Headless CMS Options
This page explains what a headless CMS is and introduces the most popular options for Finance App. You do not need any coding experience to read this page.
By the end of this page, you will know:
- What a headless CMS is
- Which CMS options work with Finance App
- Which one is best for your situation
What Is a Headless CMS?
Section titled “What Is a Headless CMS?”A headless CMS is a tool that gives you a visual dashboard to edit your website content. Instead of editing JSON and Markdown files by hand, you log in to a web page, type your changes, and click Save.
With a Git-based headless CMS, your content is saved directly to your GitHub repository. There is no database, no server to maintain, and no monthly fee for most options .
When you save a change in the CMS, it commits the change to GitHub. Your hosting platform (Cloudflare, Vercel, Netlify) detects the change and rebuilds your site automatically .
Why Use a Headless CMS?
Section titled “Why Use a Headless CMS?”Without a CMS, you edit files like this:
"title": "Your Site Name"With a headless CMS, you log in to a dashboard and type:
Your Site Name
Then click Save. The CMS handles the JSON formatting for you.
This is useful when:
- A non-technical person needs to update the site
- Multiple people edit content
- You want to avoid accidental JSON syntax errors
- You want a history of every change
CMS Options for Finance App
Section titled “CMS Options for Finance App”Finance App uses JSON and Markdown files. This makes it compatible with several Git-based CMS tools.
Decap CMS
Section titled “Decap CMS”Decap CMS (formerly Netlify CMS) is a free, open-source CMS that works with any static site .
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Cost | Free |
| Storage | GitHub or GitLab repository |
| Editor type | Form-based dashboard |
| Best for | Simple blogs and documentation |
To add Decap CMS to Astro, you install an integration like decap-cms-astro or @miseya/astro-decap-cms. The dashboard appears at /admin .
Install command:
npx astro add decap-cms-astroYou configure it in astro.config.mjs, defining which folders contain your content and what fields editors can change .
Sveltia CMS
Section titled “Sveltia CMS”Sveltia CMS is a modern alternative to Decap. It is faster, lighter, and has a cleaner interface .
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Cost | Free |
| Storage | GitHub, GitLab, or Gitea |
| Editor type | Form-based dashboard |
| Best for | Speed and modern UX |
Sveltia uses the same configuration format as Decap. If you already know Decap, you can switch to Sveltia with minimal changes .
For Astro, you can use @sourcepoetry/astro-sveltia or astro-loader-sveltia-cms. The dashboard appears at /admin .
Install command:
npm install astro-loader-sveltia-cmsTina CMS
Section titled “Tina CMS”Tina CMS offers visual editing — you see your changes in real-time as you type, directly on the page .
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Cost | Free tier, paid for larger teams |
| Storage | GitHub repository |
| Editor type | Visual editing (click on the page to edit) |
| Best for | Teams that want live preview |
Tina works with Astro. The official starter is built on Astro . You can use the @tinacms/astro package for visual editing islands .
Install command:
npm install @tinacms/astroTina requires a build step that connects to Tina Cloud. This adds a small amount of setup compared to Decap or Sveltia.
CloudCannon
Section titled “CloudCannon”CloudCannon is a Git-based CMS and an official Astro partner .
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Cost | Free tier, paid for teams |
| Storage | GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket |
| Editor type | Visual editor + content editor + data editor |
| Best for | Non-technical editors who need a polished dashboard |
CloudCannon works directly with Astro content collections. You connect your repository, and CloudCannon syncs your files. It provides a rich editing experience with WYSIWYG, live previews, and structured forms .
Setup is done through the CloudCannon dashboard. You do not install a package in your project. Instead, CloudCannon connects to your GitHub repository and reads your files.
Which One Should You Choose?
Section titled “Which One Should You Choose?”| Situation | Recommended |
|---|---|
| You want free and simple | Decap CMS or Sveltia CMS |
| You want the fastest, most modern editor | Sveltia CMS |
| You want visual editing (see changes live) | Tina CMS |
| You want a polished, official Astro partner | CloudCannon |
| You want minimal setup | Decap CMS |
| You want the best editor experience | CloudCannon or Tina CMS |
Professional Integration Service
Section titled “Professional Integration Service”If you want a headless CMS integrated into your Finance App project by a professional, the theme author offers a service on Fiverr:
This service includes:
- Headless CMS setup (Decap, Sveltia, or Tina CMS)
- Integration with Astro JS, Jekyll, 11ty, Gatsby, or Next.js
- Content collections and schema configuration
- GitHub repository integration
- Secure Git-based authentication
- Technical documentation
Common Mistakes
Section titled “Common Mistakes”| Mistake | What Happens | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Editing JSON incorrectly | Site breaks with a build error | Use a CMS instead of editing raw JSON |
| Wrong backend configuration | CMS cannot save changes | Check the backend settings in the CMS config |
| Wrong folder path in CMS config | CMS cannot find your content | Check that the folder path matches your project structure |
| Not setting up authentication | Editors cannot log in | Configure GitHub OAuth or use Netlify Identity |
Next Step
Section titled “Next Step”After choosing a CMS, follow its official documentation to set it up. For a professional integration, contact the theme author through the Fiverr link above.