Developer Docs

ClearCMS provides REST APIs for content, media, forms, and design tokens -- plus Bridge Mode for visual editing on your own frontend.

Integration models

Sections mode (default)

ClearCMS renders your entire site. You edit visually and publish -- no custom code needed.

Headless mode

Your frontend fetches content from the ClearCMS API and renders it. You own the HTML and CSS; ClearCMS manages content and storage. Optionally add the bridge script for visual editing on your frontend.

In this section

• API Overview — authentication, versioning, rate limits, error handling
• Headless API — REST API reference: endpoints, authentication, pagination, query parameters
• Bridge Mode — add bridge.js to your frontend to enable visual editing
• Media API — upload, manage, and retrieve media files programmatically
• Forms API — manage forms and process submissions programmatically
• Design Tokens — fetch your site's colors, fonts, spacing, and shadows as CSS custom properties

Learning path

Start with the Headless Quickstart, then explore the Headless API reference. Add Bridge Mode when you want visual editing. Use Media API, Forms API, and Design Tokens as needed.

Authentication

All API endpoints require an API key. Generate one under Settings > Developer > API Keys.

API keys grant read and write access to your site's content. Treat them like passwords -- never expose them in client-side code.

Base URL

All API requests use your site's ClearCMS domain:

https://your-site.clearcms.app/api/

Rate limits

Requests are rate-limited per API key. Limits vary by plan. Exceeding the limit returns 429 Too Many Requests with a Retry-After header.

CORS

GET requests allow cross-origin access from any origin. Write operations (POST, PUT, DELETE) require server-side requests with an API key.