Astro Headless CMS
Astro CMS
The Blacks template works perfectly with headless CMS platforms. If you want to update your website and blog through a visual dashboard instead of editing Markdown files, a headless CMS gives you that option.
This guide explains what a headless CMS is, why you might want one, and what options are available for the Blacks template.
What Is a Headless CMS?
A headless CMS separates content from presentation.
- Traditional CMS (like WordPress) — content and design are tied together
- Headless CMS — content lives in a data layer, and your site pulls it in
For Blacks, a headless CMS means you can:
- Update content through a visual dashboard
- Give non-technical editors a way to update the site
- Keep your Git repository as the source of truth
- Deploy changes with one click
No database. No server. No vendor lock-in.
Why Use a Headless CMS?
If you’re the only person editing content, Markdown files are fine. But a headless CMS becomes valuable when:
- Multiple editors need to update content
- Non-technical team members are involved
- You want preview before publish
- You need role-based access (who can edit what)
- You want to update content without touching code
For solo developers, a headless CMS is optional. For teams, it’s often essential.
Recommended: Decap CMS
For Blacks, the recommended headless CMS is Decap CMS (formerly Netlify CMS).
Decap CMS is:
- Git-based — content is saved directly to your repository
- Free — no monthly fees
- Open source — no vendor lock-in
- Easy to set up — works out of the box with Netlify
How It Works
Once installed, Decap CMS adds a /admin route to your site. Editors log in with their GitHub or Google account, and can then:
- Write new blog posts
- Update existing pages
- Manage images and media
- Publish changes with one click
Every change becomes a Git commit, and your hosting provider automatically rebuilds your site.
What the Dashboard Looks Like
Here’s a preview of Decap CMS running on a Blacks site.
Login screen — sign in with Google or GitHub:
Main dashboard:
Blog article editor:
Writing and updating articles:
Other CMS Options for Blacks
Decap CMS is the recommended choice, but Blacks also works with other Git-based CMS platforms.
| CMS | Best For |
|---|---|
| Decap CMS | Standard Git-based editing, free forever |
| Tina CMS | Visual editing with live preview |
| Sveltia CMS | Modern alternative to Decap, faster |
| CloudCannon | Visual Git CMS with live preview (paid) |
Each has its own setup process, but all share the same principle: content stays in your Git repository.
Do You Need a CMS?
A headless CMS is optional. The Blacks template works perfectly without one.
You don’t need a CMS if:
- You’re the only person editing content
- You’re comfortable with Markdown files
- You update content infrequently
- You prefer working in VS Code
You probably want a CMS if:
- Multiple people edit your site
- Non-technical team members are involved
- You want a visual editing experience
- You need role-based access
The template works both ways. Choose what fits your workflow.
Order CMS Setup
If you’d like a headless CMS integrated into your Blacks project — with full setup, configuration, and training — professional services are available.
What’s included:
- CMS installation and configuration
- Authentication setup (GitHub, Google, or Netlify Identity)
- Content collections mapped to your existing files
- Media handling and storage
- Editorial workflow (draft, review, publish)
- Team training and documentation
Order here:
👉 Headless CMS Setup on Fiverr
Next Step
You’ve reached the end of the Get Start section. You now know how to install, configure, deploy, and extend Blacks.
For more detailed guides, explore the other sections:
- Headless CMS — in-depth CMS documentation
- Hosting — deployment guides for every major host
- Our Services — professional services for customization