KeystoneJS

KeystoneJS is a developer-focused, open-source headless CMS and app framework for Node.js. It lets you declare data models (lists) in TypeScript or JavaScript and immediately provides a GraphQL API plus a configurable React-based Admin UI for managing content and data.

Key Features

• Schema-first data modelling with Lists and rich field types (text, relationship, document, password, timestamp, etc.).
• Auto-generated GraphQL API and CRUD resolvers that follow your schema and access rules.
• Full TypeScript typing and developer DX for compile-time safety and editor autocompletion.
• Admin UI built with React and Next.js, supporting custom React components and field views.
• Prisma-powered database layer with automated migrations and direct Prisma client access.
• Built-in access control, session management, hooks, and custom queries/mutations.
• Pluggable storage adapters and file handling to integrate with object stores or local storage.
• Designed to fit git-based workflows and common CI/CD/deployment targets.

Use Cases

• Headless CMS for websites, marketing sites, and multi-channel content delivery.
• Backend and content platform for web or mobile applications requiring custom schemas and role-based access.
• Internal admin panels, editorial tools, or lightweight e-commerce backends built on top of a generated API.

Limitations and Considerations

• Keystone 6 relies on Prisma as its ORM abstraction; currently supported database providers are relational (PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite). Official MongoDB support is not provided due to Prisma/migrations considerations.
• Behaviour of text filtering and some field types can differ between supported SQL providers; developers must consider provider-specific column types and collation implications.
• Large-scale or highly-custom multi-database scenarios may require additional engineering around migrations, transactions, and Prisma client extensions.

KeystoneJS is focused on giving developers a fast, type-safe starting point for APIs and content management while allowing deep customization of UI, access control, and persistence. Its core strengths are schema-driven APIs, TypeScript-first tooling, and a React-based Admin experience.