DatoCMS Technology Intelligence

What is DatoCMS?

DatoCMS is an API-first headless CMS focused on images and modular content. Founded in Italy, DatoCMS emphasizes image handling with built-in responsive image processing and a modern editing experience.

The platform handles image transformations server-side, generating srcset and sizes attributes automatically. Modular blocks let editors build complex pages from predefined components.

Key Features

Image Handling

• Imgix CDN: Built-in transformations
• Responsive: Auto srcset generation
• Focal Points: Smart cropping
• LQIP: Low-quality placeholders

Content Modeling

• Modular Blocks: Composable content
• Structured Text: Rich text with blocks
• Links: Internal references
• Localization: Multi-language support

API

• GraphQL: Powerful queries
• Real-time: Subscription updates
• Preview: Draft content access
• Webhooks: Build triggers

Implementation Scenarios

Image-Heavy Sites

Photography portfolios, e-commerce, and media sites leverage DatoCMS's image pipeline. Built-in imgix integration handles responsive images without additional services.

Static Site Generation

JAMstack projects use DatoCMS as a content backend. GraphQL API pairs well with Gatsby, Next.js, and Nuxt.js static builds.

Marketing Websites

Marketing teams build pages using modular blocks. Pre-defined sections combine into landing pages without code changes.

Multilingual Content

Global brands manage content in multiple languages. Per-field localization keeps translations organized within single entries.

GraphQL Examples

Query Content

query {
  allBlogPosts(orderBy: _createdAt_DESC, first: 10) {
    id
    title
    slug
    excerpt
    coverImage {
      responsiveImage(imgixParams: { fit: crop, w: 800, h: 400 }) {
        src
        srcSet
        width
        height
        alt
        base64
      }
    }
  }
}

React Image Component

import { Image } from 'react-datocms';

// responsiveImage from GraphQL query
<Image data={post.coverImage.responsiveImage} />

// Renders optimized responsive image with:
// - srcset for different sizes
// - blur-up placeholder
// - lazy loading
// - proper aspect ratio

Pricing & Comparison

Pricing Model

• Free: 1 project, 300 records
• Basic: $29/month, 1,000 records
• Pro: $199/month, 10,000 records
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

vs Contentful

• Images: DatoCMS superior image handling
• GraphQL: DatoCMS GraphQL-first
• Price: DatoCMS more affordable
• Scale: Contentful larger enterprise presence

Strengths

• Best-in-class responsive images
• Structured Text for rich content
• Real-time Content subscriptions
• Developer-friendly GraphQL