Blog Setup Example

This guide walks through setting up a complete blog with md0 CMS, from repository structure to publishing your first post.

Repository Structure

Recommended Structure

my-blog/
├── content/
│   ├── posts/
│   │   ├── getting-started.md
│   │   ├── second-post.md
│   │   └── markdown-guide.md
│   └── authors/
│       └── jane-doe.md
├── public/
│   └── images/
│       ├── posts/
│       └── authors/
└── src/
    └── pages/

Tip: md0 CMS also supports nested folder patterns (e.g., content/posts/**/*.md) if you prefer organizing posts by year or category instead of a flat folder. See Collection Patterns for the full glob syntax reference.

Why This Structure?

• Single folder for posts: Simple to start with, though nested folders work too
• Separate authors: Reusable author profiles
• Images in public: Accessible by static site generator
• Clean separation: Content separate from code

Step-by-Step Setup

Step 1: Connect Repository

1. Go to md0.io/cms
2. Click "Connect GitHub"
3. Authorize md0 CMS
4. Select your blog repository

Step 2: Create Blog Posts Collection

1. Go to Collections → Create Collection

2. Fill in basic info:

   • Name: Blog Posts
   • Path: content/posts/*.md
   • Description: Blog articles and tutorials

3. Click Add Field to build your schema:

   • title (Text, Required, Max 100 chars)

     • Placeholder: "Post title"

   • slug (Text, Required)

     • Pattern: ^[a-z0-9-]+$
     • Help: "URL-friendly version of title"

   • date (Date, Required)

     • Default: Today

   • excerpt (Long Text, Required)

     • Min: 50 chars, Max: 200 chars
     • Placeholder: "Brief summary (50-200 characters)"

   • author (Text, Required)

     • Default: "Admin"

   • tags (List of Text)

     • Min items: 1, Max items: 5

   • category (Select, Required)

     • Options: Tutorial, Guide, News, Case Study, Opinion

   • featured_image (Image)

   • published (Toggle)

     • Default: Off

   • seo (Group)

     • meta_title (Text, Max 60 chars)
     • meta_description (Long Text, Max 160 chars)

4. Click Save Collection

Step 3: Create Authors Collection (Optional)

1. Collections → Create Collection

2. Basic info:

   • Name: Authors
   • Path: content/authors/*.md
   • Description: Author profiles

3. Add fields:

   • name (Text, Required)
   • bio (Long Text, Required)
   • avatar (Image)
   • social (Group)
     • twitter (Text)
     • github (Text)
     • linkedin (Text)

4. Save Collection

Creating Your First Post

Step 1: Create New Post

1. Navigate to "Blog Posts" collection
2. Click "New Post"
3. Fill in frontmatter fields

Step 2: Fill Frontmatter

---
title: "Getting Started with md0 CMS"
slug: "getting-started-md0-cms"
date: 2024-01-15
excerpt: "Learn how to set up and use md0 CMS for your blog in just a few minutes."
author: "Jane Doe"
tags:
  - tutorial
  - getting-started
  - cms
category: "Tutorial"
featured_image: "/images/posts/getting-started-hero.jpg"
published: true
seo:
  meta_title: "Getting Started with md0 CMS - Complete Guide"
  meta_description: "Step-by-step guide to setting up md0 CMS for your blog. No API, no setup, just connect and start writing."
---

Step 3: Write Content

Use the visual editor to write your post:

# Introduction

Welcome to md0 CMS! This guide will walk you through...

## Why md0 CMS?

md0 CMS provides a visual interface for managing markdown content...

- No API integration needed
- Direct GitHub sync
- Visual markdown editor

## Getting Started

Here's how to get started...

Step 4: Add Images

1. Click Image button
2. Upload or select from library
3. Add alt text
4. Insert into content

Step 5: Preview and Publish

1. Toggle preview mode
2. Review content
3. Set published: true
4. Click Save

Your post commits to GitHub and triggers your site rebuild.

Content Workflows

Draft to Published

Workflow 1: Boolean Flag

Use published field:

# Draft
published: false

# Published
published: true

Your SSG filters based on this flag.

Workflow 2: Separate Folders

Create two collections:

1. Draft Posts

   • Path: content/drafts/*.md

2. Published Posts

   • Path: content/posts/*.md

Move files between folders when ready to publish.

Editorial Calendar

Use frontmatter dates:

---
title: "Future Post"
date: 2024-12-31 # Future date
published: true
---

Your SSG only shows posts where date <= today.

Multi-Author Workflow

Method 1: Author Field

author: "Jane Doe"

Method 2: Author Profiles

author_id: "jane-doe"

Query author profile in your SSG.

Advanced Features

Series and Related Posts

Add these fields to your Blog Posts collection:

1. Edit your Blog Posts collection

2. Click Add Field:

   • series (Text)

     • Help: "Series name (e.g., 'React Basics')"

   • series_order (Number)

     • Help: "Order in series"

   • related_posts (List of Text)

     • Help: "Slugs of related posts"

3. Save Collection

Reading Time

Calculate in your SSG or add field:

• reading_time (Number)
  • Help: "Estimated reading time in minutes"

Featured Posts

Add fields for featuring posts on homepage:

• featured (Toggle)

  • Default: Off

• featured_order (Number)

  • Help: "Order on homepage"

Social Media

Enhance social sharing with Open Graph fields:

• og_image (Image)

  • Help: "Open Graph image (1200x630)"

• twitter_card (Select)

  • Options: summary, summary_large_image

Example Posts

Tutorial Post

---
title: "How to Build a Blog with Next.js and md0 CMS"
slug: "nextjs-blog-md0-cms"
date: 2024-01-15
excerpt: "Step-by-step tutorial to create a blog with Next.js and manage content with md0 CMS."
author: "Jane Doe"
tags: [nextjs, tutorial, cms]
category: "Tutorial"
featured_image: "/images/posts/nextjs-blog.jpg"
published: true
---

# How to Build a Blog with Next.js and md0 CMS

In this tutorial, we'll create a blog from scratch...

## Prerequisites

- Node.js 18+
- Basic JavaScript knowledge
- GitHub account

## Step 1: Create Next.js App

...

Guide Post

---
title: "Complete Guide to Markdown Syntax"
slug: "markdown-syntax-guide"
date: 2024-01-15
excerpt: "Everything you need to know about markdown formatting, from basics to advanced features."
author: "John Smith"
tags: [markdown, guide, reference]
category: "Guide"
published: true
---
# Complete Guide to Markdown Syntax

This comprehensive guide covers all markdown features...

News Post

---
title: "md0 CMS v2.0 Released"
slug: "md0-cms-v2-released"
date: 2024-01-15
excerpt: "md0 CMS v2.0 brings new features including MDX support, improved editor, and more."
author: "Admin"
tags: [news, release, update]
category: "News"
published: true
---

# md0 CMS v2.0 Released

We're excited to announce md0 CMS v2.0...

## What's New

- MDX support
- Improved editor
- Better performance

Best Practices

Consistent Frontmatter

Always fill required fields:

• Title
• Date
• Excerpt
• Author
• Category
• Tags (at least one)

SEO Optimization

• Write compelling titles (50-60 chars)
• Write meta descriptions (150-160 chars)
• Use descriptive slugs
• Add alt text to images
• Include relevant keywords in tags

Content Quality

• Write clear, concise excerpts
• Use proper heading hierarchy
• Break up long paragraphs
• Add images to break up text
• Use lists for readability

Image Guidelines

• Featured images: 1200x630px
• Content images: 800-1200px wide
• Compress before upload
• Use descriptive filenames
• Always add alt text

Integration Examples

Next.js Blog

See Next.js Integration guide.

Gatsby Blog

See Gatsby Integration guide.

Hugo Blog

See Hugo Integration guide.

Next Steps

• Define Schemas for custom fields
• Markdown Editing to write content
• Media Management for images
• GitHub Sync to understand workflow

Related Examples

• Documentation Site
• Multi-Collection Setup