Keystone JS

Brief Overview

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What is it?

KeystoneJS is a node-based CMS generator.

What are the perks?

  • pre-built CMS
  • pre-built photo gallery template
  • pre-built blog template
  • pre-built contact form
  • API structure provided
  • session management (handled via mongoDB)

How to get started

Another Gotcha

If you start the app and and see this:

...then here's the solution.

Pros

  • quick CMS generation
  • multiple template engines are supported (handlebars, jade, swig, etc.)
  • easy image host integration with Cloudinary
  • easy email service integration with Mandrill
  • API file structure is automatically generated

Cons

  • technical support isn't robust or very prompt
  • documentation is lacking
  • Cloudinary isn't the best choice for heavy-traffic apps (the bandwidth/price plan is pretty low compared to other competitors)
  • ACL roles aren't support out-of-the-box (the acl-node npm module is a decent option)
  • the learning curve can be steep for node.js newcomers
  • mongoDB is currently the only supported database
  • you can't edit the default CMS pages

The verdict?

KeystoneJS isn't perfect for everyone, but it has its uses. Its default CMS can save you considerable time and the 3rd-party integration is often seamless. Customization is somewhat limited and technical support could be better. It's suited most of our needs up until now, so I'd recommend it for the most part.

Docs & Links

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