static-cms/packages/docs/content/docs/beta-features.mdx

---
group: Intro
title: Beta Features
weight: 200
---

<Alert severity="error">
  Features on this page may be broken or may not function as expected. We are working to test and
  fix the features as well as update the docs. Use at your own risk.
</Alert>

Static CMS runs new functionality in an open beta format from time to time. That means that this functionality is totally available for use, an it might be ready for primetime, but it could break or change without notice.

**Use these features at your own risk.**

## Folder Collections Path

By default Static CMS stores folder collection content under the folder specified in the collection setting. You can now specify an additional `path` template (similar to the `slug` template) to control the content destination.

This allows saving content in subfolders, e.g. configuring `path: '{{year}}/{{slug}}'` will save the content under `posts/2019/post-title.md`.

See [Folder Collections Path](/docs/collection-types#folder-collections-path) for more information.

## Nested Collections

Nested collections is a beta feature that allows a folder collection to show a nested structure of entries and edit the locations of the entries. This feature is useful when you have a complex folder structure and may not want to create separate collections for every directory.

See [Nested Collections](/docs/collection-types#nested-collections) for more information.

## Commit Message Templates

You can customize the templates used by Static CMS to generate commit messages by setting the `commit_messages` option under `backend` in your Static CMS `config`.

Template tags wrapped in curly braces will be expanded to include information about the file changed by the commit. For example, `{{path}}` will include the full path to the file changed.

Setting up your Static CMS `config` to recreate the default values would look like this:

<CodeTabs>
```yaml
backend:
  commit_messages:
    create: Create {{collection}} "{{slug}}"
    update: Update {{collection}} "{{slug}}"
    delete: Delete {{collection}} "{{slug}}"
    uploadMedia: Upload "{{path}}"
    deleteMedia: Delete "{{path}}"
```

```js
backend: {
  commit_messages: {
    create: 'Create {{collection}} "{{slug}}"',
    update: 'Update {{collection}} "{{slug}}"',
    delete: 'Delete {{collection}} "{{slug}}"',
    uploadMedia: 'Upload "{{path}}"',
    deleteMedia: 'Delete "{{path}}"',
  },
},
```

</CodeTabs>

Static CMS generates the following commit types:

| Commit type   | When is it triggered?        | Available template tags                                     |
| ------------- | ---------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- |
| `create`      | A new entry is created       | `slug`, `path`, `collection`, `author-login`, `author-name` |
| `update`      | An existing entry is changed | `slug`, `path`, `collection`, `author-login`, `author-name` |
| `delete`      | An existing entry is deleted | `slug`, `path`, `collection`, `author-login`, `author-name` |
| `uploadMedia` | A media file is uploaded     | `path`, `author-login`, `author-name`                       |
| `deleteMedia` | A media file is deleted      | `path`, `author-login`, `author-name`                       |

Template tags produce the following output:

- `{{slug}}`: the url-safe filename of the entry changed
- `{{collection}}`: the name of the collection containing the entry changed
- `{{path}}`: the full path to the file changed
- `{{message}}`: the relevant message based on the current change (e.g. the `create` message when an entry is created)
- `{{author-login}}`: the login/username of the author
- `{{author-name}}`: the full name of the author (might be empty based on the user's profile)

## Image widget file size limit

You can set a limit to as what the maximum file size of a file is that users can upload directly into a image field.

Example config:

<CodeTabs>
```yaml
- label: 'Featured Image'
  name: 'thumbnail'
  widget: 'image'
  default: '/uploads/chocolate-dogecoin.jpg'
  media_library:
    config:
      max_file_size: 512000 # in bytes, only for default media library
```

```js
{
  label: 'Featured Image',
  name: 'thumbnail',
  widget: 'image',
  default: '/uploads/chocolate-dogecoin.jpg',
  media_library: {
    config: {
      max_file_size: 512000 // in bytes, only for default media library
    },
  },
},
```

</CodeTabs>

## Summary string template transformations

You can apply transformations on fields in a summary string template using filter notation syntax.

Example config:

<CodeTabs>
```yaml
collections:
  - name: 'posts'
    label: 'Posts'
    folder: '_posts'
    summary: "{{title | upper}} - {{date | date('YYYY-MM-DD')}} - {{body | truncate(20, '***')}}"
    fields:
      - { label: 'Title', name: 'title', widget: 'string' }
      - { label: 'Publish Date', name: 'date', widget: 'datetime' }
      - { label: 'Body', name: 'body', widget: 'markdown' }
```

```js
collections: [
  {
    name: 'posts',
    label: 'Posts',
    folder: '_posts',
    summary: "{{title | upper}} - {{date | date('YYYY-MM-DD')}} - {{body | truncate(20, '***')}}",
    fields: [
      { label: 'Title', name: 'title', widget: 'string' },
      { label: 'Publish Date', name: 'date', widget: 'datetime' },
      { label: 'Body', name: 'body', widget: 'markdown' },
    ],
  },
],
```

</CodeTabs>

The above config will transform the title field to uppercase and format the date field using `YYYY-MM-DD` format.
Available transformations are `upper`, `lower`, `date('<format>')`, `default('defaultValue')`, `ternary('valueForTrue','valueForFalse')` and `truncate(<number>)`/`truncate(<number>, '<string>')`

## Registering to CMS Events

You can execute a function when a specific CMS event occurs.

Example usage:

```javascript
CMS.registerEventListener({
  name: 'prePublish',
  handler: ({ author, entry }) => console.info(JSON.stringify({ author, data: entry.data })),
});
```

Supported events are `prePublish`, `postPublish`, `preSave` and `postSave`. The `preSave` hook can be used to modify the entry data like so:

```javascript
CMS.registerEventListener({
  name: 'preSave',
  handler: ({ entry }) => {
    return {
      ...entry,
      data: {
        ...entry.data,
        title: 'new title',
      },
    };
  },
});
```

## i18n Support

Static CMS can provide a side by side interface for authoring content in multiple languages. Configuring Static CMS for i18n support requires top level configuration, collection level configuration and field level configuration.

## Gitea Backend

For repositories stored on Gitea, the gitea backend allows CMS users to log in directly with their Gitea account. Note that all users must have push access to your content repository for this to work.

See [Gitea Backend](/docs/gitea-backend) for more information.

## Media Library Folders

Adds support for viewing subfolders and creating new subfolders in the media library, under your configured `media_folder`.

See [Media Library Folders](/docs/configuration-options#media-library-folders) for more information.

## External Media Library

Using an external media library allows you to store your media files outside of your git backend. This is helpful if you are trying to store large media files. There are three external media libraries available in beta:

- [Cloudinary](/docs/cloudinary)
- [Netlify Large Media](/docs/netlify-large-media)
- [Uploadcare](/docs/uploadcare)