The document summarizes Todd Ross Nienkerk's presentation on decoupled content management system (CMS) architecture. Some key points:
- A decoupled CMS separates the content storage and delivery mechanisms, allowing content to be delivered to various channels through APIs instead of being tied to specific frontends.
- Decoupling a CMS makes sense when organizations want to adopt cutting-edge frontend technologies, separate upgrades from redesigns, eliminate tension between design and CMS constraints, or publish content to multiple channels.
- Case studies of organizations like TWiT that have moved to a decoupled CMS architecture are discussed, highlighting benefits like faster website updates, easier app development, and encouraging community contributions.
30. CMS first
• The users’ needs are important, but there are many
ways to satisfy them
• The design can be changed to align with the natural
behavior of the CMS
• The end result is easier and cheaper to maintain
31. Design first
• The users’ needs are paramount and non-negotiable
• The design must be executed as-is
• This may involve hacking the CMS or creating a
complicated codebase, which affects maintainability
53. Source: Leo Laporte’s announcement (4ktch.in/twittv-leo)
“[It’s] faster and easier to create new sites. Web design
styles change faster than high fashion, so it's nice to be
able to update the site without re-doing all the hard
work on the backend.”
54. Source: Leo Laporte’s announcement (4ktch.in/twittv-leo)
“Having a complete API would make it easier to do apps.
The app, just like the website, would have access to
everything there is to know about TWiT, in a simple,
accessible fashion.”
55. Source: Leo Laporte’s announcement (4ktch.in/twittv-leo)
“By making the API public, we encourage members of
our audience to create new things, things we might
never have thought of. You could even design a website
you like better. Abstracting the content from the
presentation seems like a big win.”
56. Source: Leo Laporte’s announcement (4ktch.in/twittv-leo)
“By keeping Drupal simple and avoiding additional third-
party modules, we can make a more secure and reliable
backend that will be much easier to upgrade when
future versions of Drupal arrive.”
57. • TWiT’s case study: 4ktch.in/twittv-leo
• 4K’s blog post: 4ktch.in/twittv-4k
• API documentation: docs.twittv.apiary.io
• You can consume content the same way TWiT’s
website does!
• Saucier: github.com/fourkitchens/saucier
• Our open-source Node.js framework for building
decoupled Drupal sites
58. Decoupling makes sense when you want to…
• Adopt cutting-edge frontend technologies
• Separate upgrades from redesigns
• Eliminate tension between a design and your CMS
• Centralize your content
• Publish to many frontends and experiences
• Integrate multiple backends or services
• Make your content easily accessible via an API
67. Thank you!
All content in this presentation, except where noted otherwise, is Creative Commons
Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 licensed and copyright Four Kitchens, LLC.
68. Credits
• The following icons are from the Noun Project
and are licensed Creative Commons BY 3.0:
Dog-walking illustration based on an icon by
Pavel Nikandrov; Laptop icon by B. Agustín
Amenábar Larraín; Tablet icon by Pham Thi
Dieu Linh; Smartphone icon by George
Agpoon; Media icon by Garrett Knoll; Text
icon by Julien Miclo; Chat icon by Dolly Vu;
Document icon by Nimal Raj.
• Drupal is a registered trademark of Dries
Buytaert.
• The assets listed above, as well as any assets
specifically noted on a slide, are exempt from
this presentation’s Creative Commons BY-SA
3.0 license.