Visual Editing by DatoCMS

Product Introduction

1. Definition: Visual Editing by DatoCMS is a headless CMS feature enabling in-context content editing. It allows editors to click directly on live website elements to modify content within DatoCMS, eliminating backend navigation.
2. Core Value Proposition: It solves the WYSIWYG gap in headless CMS by merging developer flexibility with editor-friendly workflows. Key benefits include accelerated content iteration, reduced developer dependency, and intuitive in-context editing via steganographic metadata.

Main Features

1. Click-to-Edit (Content Link):
   • How it works: Embeds invisible Unicode metadata (record ID, field path, locale) in GraphQL API responses. The frontend <ContentLink /> component scans the DOM, auto-generates edit overlays, and opens fields in DatoCMS on click.
   • Tech stack: Framework-agnostic (via @datocms/content-link), compatible with React, Vue, Svelte, and Astro. Hosting-agnostic (Vercel/Netlify/Cloudflare).
2. Visual Mode (Side-by-Side Editing):
   • How it works: Upgrades DatoCMS’ Web Previews plugin. Renders live previews beside the CMS panel; editors click elements to edit fields instantly. Supports bidirectional scrolling sync and full-screen mode.
   • Tech stack: Real-time updates via WebSockets, draft mode integration, and automatic field mapping.
3. Steganographic Field Mapping:
   • How it works: Automatically encodes content origins (model/field/locale) in API responses. Zero manual configuration for Structured Text, modular blocks, or localized fields.
   • Tech stack: Metadata injection via GraphQL extensions, decoded client-side by SDKs.

Problems Solved

1. Pain Point: Eliminates "field hunting" in headless CMS backends. Editors no longer waste time navigating complex forms to update simple elements (e.g., headlines, CTAs).
2. Target Audience:
   • Content Editors/Marketers: Non-technical users needing intuitive WYSIWYG.
   • Frontend Developers: React/Vue teams reducing CMS wiring overhead.
   • Digital Agencies: Managing multi-site content at scale.
3. Use Cases:
   • Real-time landing page edits (e.g., promo banners).
   • Collaborative drafting with instant previews.
   • Localized content updates across 50+ locales.

Unique Advantages

1. Differentiation: Unlike Sanity/Contentful (requiring manual field-component binding), DatoCMS uses auto-generated steganography for zero-config field detection. Competitors lack native side-by-side editing.
2. Key Innovation: Steganographic metadata in API responses – a patent-pending approach enabling seamless field mapping without developer intervention.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Does Visual Editing work with any frontend framework?
   Yes. Official SDKs support Next.js, SvelteKit, Astro, and Nuxt. Custom frameworks use @datocms/content-link.
2. Is Visual Editing available on free plans?
   Yes. All features (including side-by-side editing) are included in DatoCMS’ free tier.
3. How does Visual Editing handle complex content structures?
   Automatically maps nested modular blocks, localized fields, and Structured Text via steganography. Edge cases use HTML data attributes.
4. Does it require Vercel hosting?
   No. Works with any static/hosted site (Netlify, Cloudflare, etc.).
5. Can editors edit content without publishing?
   Yes. Draft mode allows unpublished edits with real-time previews.