Nuxt & Netlify CMS Starter

Nuxt & Netlify CMS Starter is a minimalist GitHub boilerplate from xdesro that pairs the Nuxt.js Vue framework with Netlify CMS, so you can manage a Nuxt site's content through a Git-backed admin interface instead of a separate CMS server.

What is Nuxt & Netlify CMS Starter?

The starter is a GitHub repository that merges Nuxt.js, a Vue-based framework for universal and static sites, with Netlify CMS, a Git-based content manager. It takes a source tree with Nuxt pages, components, and a Netlify CMS config.yml and produces a deployable site on Netlify, either server-rendered with yarn build or fully pre-rendered with yarn generate. The project was bootstrapped with create-nuxt-app and avoids content modules like nuxtent or nuxtdown, instead handling flat-file content through direct configuration.

Key Features

• One-click Deploy to Netlify — A button that automatically creates a copy of the repository in your GitHub account and deploys it to Netlify instantly.
• Universal SSR mode — yarn build compiles the app for server-side rendering, and yarn start serves the production build.
• Static site generation — yarn generate outputs a fully pre-rendered static site for hosting anywhere.
• Netlify CMS out of the box — A basic blog configuration is included, ready to edit at the /admin route.
• Netlify Identity authentication — Registration can be set to Open or Invite only, with external providers like GitHub or Google optional.
• Git Gateway integration — Enabling Git Gateway in Netlify's settings connects the CMS to your repository for saving content as commits.
• Large Media / Git LFS default — The default media configuration expects Netlify's Large Media service, which uses Git LFS for file storage.
• Local admin preview — Running yarn dev serves the CMS admin at localhost:3000/admin, where you enter your live Netlify URL to log in.

Who is it for?

• Developers who want Nuxt without content-module lock-in — If you prefer configuring flat-file content by hand instead of using nuxtent or nuxtdown, this starter gives you a clean base.
• Netlify users building content-driven sites — The one-click deploy plus Identity and Git Gateway setup makes it straightforward to host a blog or portfolio with an admin panel.
• SSR and static site developers — Teams that need both server-rendered and pre-rendered output from the same Nuxt codebase can switch between yarn build and yarn generate.

What can you do with it?

• Run a personal blog — Use the bundled basic blog configuration to write posts in Netlify CMS and publish them through Git commits.
• Build a universal Nuxt app — Develop with hot-reloading at localhost:3000, then ship a server-rendered production build to Netlify.
• Ship a static marketing or portfolio site — Generate a pre-rendered site with yarn generate that needs no server runtime.

How does it work?

1. Clone the repository and run yarn install to fetch dependencies.
2. Run yarn dev to start a hot-reloading server at localhost:3000.
3. Deploy to Netlify at least once, enable Identity service and Git Gateway in the dashboard.
4. Open localhost:3000/admin while developing, enter your Netlify URL, and log in to edit content.

FAQ

Does this starter use a Nuxt content module?

No. It deliberately avoids modules like nuxtent or nuxtdown and instead leaves the flat-file content configuration to you, giving more control at the cost of extra setup work.

How do I set up authentication for Netlify CMS?

Deploy to Netlify, enable the Identity service under Settings > Identity, choose Open or Invite only registration, optionally add external providers like GitHub or Google, then click Enable Git Gateway under Services.

Where do I access the CMS admin panel?

In local development, go to localhost:3000/admin and enter your Netlify site URL when prompted. On a deployed site, the admin is available at /admin.

What media storage does the starter use by default?

The default Netlify CMS configuration expects Netlify's Large Media service, which is built on Git LFS. You may need to configure Large Media tracking separately on Netlify.

Can I use the template without Netlify?

While you can run the Nuxt site locally and build it as a static site, the CMS authentication flow relies on Netlify Identity and Git Gateway, so hosting on Netlify is the supported path for the full CMS experience.