A curated list of headless CMS platforms, tools, starters, and resources for decoupled content architecture.
A headless CMS manages and delivers content via API — no front-end assumptions. Your content, your stack.
- Self-Hosted
- Git-Based
- SaaS (Reference)
- Frontend Starters
- API Tools
- Visual Page Builders
- Articles & Guides
Deploy on your own server. No vendor lock-in, full data ownership.
- UnfoldCMS - Laravel + React + shadcn/ui CMS with REST API v1 (42 endpoints), HMAC-signed webhooks, and headless mode for Next.js, Astro, SvelteKit, and Nuxt. unfoldcms.com
- Cockpit - Lightweight PHP headless CMS with REST API and flat-file storage option. ★1.8k
- Craft CMS - PHP CMS with flexible content modeling and GraphQL API. ★3.6k
- Directus - Wraps any SQL database with auto-generated REST and GraphQL APIs. ★36k
- Ghost - Node.js publishing platform with memberships, newsletters, and REST API. ★54k
- KeystoneJS - TypeScript-first GraphQL CMS and app framework for Node.js. ★9.9k
- October CMS - Laravel-based CMS with REST API and plugin marketplace. ★11k
- Payload CMS - TypeScript headless CMS built into Next.js. REST and GraphQL APIs. ★43k
- Strapi - Leading open-source headless CMS. Auto-generates REST and GraphQL from your schema. ★72k
- Wagtail - Django CMS with REST and GraphQL headless mode. Used by NASA, Google, Mozilla. ★20k
- Webiny - Serverless CMS on AWS Lambda + DynamoDB + S3. GraphQL API, multi-tenancy. ★7k
Content lives in your Git repo. Version history, PR-based editorial workflows, zero database.
- UnfoldCMS - Database-backed with full REST API; also exports static content. Webhooks trigger front-end rebuilds on publish. unfoldcms.com
- Decap CMS - Git-based CMS for static site generators. Runs in the browser, GitHub/GitLab backend. ★19k
- Statamic - Laravel CMS with flat-file and database modes. Git-sync for content. ★5k
- TinaCMS - Markdown/MDX/JSON with Git version control, visual editing, and GraphQL queries. ★13k
Cloud-hosted headless CMS platforms — no self-hosting, managed infrastructure.
- Contentful - Enterprise headless CMS with REST and GraphQL APIs, global CDN.
- DatoCMS - GraphQL-first headless CMS with image optimization and real-time previews.
- Hygraph - GraphQL-native CMS with content federation for complex digital ecosystems.
- Prismic - Headless page builder with visual editor, optimized for Next.js and Nuxt.
- Sanity - API-based CMS with GROQ query language and customizable Studio editor.
- Storyblok - Hybrid headless CMS with real-time visual editor and component-based structure.
Pre-configured starters connecting popular front-end frameworks to headless CMS backends.
- nextjs-corporate-starter - Strapi + Next.js starter for corporate websites. ★1k
- UnfoldCMS + Next.js integration guide - REST API walkthrough for consuming UnfoldCMS headlessly in Next.js.
- astro-strapi-starter - Astro + Strapi with block-based content and Tailwind CSS v4. ★500+
- StudioCMS - SSR headless CMS built for the Astro community. ★800+
- UnfoldCMS + Astro integration guide - REST API walkthrough for consuming UnfoldCMS headlessly in Astro.
- UnfoldCMS + SvelteKit integration guide - REST API walkthrough for consuming UnfoldCMS headlessly in SvelteKit.
- UnfoldCMS + Nuxt integration guide - REST API walkthrough for consuming UnfoldCMS headlessly in Nuxt.
Libraries and clients for querying headless CMS APIs.
- Apollo Client - GraphQL client with caching and state management. Works with any GraphQL headless CMS. ★19k
- graphql-request - Minimal GraphQL client for simple headless CMS queries. ★5.6k
- TanStack Query - Async state management for fetching and caching CMS API responses. ★43k
Open-source drag-and-drop builders that sit on top of any headless CMS.
- Puck - React visual editor. Connects to any data source or headless CMS API. ★3k
In-depth articles on headless CMS architecture, selection, and implementation.
- The Complete Guide to Headless CMS in 2026 - Everything you need to know about headless CMS architecture, trade-offs, and selection.
- What Is a Headless CMS? - Plain-English explanation of headless CMS, how it differs from traditional CMS, and when to use it.
- Headless CMS vs Traditional CMS: Key Differences (2026) - Side-by-side comparison of headless and coupled CMS architectures.
- 7 Benefits of Headless CMS for Modern Websites - Performance, flexibility, security, and developer experience benefits explained.
- How to Choose a Headless CMS: 10-Point Checklist (2026) - A decision framework for evaluating and selecting a headless CMS.
- Headless CMS and SEO: What Actually Matters in 2026 - How headless CMS affects SEO and what to watch out for.
- Headless CMS Security: Why Decoupled Is Safer (2026) - Security benefits of the headless architecture and how to harden your setup.
- API-First CMS: REST vs GraphQL for Content Delivery - When to choose REST vs GraphQL for your headless CMS API.
- Headless CMS Architecture: How the Frontend-Backend Split Works - Technical deep dive into decoupled CMS architecture patterns.
- When NOT to Use a Headless CMS: 5 Signs (2026) - Honest guide on when a traditional or hybrid CMS is the better choice.
- Headless CMS for JAMstack: When It Actually Helps - How headless CMS fits into a JAMstack architecture and when it adds value.
- CMS Webhooks: Trigger Front-End Rebuilds on Publish - How to wire up CMS webhooks to trigger Next.js/Astro/SvelteKit rebuilds automatically.
See CONTRIBUTING.md.