Extending or Modifying the Admin Interface of Decap CMS

[matbrgz]

Hi, Decap CMS team and community,

First of all, I want to thank you for creating such a powerful and user-friendly CMS. I've been using Decap CMS and appreciate how intuitive and efficient it is for managing content on static site generators.

I have a question about customizing the admin interface:

Is it currently possible to extend or modify the admin interface without creating a fork?
If not, would forking be the recommended approach to start customizing the admin interface? If so, could you provide any guidance or starting points on how to begin modifying the interface?
I love the clean design of Decap CMS, but I feel it could be even more flexible by allowing users to create their own frontends for the logged-in admin area. This could enable tailored interactions with collections and content editing for specific use cases.

Any advice or documentation links to help me explore this customization would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks again for your amazing work!

Best regards,

[martinjagodic]

@matbrgz I have to disappoint, this is not very easy right now. If you don't want to create a fork, you can write a CSS file that overrides Decap's theme with your overrides. However, classes might change in the future, so this is not a guarantee to work in the future.

A fork is a better option if you want more control, but it will also require some effort in the long run. To customize a fork, the best way to start is the contributing guide.

If you have more specific questions, try the help channel on our Discord server.

[matbrgz]

Hi @martinjagodic and the Decap CMS team,

Thank you for the detailed response and for considering customization options for the admin interface. I’d like to share an additional perspective that might enhance the flexibility of Decap CMS.

Decoupling from Static Site Generators

It's not always necessary to tightly couple Decap CMS with a specific SSG. If we could have better control over the template system, it would be possible to use Decap CMS independently of an SSG, while still respecting authentication and authorization mechanisms. This flexibility could open up Decap CMS to a broader range of use cases and simplify the workflow for many users.

Implementing a Theme System

Introducing a theme system, similar to what WordPress offers or Shopify’s Liquid templating language, could significantly enhance customization capabilities. A robust theme system would allow users to:

• Easily switch and customize the frontend without modifying the core CMS.
• Develop and share themes within the community, fostering innovation and collaboration.
• Tailor the admin interface and frontend interactions to specific project requirements.

Technical Considerations

I understand that adding such a feature might introduce technical debt. It would be great to discuss the potential challenges and how we might approach them. For example:

• How would a theme system integrate with the existing architecture?
• What steps are needed to ensure backward compatibility?
• How can we maintain security and performance while allowing extensive customization?

Next Steps

I propose creating an issue to discuss this feature in more detail, along with comprehensive documentation and potentially a pull request to kickstart the implementation. This could pave the way for a new usage paradigm for Decap CMS, making it even more versatile.

SWOT Analysis

Here’s a brief SWOT analysis to outline the potential strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of introducing a theme system:

Strengths	Weaknesses
- Increased flexibility and customization	- Potential technical debt
- Broader use cases beyond SSGs	- Higher complexity in the codebase
- Enhanced user and developer experience	- Possible performance impacts
- Community-driven theme development	- Maintenance overhead for theme compatibility

Opportunities	Threats
- Attracting a wider user base	- Increased security vulnerabilities
- Fostering a vibrant ecosystem of themes	- Fragmentation if not managed properly
- Encouraging community contributions and innovations	- Potential delays in core feature development
- Differentiating Decap CMS from other CMS platforms	- Risk of overwhelming new users with too many options

I believe that with careful planning and community involvement, implementing a theme system could greatly benefit Decap CMS and its users. I’m excited about the possibility and would love to contribute to this initiative.

Looking forward to your thoughts!

Best regards,

[matbrgz]

I’d like to discuss additional features that could further enhance the flexibility and security of Decap CMS.

Enhanced User Permissions and Content Privacy

To provide a more robust and secure experience, the following features could be highly beneficial:

1. Disabling Edit Permissions for Certain Users

   Implementing granular user permissions would allow administrators to control who can edit content. This feature could include:

   • Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): Define roles (e.g., Admin, Editor, Viewer) with specific permissions.
   • Customizable Permissions: Allow administrators to assign or restrict editing capabilities on a per-user or per-role basis.
   • Read-Only Access: Enable certain users to view content without the ability to make changes.

2. Public and Private Documents

   Allowing content to be designated as public or private can enhance content management and security:

   • Public Documents: Accessible to unauthenticated users for viewing, listing, and detailing.
   • Private Documents: Restricted to authenticated users with appropriate permissions.
   • Access Control Lists (ACLs): Fine-tune who can view or edit specific documents based on user roles or individual permissions.

3. Additional Considerations

   • Audit Logs: Track changes made by users to maintain accountability and traceability.
   • Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Enhance security for user accounts accessing the admin interface.
   • Customizable Dashboards: Allow users to customize their admin dashboard based on their roles and preferences.
   • Localization and Internationalization: Support multiple languages for a broader user base.

Technical Considerations

Adding these features would involve addressing several technical challenges:

• Integrating Permission Systems: Seamlessly incorporate RBAC and ACLs into the existing authentication and authorization mechanisms.
• Data Management: Ensure that public and private documents are properly segregated and secured within the database or file system.
• UI/UX Adjustments: Modify the admin interface to accommodate new permission settings and visibility options without compromising usability.
• Scalability: Design the system to handle an increasing number of users and permissions without degrading performance.

Next Steps

I propose expanding the initial issue to include these additional features, potentially creating sub-issues for each major component. Comprehensive documentation and a roadmap for implementation would help guide contributors. Additionally, initiating a discussion on the Discord help channel could gather more insights and foster community collaboration on these enhancements.

Thank you once again for your dedication to making Decap CMS a powerful and adaptable platform. I look forward to your feedback and the possibility of collaborating on these initiatives.

Best regards