openDOSM

openDOSM (Malaysia Open Data Ocean) is a Hugo-based static site template that publishes official statistics from Malaysia's Department of Statistics as open data for the public. It serves as an alternative platform that expands the open data audience and promotes data usage.

What is openDOSM?

openDOSM is an open-source Hugo website template that functions as an alternative open data platform for official statistics produced by the Department of Statistics, Malaysia (DOSM). The template takes Markdown content and renders it into a static website using Hugo, with pre-configured support for Forestry, a git-based CMS. Datasets cover social, economic and financial, and environmental topics, and the project welcomes the national open data community.

Key Features

• Open data catalog — Organizes official statistics into broad categories: social, economic & financial, and environment.
• Forestry CMS integration — Pre-configured for Forestry, a git-based CMS, allowing browser-based editing and previewing; changes are committed back to the GitHub repository.
• Netlify deployment — Includes a one-click Deploy to Netlify button; connecting the repository enables automatic rebuilds and publishing on every commit.
• Hugo framework — Built on Hugo, a static site generator that compiles Markdown into fast HTML pages without a database.
• Dot Hugo theme base — The design is based on Themefisher's Dot Hugo theme, providing a responsive layout and a solid starting point.
• No-coding workflow — The README references a video tutorial demonstrating the Hugo + Netlify + Forestry setup, allowing non-developers to build the site.

Who is openDOSM for?

• Government statistics departments — Publish official data in a web-friendly format to reach a broader audience beyond the main DOSM portal.
• Open data advocates and journalists — Create a dedicated hub for social, economic and environmental datasets that are easy to browse and cite.
• Web developers — Use the template as a Hugo starter for data-focused projects, with CMS and hosting integrations already configured.

What can you do with openDOSM?

• Malaysian agencies: Launch a public open data site populated with official statistics without building a custom backend.
• Data journalists: Present raw datasets alongside narrative content using Hugo's Markdown workflow.
• Developers: Extend the template to add new dataset categories or visualizations via Hugo's templating system.

How does openDOSM work?

The workflow is: clone the repository, import it into Forestry or edit Markdown files locally, then push changes to GitHub. A connected Netlify site automatically rebuilds the Hugo site for public access. The README includes a video tutorial covering this Hugo + Netlify + Forestry flow.

FAQ

Is openDOSM free?

Yes. The repository is publicly available on GitHub, and the stack (Hugo, Forestry, Netlify free tier) is open source, so the template can be reused at no cost.

What data does openDOSM include?

The platform covers official statistics from Malaysia's Department of Statistics, spanning social, economic and financial, and environmental topics.

Do I need to know how to code?

No. Forestry allows non-developers to edit content through a browser interface. The video tutorial demonstrates building the entire site with no coding required.

Does it use a specific hosting provider?

Deployment is demonstrated with Netlify via a one-click button, but since the output is a static Hugo site, it can be deployed to any static hosting service that supports continuous deployment from Git.