Introducing Multi-Collection Architecture

As websites grow, so does the complexity of their content. A modern static site isn’t just a blog anymore—it’s a collection of documentation, case studies, team profiles, and marketing landing pages.

Standard Git-based CMSs often struggle with this. They usually lock you into a single “content directory”. If you want to manage both your /blog and your /docs, you’re often out of luck, or forced into complex workarounds.

With Pageel CMS v1.1, we are introducing Multi-Collection Architecture.

What is a Collection?

In Pageel, a Collection is a logical grouping of content files that share the same:

Source Path: e.g., src/content/blog
Asset Path: e.g., public/images/blog
Validation Schema: Frontmatter requirements (e.g., Blog needs author, Docs need section)
Display Settings: Which columns to show in the CMS table.

Why it matters

1. Unified Workspace

You no longer need to switch between different configurations or repositories. Connect your repository once, and define multiple collections to manage every corner of your project.

2. Independent Validation

Your documentation doesn’t need a coverImage, but your blog posts do. Multi-Collection allows you to set different Template Schemas for each folder. The CMS automatically validates your files against the correct schema based on which collection you are currently browsing.

3. Optimized Asset Management

Keep your repository clean by routing images to collection-specific folders. When you upload an image for a “Docs” post, it goes to your /images/docs folder automatically.

How to set it up

In line with our Git-native philosophy, collection management is powered by a simple configuration file: .pageelrc.json. This provides a source of truth that lives within your repository.

However, we believe in flexibility. You can set up collections in two ways:

1. The Pro Way (Via Code)

Add a new object to the collections array in your .pageelrc.json. This is perfect for developers who want to keep everything in their IDE.

{
  "collections": [
    {
      "id": "docs",
      "name": "Documentation",
      "postsPath": "src/content/docs",
      "imagesPath": "public/images/docs",
      "template": {
        "fields": [
          { "name": "title", "type": "string", "required": true },
          { "name": "section", "type": "string" }
        ]
      }
    }
  ]
}

2. The Simple Way (Via UI)

Don’t want to touch the JSON? No problem. Use the Collection Manager by clicking the folder icon (📂) near the top of the sidebar. This visual interface allows you to add or modify collections instantly. When you save, the CMS will automatically generate and push a commit updating your configuration file.

Once updated, Pageel CMS will instantly detect the changes and refresh your sidebar navigation.

The Future of Git-native CMS

Multi-Collection support brings Pageel closer to the flexibility of traditional Headless CMSs while maintaining all the benefits of the TinyStack: zero backend, zero costs, and 100% data ownership.

We’re excited to see how you use this to scale your Astro and Next.js projects!

Check out the v1.1.0-beta.1 Changelog for more details on this release.

#collections #architecture #v1.1

Introducing Multi-Collection Architecture in Pageel CMS