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How to get started with your Optimizely Content Management System (CMS) (SaaS) instance.
Note
First, familiarize yourself with the Content Management System (SaaS) end-user documentation for information on the UI and editing information.
The following are high-level steps to get started with your CMS (SaaS) instance:
- Create CMS (SaaS) architecture design – Plan the configuration of your CMS (SaaS) instance to meet your organization's content management needs. Consider the types of content you manage, your target audiences, and your delivery platforms. Additionally, think about how your architecture scales and plan for any data security measurements.
- Select a front end stack – Select the technologies and tools you plan on using for the user interface and client-side functionality. Optimizely has partnered with Vercel and Netlify, both of which offer fantastic services for hosting the front end of your application. Both platforms support a variety of front end frameworks and static site generators, making them versatile choices for a project's hosting needs. See Front end Hosting for SaaS CMS Solutions for information.
- Configure repository – Choose a version control system to track changes to your code.
- Deploy demo site (optional) – You can get started quickly using predefined content using one of the predefined demo sites that Optimizely created. See Get started using a demo section.
- Import data from CMS (optional) – If you have an existing CMS (PaaS) instance, you can easily import your data from it. See the Import data from CMS section and the Export and import data documentation.
- Define content models – Specify the structure and organization of different types of content that your CMS (SaaS) instance manages. Determine the various types of content you handle, such as articles, blog posts, products, and so on. For each content type, specify the fields or attributes. Then, define properties for each field and establish relationships between different content types. See Content model.
- Configure content types – Configure and implement the content models you previously created. You can add content through the UI interface or API calls. See Content types.
- Configure experience type – Experiences are flexible and composable web or application pages. Identify the experiences your CMS (SaaS) instance needs to support. Add the necessary attributes and components to your experiences. See Create an experience from scratch and Create an experience from a blueprint.
- Configure styles – Design the visual aspects of your experiences. Ensure that your content is presented consistently and elegantly across various platforms. Developers can define the styles, and then users can select them. See Display templates (style) and Select styles.
- Configure applications – Identify what types of applications will interact with your CMS (SaaS) instance, such as web applications, mobile apps, or desktop software. Then, configure your application settings. See Applications.
- Configure languages – CMS (SaaS) can deliver content in multiple languages, so you must configure the language options and localization settings for your CMS (SaaS) instance. See Languages.
- Develop front-end components – Create the user interface elements and interactive features that make up the presentation layer of your content. Determine the components needed for your application, such as navigation bars, buttons, forms, modals, and so on.
- Configure back end for front end (BFF) – Create a specialized backend layer that serves the specific needs of the front end app. First, analyze the specific data and functionality needs for your front end. Then, plan the structure for the BFF layer, deciding how it will interact with other backend services, databases, and other APIs.
- Enable full preview – Allow your CMS (SaaS) instance to automatically update so you can see changes to your app in real-time before they are published. See Enable live preview.
- Configure applications – CMS (SaaS) lets you manage multiple applications. See Applications.
- Configure host names – Host names are part of the application configuration. They ensure that the preview of your apps works correctly and that your links resolve accurately in Optimizely Graph. See Configure an application section of the Applications documentation.
- Run Optimizely Graph Sync job – Sync your content to Optimizely Graph. You must run a manual sync every time you reconfigure your app settings. See Scheduled jobs.
- Configure webhooks in Optimizely Graph (update BFF cache) – Configure Optimizely Graph to automatically send notifications to your BFF whenever certain events occur, such as content updates. See Webhooks.
- Build site search using Optimizely Graph (optional) – Use Optimizely Graph to delivery fast and relevant search results. Determine what content needs to be searchable and the types of queries users might perform. See Get started with Optimizely Graph.
- Export data from your development or test instance – When you complete your development work and the information is ready for the production environment, use the export features to transfer the data between applications. See Export data from CMS (SaaS).
- Import data to your test or production instance – Import your data from your development or test instance. See Import data into CMS (SaaS).
- Deploy your front end to all environments – Release the front end portion of your application to the stages of your deployment pipeline.
- Configure your CI/CD pipeline (front-end code deployment) – Automate integrating code changes, running tests, and deploying to various environments.
- Integrate with Optimizely Data Platform and Web Experimentation (optional) – Connect your CMS (SaaS) front end application with Optimizely's tools for data analytics and A/B testing. See Integrate CMS (SaaS) with Optimizely Data Platform and Optimizely Web Experimentation.
Get started using a demo
Use a preconfigured demo site with predefined content to get started immediately. Starting with a demo site is ideal for users who are starting out using content management systems, especially headless implementations. Advantages of using a demo include:
- Instant launch – A preconfigured site with content lets you launch a functional example immediately after configuration.
- Guided learning – Preconfigured content shows you the ideal way to structure your content, design your site, and use Visual Builder.
- Consistency – Everyone on your team starts with the same configuration, so content and organization are consistent.
- Foundation for customization – A sample site lets you customize and build on the sample content to fit your needs.
See Get started with a demo site.
Get started from scratch
Starting with a fresh installation is ideal for users familiar with content management systems and content modeling, especially customers who have used Optimizely's PaaS implementation CMS 12. Start creating content from scratch if you want:
- Full customization – Gain complete control over every aspect of the site, from content modeling to final design, by starting with a fresh instance.
- Skill development – Learn and explore the full capabilities of CMS (SaaS) while building from a blank setup.
- Performance optimization – Optimize how your content is modeled for improved performance.
- Flexibility – Enjoy complete freedom in structure and design without being confined to a preconfigured site.
Import data from CMS
You can import content from a traditional CMS site to CMS (SaaS) using the standard import and export functionality. But, there are several key limitations and considerations to consider when importing into CMS (SaaS). See Export and import packages.
Important
Any data that relies on customizations may not transfer as expected.
You can export content from CMS (SaaS) to be imported into an Optimizely CMS site. However, CMS (SaaS)'s import and export feature only includes published content, not draft versions or any version history.
Updated about 17 hours ago