Introduction to Agility CMS

Agility CMS is a headless content management system that separates content management from presentation. This means:

  • Content is reusable: Create content once, use it anywhere
  • Flexible presentation: The same content can appear on websites, mobile apps, or other platforms
  • Modular approach: Pages are built using reusable components

Understanding Headless Architecture

Agility CMS follows a headless architecture pattern, where content management is completely separate from content delivery:

Agility Headless Architecture Diagram

In a headless architecture, content is created in the Content Manager, exposed through Content APIs, and consumed by various frontend applications (websites, mobile apps) which then deliver the experience to end-user devices. Assets are delivered directly via a CDN for optimal performance.

Key Benefits:

  • Multi-channel publishing: Same content for web, mobile, and other platforms
  • Technology freedom: Use any frontend framework or technology
  • Performance: CDN delivery and optimized asset management
  • Scalability: Scale content management and frontend independently

Understanding the Data Model

Agility CMS organizes content using a structured data model that separates content from presentation:

Agility Data Model Diagram

The Agility data model shows how a Sitemap organizes Pages, Pages contain Components, and Components display Content Items. Each entity (Page, Component, Content) has a corresponding Model that defines its structure. This separation allows content to be reused across multiple pages and components.

Key Relationships:

  • Sitemap → Maps URLs to Pages
  • Pages → Contain multiple Components
  • Components → Display Content Items
  • Content Items → Standalone, reusable pieces of content

Understanding the Interface

The Agility CMS interface is organized into four main sections:

Agility Sections Diagram

The Agility CMS interface is organized into four main sections:

  • Content: Manage Lists and Items (reusable content)
  • Assets: Manage Files, Images, and PDFs (media library)
  • Pages: Manage Sitemap, Pages, and Components (page structure)
  • Web Studio: Preview content before publishing

Key Concepts

Pages → Individual web pages organized in a sitemap Components → Reusable building blocks that display content on pages Content Items → Standalone pieces of content that can be linked to components Media → Images, documents, and other digital assets

What You'll Learn

This generic training guide will teach you:

  1. How to navigate the Agility CMS interface
  2. How to create and manage content items
  3. How to build pages using components
  4. How to work with the media library
  5. How to publish and preview content
  6. How to troubleshoot common issues

Each section focuses on how Agility CMS works in general, not how a specific instance is configured. This knowledge will apply to any Agility CMS instance you work with.

Next: Core Concepts - Deep dive into the Agility Data Model, Headless Architecture, and Sections