Getting Started with Git-Backed Content Management

Learn how Git-backed CMS systems revolutionize content management by combining version control with traditional CMS features.

By Sarah Chen October 15, 2024
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What is a Git-Backed CMS?

A Git-backed CMS is a modern approach to content management that stores all your content as files in a Git repository instead of a traditional database. This brings the power of version control to your content workflow.

Why Choose Git-Backed CMS?

Traditional CMSs store content in databases, which can be complex to manage and version. Git-backed systems offer several advantages:

  • Version Control: Every change to your content is tracked with full Git history
  • Branching & Merging: Work on content updates in branches before publishing
  • Easy Rollbacks: Instantly revert to any previous version of your content
  • Developer Friendly: Content lives alongside your code in the same repository
  • Collaboration: Use pull requests for content review workflows

How It Works

When you create or edit content in a Git-backed CMS:

  1. Content is saved as YAML or Markdown files
  2. Changes are committed to Git with descriptive messages
  3. Your site rebuilds automatically with the new content
  4. Full audit trail of who changed what and when

Perfect For Modern Teams

Git-backed CMSs are ideal for teams that value transparency, collaboration, and modern workflows. Whether you're a solo developer or part of a large organization, having your content in Git provides peace of mind and powerful capabilities.

Getting Started

Starting with a Git-backed CMS is straightforward:

  • Initialize a Git repository for your project
  • Set up your CMS configuration
  • Create your first content file
  • Commit and push to deploy

The learning curve is minimal, especially if you're already familiar with Git. And if you're not, this is a great opportunity to learn a skill that will benefit your entire development workflow.