headless CMS
Keystone is a schema-driven headless CMS for Node.js that generates a GraphQL API and a React-based admin UI.
Solves the same problem with a different architecture or at a different layer. Expect to rewrite the integration.
Choose if you need a Node.js CMS with in-context editing rather than a GraphQL-first headless backend.
A full-featured, open-source content management framework built with Node.js that empowers organizations by combining in-context editing and headless architecture in a full-stack JS environment.
Choose if you prefer a PHP CMS with a mature templating/plugin ecosystem over a Node.js GraphQL API.
Build bespoke content experiences with Craft.
Choose if you want a visual CMS built for AI-agent-driven site creation rather than a schema-first Node.js API.
Agent-native visual CMS. Build sites with Claude/Codex/whatever, manage them visually.
Choose if you need a headless CMS optimized for Cloudflare Workers/edge, not a Node.js server.
SonicJS - The edge-native headless CMS for Cloudflare Workers. Sub-100ms response times, zero cold starts, TypeScript-first. Built on D1, R2, and Hono.
Choose if you need an enterprise Java CMS with visual editing and multi-tenant features.
The Visual Headless Content Management System for Enterprises
Choose if you run .NET and want a headless/decoupled CMS with customizable APIs.
🚀 A future-proof enterprise web CMS supporting both headless and decoupled approaches. Build any type of app with customizable APIs on ASP.NET Core/.NET Core. Completely open-source and designed for flexibility. Since 2018.
Choose if you are in Laravel and want an AI-powered CMS with GraphQL/JSON:API.
Easy, flexible and powerful cloud-native Laravel CMS package powered by AI with JSON:API, GraphQL API, templates, and themes
Choose if you are in Laravel and need a CMS plus backend admin panel.
VaahCMS is a laravel based open-source web application development platform shipped with a headless content management system (CMS).
Choose if you prefer an admin-first Node.js headless CMS with REST/GraphQL rather than a schema-first GraphQL API.
🚀 Strapi is the leading open-source headless CMS. It’s 100% JavaScript/TypeScript, fully customizable, and developer-first.
Choose if you want a code-first Next.js-integrated backend/admin instead of a standalone Node.js GraphQL CMS.
Payload is the open-source, fullstack Next.js framework, giving you instant backend superpowers. Get a full TypeScript backend and admin panel instantly. Use Payload as a headless CMS or for building powerful applications.
Choose if you want to turn an existing SQL database into a CMS/API rather than define a schema and generate a database.
The flexible backend for all your projects 🐰 Turn your DB into a headless CMS, admin panels, or apps with a custom UI, instant APIs, auth & more.
Choose if you want a Git-based CMS for static site generators instead of a database-backed GraphQL API.
A Git-based CMS for Static Site Generators
Choose if you want a self-hosted CMS on AWS serverless with multi-tenancy.
Open-source, self-hosted CMS platform on AWS serverless (Lambda, DynamoDB, S3). TypeScript framework with multi-tenancy, lifecycle hooks, GraphQL API, and AI-assisted development via MCP server. Built for developers at large organizations.
Choose if you want a modern Git-based CMS with i18n support instead of a database-backed GraphQL API.
Leading Git-based headless CMS. Successor to Netlify/Decap CMS. Modern UX, first-class i18n support, mobile support + numerous improvements. Framework-agnostic, open source & free.
Choose if you want a Git-backed CMS with a TypeScript API and no database, rather than Keystone's DB-backed GraphQL.
First class CMS experience, TypeScript API, Markdown & YAML/JSON based, no DB
Choose if you are in a Laravel/Vue stack and need a headless CMS/admin generator.
Laravel Vue headless CMS / admin panel / dashboard / builder / API CRUD generator, anything !
Choose if you want a React-based CMS with a visual editor rather than a GraphQL API backend.
Content management, streamlined
Choose if you want Git-backed Markdown content with visual editing and a React integration, not a database/GraphQL API.
TinaCMS is the leading open-source headless CMS that supports Markdown and Visual Editing. Your content is stored in your own GitHub repo 🦙 ❤️
Choose if you want a static site CMS for Markdown stored in GitHub instead of a database-backed GraphQL API.
Outstatic - A Static Site CMS for Markdown. A dashboard to write, edit, and publish Markdown and MDX stored in your GitHub repository.
Choose if you need a developer-focused content platform with a built-in editor rather than a schema-driven GraphQL API.
Open-source developer content platform
Choose if you want a lightweight headless CMS built on Hono/Web standards rather than Node.js/GraphQL.
A headless CMS framework using Hono + Drizzle + Zod + Vite
Choose if you want a .NET CMS with visual page editing rather than a Node.js headless API.
ZKEACMS build with .Net 8 (.Net CMS)可视化设计在线编辑内容管理系统
An earlier or more limited way to do the job. Still the right call when you need something small, proven, or CPU-only.
Archived previous-generation CMS framework.
⚡️ Content Management Framework creates custom CMS fast and easy. Support data sources such as Firebase/Firestore, GraphQL and Restful APIs.
These projects were analysed and named keystone among their alternatives. The relationship is not symmetric — how keystone rates them is a separate judgement, made when keystone is analysed in its own right.
calls keystone “Choose for a GraphQL-native, code-first headless CMS with a React admin UI, ideal for GraphQL-first projects.”
🚀 Strapi is the leading open-source headless CMS. It’s 100% JavaScript/TypeScript, fully customizable, and developer-first.
calls keystone “For a GraphQL-first, code-defined CMS on Node.js without Next.js.”
Payload is the open-source, fullstack Next.js framework, giving you instant backend superpowers. Get a full TypeScript backend and admin panel instantly. Use Payload as a headless CMS or for building powerful applications.
calls keystone “Choose when you want a Node.js GraphQL CMS with React admin, deployable on any Node environment, not just AWS.”
Open-source, self-hosted CMS platform on AWS serverless (Lambda, DynamoDB, S3). TypeScript framework with multi-tenancy, lifecycle hooks, GraphQL API, and AI-assisted development via MCP server. Built for developers at large organizations.
calls keystone “Choose it when you want a maintained Node/TS headless CMS framework with GraphQL APIs and schema-driven admin UI in one package.”
⚡️ Content Management Framework creates custom CMS fast and easy. Support data sources such as Firebase/Firestore, GraphQL and Restful APIs.
calls keystone “Choose for a schema-first Node.js CMS with a GraphQL API and React admin instead of introspecting an existing DB.”
The flexible backend for all your projects 🐰 Turn your DB into a headless CMS, admin panels, or apps with a custom UI, instant APIs, auth & more.
calls keystone “Choose when you want a flexible headless CMS with a database schema and GraphQL API, not Git-based.”
TinaCMS is the leading open-source headless CMS that supports Markdown and Visual Editing. Your content is stored in your own GitHub repo 🦙 ❤️