A: Any generator that reads Markdown or data files from a folder: Hugo, Gatsby, Eleventy, Next.js, Jekyll, Astro, and more. The CMS is generator-agnostic. **Q: Does Decap CMS support real-time collaboration?** A: Not natively. Two editors can work on different content files simultaneously since each save creates a separate Git commit, but there is no live co-editing within a single document. **Q: Can I use Decap CMS without Netlify hosting?** A: Yes. Decap CMS works with any hosting provider. You only need a Git backend (GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket) and an authentication mechanism like an OAuth proxy or Git Gateway. ## Sources - https://github.com/decaporg/decap-cms - https://decapcms.org/docs/ --- Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/asset-af7920ca Author: Script Depot