Get up and running with md0 CMS in under 5 minutes. This guide walks you through connecting your GitHub repository, creating your first collection, and editing content.
Prerequisites
Before you begin, make sure you have:
- A GitHub account
- A public GitHub repository with markdown content (or create one)
- Basic understanding of your repository's file structure
Step 1: Sign Up and Connect GitHub
- Go to md0.io/cms
- Click "Connect GitHub" or "Start Free"
- Authorize md0 CMS to access your GitHub repositories
- Select the repository you want to manage
The OAuth connection is secure and allows md0 CMS to read and write files on your behalf.
Step 2: Create Your First Collection
Collections organize your content by type (posts, docs, pages, etc.).
- Click "Create Collection" in the dashboard
- Give your collection a name (e.g., "Blog Posts")
- Define a path pattern using glob syntax:
- For blog posts:
content/posts/**/*.md - For documentation:
docs/**/*.mdx - For pages:
src/pages/**/*.md
- For blog posts:
Path Pattern Examples
content/blog/**/*.md → Matches all .md files in content/blog/
docs/**/*.mdx → Matches all .mdx files in docs/ recursively
src/pages/*.md → Matches .md files only in src/pages/
posts/{2023,2024}/**/*.md → Matches posts from 2023 or 2024
Step 3: Define Your Schema
Schemas define the frontmatter fields for your collection.
- Click "Add Field" to create frontmatter fields
- Define common fields:
# Example blog post schema
- name: title
type: string
required: true
- name: date
type: date
required: true
- name: excerpt
type: text
- name: tags
type: array
items: string
- name: featured
type: boolean
default: false
Field Types
- string: Short text (titles, names)
- text: Long text (descriptions, excerpts)
- number: Numeric values
- boolean: True/false toggles
- date: Date picker
- array: Lists of items
- image: Image upload with URL
Step 4: Create Your First Entry
- Navigate to your collection
- Click "New Entry" or "Create Post"
- Fill in the frontmatter fields using the form
- Write your content using the visual editor
- Click "Save" to commit to GitHub
Your content is automatically saved to your GitHub repository with a commit message.
Step 5: Verify in GitHub
- Go to your GitHub repository
- Navigate to the file path you specified
- Verify your content file was created/updated
- Check the commit history to see md0 CMS commits
Understanding the Visual Editor
The md0 CMS editor provides:
- Rich text formatting: Bold, italic, headings, lists
- Live preview: See markdown rendering in real-time
- Code blocks: Syntax highlighting for code snippets
- Image uploads: Drag and drop images
- Table editor: Visual table creation
- Link insertion: Add and edit hyperlinks
Next Steps
Now that you have md0 CMS set up, explore these guides:
Configure Your Setup
- Collection Patterns - Advanced path pattern configurations
- Schema Configuration - Detailed schema options
- Media Management - Handle images and files
Integrate with Your Site
Examples
Troubleshooting
Files Not Appearing
- Verify your path pattern matches your file structure
- Check that files have the correct extension (.md or .mdx)
- Ensure frontmatter is valid YAML
Sync Issues
- Check your GitHub connection in settings
- Verify repository permissions
- Look for conflict notifications in the editor
Schema Errors
- Ensure required fields are marked correctly
- Validate field types match content
- Check for reserved field names
Support
Need help? Check out:
- GitHub Sync Documentation
- Markdown Editing Guide
- Community support (link to Discord/forum)
- Email support: support@md0.io