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Forestry (Legacy)

A Git-based CMS that pioneered static site editing, now succeeded by TinaCMS.

What is Forestry?

Forestry was a Git-based content management system that provided a user-friendly interface for editing content stored in Git repositories. Launched around 2016, it became popular for Jamstack sites built with Hugo, Jekyll, and other static site generators.

Important: Forestry has been discontinued and replaced by TinaCMS. This article serves as historical reference for those migrating from Forestry.

Forestry officially shut down in 2023, with TinaCMS as its successor.

Architecture and Technology

Forestry connected to Git repositories and synced content.

How It Worked

  • Git Connection: Connected to GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket
  • Content Editing: Rich editor for Markdown/YAML
  • Media Management: Upload and manage assets
  • Previews: Content preview before commit
  • SSG Support: Hugo, Jekyll, Gatsby, Eleventy, and more

Content Model

  • Front matter templates
  • Custom field types
  • Block-based content (later versions)
  • Media handling

Forestry served the Jamstack community well because:

  • Non-technical editing: Made Git-based sites accessible
  • Free tier: Generous for small projects
  • SSG agnostic: Worked with many generators
  • Clean interface: Intuitive content management

Migration to TinaCMS

When Forestry sunset, users were encouraged to migrate to TinaCMS, which offers:

  • Visual editing: Real-time preview and editing
  • Open-source: Self-hostable option
  • GraphQL API: Structured content querying
  • Modern architecture: Built for current frameworks

Migration Considerations

  • Content structure may need adjustment
  • TinaCMS has different configuration approach
  • Visual editing is a key new feature
  • Some workflow differences exist

Legacy Impact

Forestry helped establish Git-based CMS as a viable category:

  • Proved non-technical users could edit Git content
  • Influenced development of similar tools
  • Contributed to Jamstack ecosystem growth

Current Alternatives

If you’re choosing a Git-based CMS today:

  • TinaCMS: Forestry’s successor, visual editing
  • Pages CMS: Simple, free, GitHub-focused
  • Decap CMS: Open-source, established
  • CloudCannon: Visual editing, agency features
  • Sanity: Headless with Git-like workflows

Who Should Consider Alternatives

If You Were a Forestry User

  • Migrate to TinaCMS for continuity
  • Consider Pages CMS for simplicity
  • Evaluate CloudCannon for similar features

For New Projects

  • Start with TinaCMS or modern alternatives
  • Don’t look for Forestry,it no longer exists

Forestry was significant in Git-based CMS history, and its legacy continues through TinaCMS.