A business-oriented guide to DatoCMS

By Ikius Team

July 24th, 2023

In a traditional CMS, the back-end content management functions are tightly coupled with the front-end, where the content is displayed to end users. This is often referred to as a "coupled" or "monolithic" CMS. The front-end and back-end are created and managed together, often leading to a dependency where changes to the content or the design directly impact each other.

A headless CMS, like DatoCMS, separates (or decouples) the back-end content management from the front-end display layer, treating them as independent entities. The back-end is where content is created and managed, while the front-end is where that content is published and viewed. The "head" that is removed in this scenario is the front-end, hence the term "headless".

Headless CMSs are particularly appealing in our multi-device, multi-channel world, as they enable businesses to deliver consistent, high-quality content experiences across a variety of digital touchpoints.

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What is DatoCMS?

DatoCMS is a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) based headless Content Management System (CMS). It has been designed to be the central hub where companies and brands manage and publish online content across a multitude of platforms that range from a simple static website to a full-fledged omnichannel digital experience.

It offers a range of features and tools that enable efficient and straightforward content management, making it an excellent choice for businesses of all sizes.

One of the main functionalities of DatoCMS is its API-first approach, which means that content is primarily accessed through a powerful Application Programming Interface (API).

This allows developers to build applications and digital experiences using their preferred technology stack while seamlessly integrating DatoCMS for content management.

DatoCMS' structured content model enables you to define different types of content – like blog posts, products, landing pages, etc. – and the fields they should contain.

This model allows you to easily organize, manage, and access your content, making it more efficient to create and maintain high-quality, consistent content.

Why should businesses consider DatoCMS?

• Omnichannel content delivery: Being able to reach customers through a variety of digital touchpoints, is a significant advantage. DatoCMS enables businesses to manage digital experiences from a central location and deliver them anywhere they need to go - websites, mobile apps, IoT devices, and more.

• Greater security: DatoCMS is more secure, as it reduces the surface area for attacks by removing the front-end component from the server. This allows businesses to focus on securing their content repository without having to worry about the vulnerabilities of a public-facing presentation layer.

• Frontend flexibility: Traditional CMSs often lock businesses into using specific technologies or frameworks, limiting their ability to adapt to new trends and advancements. DatoCMS, on the other hand, is entirely agnostic about how and where content is displayed and adapts to any tech stack.

• Simplified content management: DatoCMS simplifies this process by allowing businesses to manage all their content from a single place. Its intuitive interface makes it easy to create, update, and publish content, regardless of where it will be displayed. 

Key features for marketing teams

DatoCMS UI

One of the most compelling features of DatoCMS for businesses is its user-friendly interface. The platform is designed to be easy to navigate and use, even for individuals without a strong technical background. Here's a detailed look at how DatoCMS's user interface is designed for ease of use.

Upon logging into DatoCMS, users are greeted by an intuitive dashboard. This dashboard provides a clear overview of the site's content, updates, and other relevant information. The main menu on the side allows for easy navigation between different sections of the CMS, such as the content area, media management, and settings.

Multilanguage support

DatoCMS allows businesses to define and manage content in as many languages as they need, facilitating a truly international presence. The system is designed to enable you to create a field for each language you want to support in your project, providing a seamless workflow to handle translations and localize your content.

When you create a new content item, you can fill in the information in all the languages your business supports. The interface allows you to switch between languages easily, keeping all the translations of a particular content item neatly organized together. This means you can handle everything from product descriptions to blog posts in several languages, all from a single content hub.

Asset manager

DatoCMS offers robust support for this with its built-in asset manager. It provides a centralized space to upload, store, and manage all kinds of content – text, images, videos, and other media files.DatoCMS's asset manager acts as a centralized repository for all your digital content. It's as simple as dragging and dropping files into the interface to upload them. Once uploaded, assets are stored securely in the cloud and are immediately accessible for use across your site.

SEO

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is an essential consideration for any business wanting to improve its visibility online. DatoCMS provides various features that make your content SEO-friendly and better positioned to rank higher in search engine results. DatoCMS allows content editors to easily manage content types and metadata. Optimizing metadata, including title tags, meta descriptions, and schema, plays a crucial role in your website's discoverability. 

Integrations

DatoCMS comes with a plethora of integrations, allowing it to seamlessly connect with various other platforms and services. These integrations extend the functionality of DatoCMS, enabling you to build more robust, versatile, and comprehensive digital experiences. DatoCMS integrates well with popular static site generators and frontend frameworks such as Gatsby, Next.js, Nuxt.js, Hugo, and Jekyll. 

Key features for technical leaders

Video API

DatoCMS's Video API is a powerful feature designed to enhance video content management and delivery. It's built to provide a smooth, hassle-free experience when dealing with video content on your digital platforms. Uploading and managing videos is simple with DatoCMS. The Video API allows you to upload videos directly to DatoCMS's secure servers, where they are stored and ready to be used across your digital platforms.

Updates API

The Real-time Updates API lets visitors instantly receive updates about content changes. It uses a steady connection to stream events right when they happen. This API works with the same queries as the Content Delivery API and uses a streaming channel based on the Server-Sent Events protocol, which modern browsers can easily handle.

Live updates allow your team to see draft content on the actual website as it's being created, without having to refresh the page. See it action.

Content management API

curl \
  -X PUT
  -H 'Accept: application/json' \
  -H 'X-Api-Version: 3' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/vnd.api+json' \
  -d '{ ... }' \
  https://site-api.datocms.com/site

The content management API from DatoCMS is designed for managing your project's content. This includes tasks like creating, updating, deleting, and retrieving content. The API offers over 40 resources, encompassing more than 150 endpoints. Read Dato's in-depth explanation.

Content delivery API

DatoCMS's Content delivery API is a powerful feature that enables developers to fetch and manipulate content stored in the DatoCMS platform. This allows businesses to integrate their DatoCMS content with any web platform, application, or device, providing a lot of flexibility in how and where content is displayed.

DatoCMS uses GraphQL for its Content API. GraphQL is a data query and manipulation language that allows clients to define the structure of the data required, and the same structure of the data is returned from the server.

CDN 

DatoCMS uses a Global CDN to deliver your content. This means that whenever you publish changes, the content is instantly pushed to a network of servers distributed around the world. When a user accesses your website or application, they will receive content from the server that's geographically closest to them, resulting in a faster and more reliable user experience.

Closing thoughts

DatoCMS is more than just a headless CMS. It also boasts a multitude of features, designed to enhance and streamline the content management process. From a user-friendly interface to multi-language support, and from robust asset management to SEO-friendly design, DatoCMS equips businesses with tools that can simplify and enhance their digital operations.

In summary, DatoCMS stands out as a flexible, secure, and efficient solution for managing and delivering content. It is designed to seamlessly integrate with a variety of platforms and technologies, making it a valuable asset for any business.

Regardless of your industry or size, DatoCMS offers the tools and features needed to manage and deliver high-quality content efficiently and effectively.