Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Netlify CMS VS React Bricks

Compare Netlify CMS VS React Bricks and see what are their differences

Netlify CMS logo Netlify CMS

An open-source CMS for your Git workflow

React Bricks logo React Bricks

React Bricks is a CMS with the best Visual editing experience for Content editors, but great for Developers too, as content blocks are React components defined in code.
  • Netlify CMS Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-01
  • React Bricks Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-28

Netlify CMS features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    Netlify CMS is designed to be user-friendly, providing a simple interface for content editors. It allows non-technical users to manage content without needing to understand complex coding or technical details.
  • Git Integration
    Being Git-based, Netlify CMS integrates seamlessly with Git repositories, allowing you to manage content in a version-controlled manner. This makes tracking changes and collaboration among multiple content editors straightforward.
  • Static Site Support
    Netlify CMS is particularly well-suited for static site generators like Jekyll, Hugo, and Gatsby. It complements the JAMstack architecture, enabling consistent workflows from development to deployment.
  • Customizable
    Highly customizable, allowing developers to tailor the admin interface and workflows to match the specific needs of a project. You can define custom widgets, workflows, and even authentication methods.
  • Open Source
    As an open-source project, Netlify CMS benefits from community contributions and transparency. Users can inspect the source code, contribute new features, or fork the repository to create bespoke solutions.
  • Built-in Previews
    Offers real-time preview capabilities, enabling content editors to see exactly how their content will appear on the live site as they are editing it. This reduces the likelihood of formatting errors and enhances content quality.
  • Deploy Hooks
    Integrates well with Netlify's deployment hooks, allowing for smooth continuous deployment processes. Changes in the CMS can trigger automatic rebuilds and deployments of the site.

Possible disadvantages of Netlify CMS

  • Complexity for Advanced Customization
    Though customizable, more advanced setups might require a more significant understanding of JavaScript, React, and Git, which can be a barrier for some developers.
  • Limited Plugins and Extensions
    Compared to other content management systems like WordPress, the ecosystem for plugins and extensions is relatively limited. This can restrict functionality and necessitate more custom development.
  • Dependency on Git
    As a Git-based CMS, it requires content editors to have at least a basic understanding of Git workflows. This could be a hurdle for smaller teams or non-technical editors.
  • Performance for Large Sites
    Managing a large number of markdown files directly in a Git repository can become cumbersome and affect performance, particularly for very large sites with many contributors.
  • Learning Curve
    While user-friendly once set up, the initial setup and configuration can be complex, particularly for those unfamiliar with the JAMstack approach or static site generators.
  • Lack of Built-in Analytics
    Unlike some other CMS platforms, Netlify CMS does not come with built-in analytics or performance tracking. Users will need to integrate third-party solutions to gather such data.
  • Content Workflow
    For more complex content workflows, including roles and permissions, additional customization or third-party tools are often required. This can complicate the setup and ongoing maintenance.

React Bricks features and specs

  • Real-time Content Editing
    React Bricks provides an intuitive, real-time WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) content editing experience directly in the browser, making it easy for non-developers to edit content without technical barriers.
  • Developer-Friendly
    Built with React, React Bricks offers a developer-friendly environment with the ability to create custom components easily, utilizing the power and flexibility of the widely-used React library.
  • Headless CMS
    As a headless CMS, React Bricks allows developers to decouple the frontend and backend, providing more freedom and flexibility in creating bespoke digital experiences across various platforms.
  • Internationalization Support
    React Bricks offers built-in support for internationalization, making it easier to manage content across multiple languages and regions with minimal effort.
  • Easy Preview and Deployment
    The system enables easy preview of content changes and seamless integration with deployment processes, ensuring what you see in the editor is precisely what gets deployed.

Possible disadvantages of React Bricks

  • Learning Curve
    For developers unfamiliar with React or newcomers to headless CMS architectures, there may be a learning curve to fully leverage the platform’s capabilities and best practices.
  • Customization Complexity
    While customization is a strength, creating highly tailored components could require significant development effort and expertise in React, potentially leading to complexities beyond basic use cases.
  • Platform Dependency
    Relying on React Bricks ties the project to its specific ecosystem, which might be a concern for teams looking for broader technology stack flexibility or those wary of vendor lock-in.
  • Pricing Structure
    Depending on the specific features and scale required, some users might find the pricing to be a consideration, especially for smaller projects or startups with limited budgets.
  • Limited Offline Usage
    As a web-based solution, React Bricks requires an internet connection for content editing, which can be a drawback for teams needing offline editing capabilities.

Analysis of Netlify CMS

Overall verdict

  • Netlify CMS is an excellent choice for developers and content managers looking for a lightweight, customizable, and Git-based content management solution. It balances simplicity for non-technical users with the technical capabilities that developers appreciate.

Why this product is good

  • Netlify CMS is appreciated for its simplicity and flexibility, especially for static site generators like Jekyll and Hugo. It offers a user-friendly web interface for managing content without needing to engage directly with the codebase. Additionally, it integrates seamlessly with Git-based workflows, allowing for a more streamlined content management process. Users can easily create, edit, and manage web content and use features such as custom widgets, media library, and role-based access control, enhancing its functionality for various use cases.

Recommended for

    Netlify CMS is well-suited for small to medium-sized static websites, portfolios, personal blogs, and documentation sites. It is particularly beneficial for teams that want to maintain a site using a Git-based workflow without requiring a separate, more complex CMS. It's an ideal solution for Jamstack architectures where optimal performance, security, and scalability are essential.

Netlify CMS videos

Netlify CMS

More videos:

  • Tutorial - Netlify CMS Tutorial - Build a GatsbyJS Blog in 7 Minutes!
  • Review - Netlify CMS - Content Management System (using Gridsome)

React Bricks videos

React Bricks Demo - Part 1 - What is React Bricks

More videos:

  • Review - Anyone Can Build Better Websites with React Bricks
  • Review - React Bricks CMS introduction

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Netlify CMS and React Bricks)
CMS
76 76%
24% 24
Blogging
84 84%
16% 16
Web App
0 0%
100% 100
Blogging Platform
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using Netlify CMS and React Bricks. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Netlify CMS and React Bricks

Netlify CMS Reviews

Best Headless CMS in 2022
Another open-source headless system, Netlify CMS, can be successfully used with any static generator for a more pleasant and faster web project. The tool is created as a single-page React app. Using Netlify, the content is stored in your Git repository alongside your code for easier versioning, multi-channel publishing, and the option to handle content updates directly in...
Source: flatlogic.com
Best Headless CMS for 2020
I did some research on headless CMS the last few weeks since I am creating some websites for small business. Therefore pricey solution are not an option and open source would be prefered. I did check out Netlify CMS and Strapi.
Source: dev.to
34 Headless CMS That Should Be On Your Radar
Netlify CMS — built by a community of open source contributors — is an extensible CMS built atop React. The platform features an editor-friendly interface and intuitive workflows for content authors.
Source: www.cmswire.com

React Bricks Reviews

We have no reviews of React Bricks yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, React Bricks should be more popular than Netlify CMS. It has been mentiond 11 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Netlify CMS mentions (3)

  • Creating a website that the client can edit.
    Looks like there was a pull request merged about 8 months ago https://github.com/netlify/netlify-cms, otherwise it's been like two years. I found a post about it on netlify at one point too, where netlify basically just washed their hands of it. Shame. I REALLY loved it's simplicity and git based approach but I can't have clients using a CMS that works that way with no hope of fixes. I'm still trying to find... Source: over 2 years ago
  • The Best 10+ Open Source Headless CMS 2022
    You may give editors a friendly UI and simple workflows with the help of the open source content management system Netlify CMS for your Git workflow. It may be used with any static site generator to produce web projects that are quicker and more adaptable. Besides, it also helps in multi-channel publishing and handling content updates inside Git. It is designed as a one-page React application; thus, you can create... - Source: dev.to / almost 3 years ago
  • Ask HN: Best (Low-/No-Code) Solution for Simple Web-Based Database Front Ends
    Here are a few that are in the ball park, but mostly lacking the form bit (you have to make your own though most of these offer a way to have a append-only user for the form to act as): - Strapi (https://github.com/strapi/strapi) - Directus (https://github.com/directus/directus) - React Admin (https://github.com/marmelab/react-admin) - Netlify CMS - a bit off the mark but maybe worth considering... - Source: Hacker News / about 4 years ago

React Bricks mentions (11)

  • Where do React Server Components fit in the history of web development?
    If you are searching for a headless CMS solution that supports React Server Components, consider exploring React Bricks, co-founded by me, which recently released v4.2, fully supporting server components. It also provides two Next.js starter projects: one is a blank project, while the other one comes with Tailwind CSS, pre-made content blocks, and a blog. - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • Prismic.io is increasing our price by *1900%* over Christmas
    Have a look at React Bricks (I am the CTO and I am available for a call). Source: over 1 year ago
  • Does anyone else hate working with builders?
    We hated builders and the DX of Gutenberg used with a modern frontend framework like Next.js. That's why we created React Bricks. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Next.js Plugin for Contentful CMS Integration - is there anything like this today?
    Have a look also at React BricksReact Bricks! It has native visual editing, it's based on React components and it has 2 starters fir Next.js (empty project and Webdite + blog with Tailwind CSS). Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Marketing team getting technical + the skepticism around that.
    Oh, almost forgot, there's another project called React Bricks (lotsa bricks to go around) which proposes a React-based tightly coupled frontend and backend. It has a higher development cost, but the CMS is embedded in the framework. Source: about 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Netlify CMS and React Bricks, you can also consider the following products

WordPress - WordPress is web software you can use to create a beautiful website or blog. We like to say that WordPress is both free and priceless at the same time.

Payload CMS - Headless CMS and Application Framework built with Node.js, React and MongoDB

Drupal - Drupal - the leading open-source CMS for ambitious digital experiences that reach your audience across multiple channels. Because we all have different needs, Drupal allows you to create a unique space in a world of cookie-cutter solutions.

DatoCMS - Connect DatoCMS to your favorite site generator, build the perfect backend and deploy anywhere you like.

Sanity.io - Sanity.io a platform for structured content that comes with an open-source editor that you can customize with React.js.

Contza CMS - Add visual editing to your website only in a minute.