Decap CMS (Netlify CMS)

beginner

Git-based CMS for static site generators.

Overview

Decap CMS is a Git-based content management system designed specifically for static site generators and JAMstack workflows. Originally developed as Netlify CMS, Decap CMS is now maintained by the community and provides a web-based interface for managing content stored directly in Git repositories. The CMS operates by reading and writing markdown files with YAML frontmatter, making it ideal for developers who want to maintain their content in version control while providing non-technical users with an intuitive editing interface. This Docker stack combines the Decap CMS proxy server with an NGINX web server to create a complete local development environment for Git-based content management. The proxy server handles authentication and Git operations, while NGINX serves your static site files. This configuration eliminates the need for complex OAuth setup during development and provides immediate feedback when content changes are made through the CMS interface. This setup is perfect for developers building static sites with Hugo, Jekyll, Gatsby, or Next.js who need a user-friendly content management interface. The Git-based approach means all content changes are tracked in version control, providing full audit trails and the ability to roll back changes. Content editors can use the familiar CMS interface while developers maintain full control over the underlying file structure and deployment pipeline.

Key Features

Git-based content storage with automatic commit generation for all CMS changes
Real-time preview functionality showing content changes before publishing
Customizable content schemas through YAML configuration files
Rich text editor with markdown support and media asset management
Branch-based editorial workflow supporting draft and published content states
Local proxy server eliminating OAuth requirements for development environments
Multi-collection support for different content types like posts, pages, and data files
Automatic slug generation and frontmatter field validation

Common Use Cases

1Local development environment for static site generators with content management needs
2Documentation websites requiring non-technical team members to edit content
3Marketing websites where content teams need to update pages without developer intervention
4Personal blogs and portfolios with multiple authors or collaborative editing
5Company websites needing approval workflows and content versioning
6Educational platforms managing course content and resources through Git repositories
7Portfolio sites for agencies managing multiple client projects with different content structures

Prerequisites

Git repository initialized in your project directory with existing static site structure
Docker and Docker Compose installed with at least 512MB RAM available
Static site generator files in ./public directory (Hugo, Jekyll, Gatsby build output)
Decap CMS configuration file created at admin/config.yml with collections defined
Content directory structure matching your config.yml collection settings
Basic understanding of YAML configuration and markdown file formatting

For development & testing. Review security settings, change default credentials, and test thoroughly before production use. See Terms

docker-compose.yml

1services: 
2  decap-proxy: 
3    image: netlify/netlify-cms-proxy-server:latest
4    container_name: decap-proxy
5    restart: unless-stopped
6    volumes: 
7      - ./content:/app/content
8    ports: 
9      - "8081:8081"
10    networks: 
11      - decap-network
12
13  site: 
14    image: nginx:alpine
15    container_name: decap-site
16    restart: unless-stopped
17    volumes: 
18      - ./public:/usr/share/nginx/html:ro
19    ports: 
20      - "80:80"
21    networks: 
22      - decap-network
23
24networks: 
25  decap-network: 
26    driver: bridge

.env Template

.env

1# Configure in admin/config.yml

Usage Notes

1Docs: https://decapcms.org/docs/
2Site at http://localhost, admin at /admin
3Configure in admin/config.yml (collections, fields)
4Git-based: commits directly to your repository
5Works with Hugo, Jekyll, Gatsby, Next.js, any SSG
6Formerly Netlify CMS - community maintained fork

Individual Services(2 services)

Copy individual services to mix and match with your existing compose files.

decap-proxy

decap-proxy:
  image: netlify/netlify-cms-proxy-server:latest
  container_name: decap-proxy
  restart: unless-stopped
  volumes:
    - ./content:/app/content
  ports:
    - "8081:8081"
  networks:
    - decap-network

site

site:
  image: nginx:alpine
  container_name: decap-site
  restart: unless-stopped
  volumes:
    - ./public:/usr/share/nginx/html:ro
  ports:
    - "80:80"
  networks:
    - decap-network

Quick Start

terminal

1# 1. Create the compose file
2cat > docker-compose.yml << 'EOF'
3services:
4  decap-proxy:
5    image: netlify/netlify-cms-proxy-server:latest
6    container_name: decap-proxy
7    restart: unless-stopped
8    volumes:
9      - ./content:/app/content
10    ports:
11      - "8081:8081"
12    networks:
13      - decap-network
14
15  site:
16    image: nginx:alpine
17    container_name: decap-site
18    restart: unless-stopped
19    volumes:
20      - ./public:/usr/share/nginx/html:ro
21    ports:
22      - "80:80"
23    networks:
24      - decap-network
25
26networks:
27  decap-network:
28    driver: bridge
29EOF
30
31# 2. Create the .env file
32cat > .env << 'EOF'
33# Configure in admin/config.yml
34EOF
35
36# 3. Start the services
37docker compose up -d
38
39# 4. View logs
40docker compose logs -f

One-Liner

Run this command to download and set up the recipe in one step:

terminal

1curl -fsSL https://docker.recipes/api/recipes/decap-cms/run | bash

Troubleshooting

Error: Failed to persist entry: Ensure your Git repository is initialized and the content directory has write permissions
CMS loads but shows no collections: Verify admin/config.yml exists and contains properly formatted collection definitions
Unable to load media files: Check that media_folder path in config.yml matches your actual asset directory structure
Proxy server connection refused: Confirm port 8081 is not in use by another service and restart the decap-proxy container
Git authentication errors: Verify the proxy server has access to your repository and Git credentials are properly configured
Changes not appearing on site: Ensure your static site generator has rebuilt after CMS commits and NGINX is serving the updated files

Community Notes

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