Setting Up Netlify CMS: A Step-by-Step Guide

Prerequisites

Before we begin, make sure you have the following prerequisites in place:

• Node.js and npm installed on your machine.
• Yarn package manager installed.
• A code editor of your choice (e.g., Visual Studio Code).
• Basic knowledge of JavaScript and web development concepts.

Step 1: Create a New Project

1. Open your terminal and create a new directory for your Netlify CMS project:

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   mkdir netlify-cms
   cd netlify-cms
   

2. Initialize a new npm project by running the following command:

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   npm init -y
   

Step 2: Install Dependencies

1. Install the required dependencies using yarn:

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   yarn add netlify-cms gatsby react react-dom
   

2. Additionally, you may need to install other packages depending on your specific project requirements, such as additional Gatsby plugins or a static site generator like Gatsby or Hugo.

Step 3: Configure Netlify CMS

1. Create a new file named 1 config.yml in the root of your project. This file will contain the configuration for Netlify CMS.

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   # config.yml
   backend:
     name: git-gateway
     branch: main
   
   media_folder: static/images
   public_folder: /images
   
   collections:
     - name: articles
       label: Articles
       folder: content/articles
       create: true
       slug: '{{year}}-{{month}}-{{day}}-{{slug}}'
       fields:
         - { name: title, label: Title, widget: string }
         - { name: content, label: Content, widget: markdown }
   

2. Customize the configuration according to your needs. You can define multiple collections, each with its own set of fields.

Step 4: Create Content Files

1. Create a new directory named 1 content in the root of your project.

2. Inside the 1 content directory, create a new directory for each collection you defined in the 1 config.yml. For example, if you have an 1 articles collection, create a directory named 1 articles.

3. Inside the collection directory, create individual content files in YAML, Markdown, or JSON format. For example, you might create a file named 1 my-first-article.md:

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   ---
   title: My First Article
   ---
   # Hello, World!
   This is my first article using Netlify CMS.
   

Step 5: Start the Development Server

1. In your terminal, run the following command to start the development server:

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   yarn develop
   

2. Open your web browser and visit 1 http://localhost:8000/admin. You should see the Netlify CMS interface.

3. Log in using your preferred authentication method.

Step 6: Generate the Public Static Website

1. When you are ready to generate the public static website, open a new terminal window and run the following command:

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   yarn prod
   

2. The static website will be generated and placed in the 1 public directory.

3. You can now deploy the contents of the 1 public directory to your desired hosting provider.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have successfully set up Netlify CMS for your project. You can now leverage the power of Netlify CMS to manage your website content efficiently. Remember to explore the documentation for further customization options and integrations based on your specific requirements.

Happy content managing!