Chisel CMS

Chisel CMS has been superseded by Hammer Content Mode. Chisel remains available as an open-source project and continues to work with Forge Ignite, but we recommend Hammer's built-in Content Mode for new projects. Hammer Content Mode provides a streamlined content management workflow directly inside your Hammer project without requiring a separate backend service.

What is Chisel CMS?

Chisel CMS is an open-source headless content management system that runs on Forge Ignite. It provides a web-based interface for managing structured content and delivering it via API to any front-end application.

Chisel CMS requires a Forge Ignite app as its backend platform.

Chisel CMS vs Hammer Content Mode

For most use cases -- blogs, documentation, marketing sites, and content-driven pages -- Hammer Content Mode is the recommended approach. It keeps your content as simple Markdown files alongside your templates, with no backend infrastructure to manage.

If your project specifically requires a headless CMS with API delivery (e.g., a mobile app consuming content, or a JavaScript SPA fetching data at runtime), Chisel CMS on Forge Ignite remains a solid option.

Setting Up Chisel CMS on Forge

Prerequisites

• A Forge account with access to Forge Apps
• Basic knowledge of web development and deploying applications

Step-by-Step Setup

1. Deploy the Chisel CMS Forge App

1. Log in to your Forge account
2. Navigate to a Forge Site
3. Visit the 'Apps' section in the dashboard
4. Click "Install" and confirm to start the Chisel CMS app setup

2. Install Forge Ignite App

1. Enable the Forge Ignite app from the App listing page
2. Insert the Chisel CMS URL in the relevant text field to connect your Chisel CMS instance to Forge Ignite
3. Review the remaining settings for Forge Ignite

For a deeper overview of Forge Ignite configuration, see Forge Ignite.

3. Finalise Chisel CMS Settings

1. Visit the Chisel CMS app once again
2. Press "copy" to pull in the Forge Ignite Server URL and App Id values automatically
3. Enable the switch to activate Chisel CMS
4. Wait while Forge deploys your Chisel CMS environment

Managing Your Chisel CMS

After deployment, access your Chisel CMS by navigating to the app's URL. Log in using the credentials set up during configuration.

Resources

• Chisel CMS on GitHub: github.com/nicedoc/chisel-cms -- open-source, contributions welcome
• Hammer Content Mode: hammerformac.com -- the recommended content management approach for new Forge projects
• Forge Ignite: Forge Ignite guide -- backend platform documentation
• Forge Support: support@getforge.com for deployment or configuration issues