What a web CMS actually owes you: my baseline standard
A web CMS should work for editors and developers without compromise. Here is the baseline I hold every platform against before recommending it.
Tag
Sanity CMS
Deep dives into Sanity CMS — schema design, GROQ queries, Studio customisation, webhook-driven revalidation, and content modelling patterns.
73 posts
6 min read
Node.js CMS in 2026: Payload, Strapi, Directus, Keystone, and Sanity compared
Choosing a Node.js CMS for a custom website? Honest trade-offs across Payload, Strapi, Directus, Keystone, and Sanity with a side-by-side comparison table.
CMS for marketing teams: what to set up before editors touch it
A practical setup checklist for a CMS for marketing teams — roles, content models, preview, publishing workflow, and analytics wiring. Done right the first time.
CMS apps explained: what marketing and product teams actually get
A plain-English guide to how modern CMS apps work — content models, editing UI, publishing workflows, and integrations — for non-developers choosing the right tool.
Sanity video hosting in 2026: Mux vs Cloudinary vs Bunny Stream
Comparing Mux, Cloudinary, and Bunny Stream for sanity video hosting — upload workflow, adaptive streaming, pricing, and LCP poster handling.
Sanity vs WordPress cost: annual TCO once you're already live
A steady-state cost breakdown of Sanity + Next.js vs WordPress: hosting, plugins, security, and editor time. Real annual totals compared.
Sanity image-url hotspot not working: four causes and fixes
Sanity hotspot not applying to your rendered image? Here are the four real causes and exact fixes for each one.
Sanity vs Directus for Next.js in 2026: An Honest Comparison
Sanity vs Directus compared across data ownership, schema design, querying, editor UX, and self-hosting for Next.js projects in 2026.
Sanity vs Hygraph 2026: An Honest Side-by-Side for Next.js Teams
Sanity vs Hygraph in 2026: GROQ content lake vs GraphQL-native federation compared on DX, editor UX, pricing, and Next.js fit. Make the right call.
Contentful Alternatives for Next.js in 2026 (5 Compared)
Switching from Contentful? Compare Sanity, Payload, Strapi, Storyblok, and Hygraph as Contentful alternatives for Next.js in 2026 — pricing, schema model, and fit.
How I Migrate WordPress to Sanity + Next.js: A Technical Walkthrough
A step-by-step guide to exporting WordPress content, mapping schemas, running an import script, converting HTML to Portable Text, and preserving SEO with 301 redirects.
Sanity Embeddings: Semantic Search in a Next.js App Router Site
Step-by-step guide to indexing Sanity content with native Embeddings, running a semantic query, and wiring a debounced search UI in Next.js App Router.
Sanity Agent Actions: Automating Content Workflows
Learn how Sanity Agent Actions let you trigger AI-powered content workflows from the API — generate drafts, translate, and enrich fields at scale, without an editor clicking anything.
Sanity AI Assist Setup for Editors in Next.js
Step-by-step setup of Sanity AI Assist (@sanity/assist) in a Next.js + Sanity project: install, config, field instructions, and real editor workflows. Updated for 2026.
How to Vet a Senior Sanity CMS Developer: A Buyer's Guide
Learn how to vet a senior Sanity CMS developer before you hire — portfolio signals, honest questions, and the red flags that reveal real seniority.
Sanity CMS Development Services: What You Actually Get
A plain-English breakdown of what Sanity CMS development services include — discovery, content modelling, Studio build, migration, and handoff, phase by phase.
Sanity + Mux Signed HLS Video Playback in Next.js
Step-by-step guide to Sanity Mux video playback in Next.js: signed URLs, hls.js adaptive streaming, poster images, and LCP optimisation.
How to Archive Documents in Sanity — Unpublish Without Deleting
Step-by-step: custom Sanity document actions to unpublish, archive, and restore content without deleting, plus Next.js front-end handling for archived docs.
Sanity Custom Validation Rules: A Practical Guide
Learn how to write Sanity custom validation rules: required fields, regex, async checks, cross-field logic, and clear editor error messages.
Sanity Structure Builder: Custom Ordering & Grouping
Learn how to configure Sanity Structure Builder's defaultOrdering, documentTypeList grouping, and icons so a 20+ schema Studio still feels deliberate.
Sanity Scheduled Publishing with Next.js ISR Revalidation
A practical guide to Sanity scheduled publishing in Next.js: enabling the plugin, wiring SANITY_REVALIDATE_SECRET, and triggering ISR so content goes live on time.
Best Free Headless CMS for Next.js in 2026: 5 Tiers Compared
Comparing the best free headless CMS options for Next.js in 2026 — Sanity, Payload, Strapi, Contentful, and Storyblok free tier limits and trade-offs.
Headless CMS Pricing Comparison 2026: Sanity vs Contentful vs Payload vs Strapi
A straight headless CMS pricing comparison for 2026. Free tiers, paid entry points, upgrade triggers, and self-host costs for Sanity, Contentful, Payload, and Strapi.
Sanity vs Strapi in 2026: an honest side-by-side comparison
Sanity vs Strapi 2026: GROQ content lake vs self-hosted SQL, editor UX, image pipelines, pricing, and lock-in trade-offs compared honestly.
Sanity Live Preview in Next.js App Router (Presentation)
Step-by-step guide to wiring Sanity Presentation plugin for live preview in Next.js App Router, with overlay clicks, GROQ live queries, and draft mode.
Sanity Roles & Document-Level Permissions (RBAC) Setup
Step-by-step guide to wiring Sanity CMS role-based access control with document-level permissions in a Next.js project. Covers custom roles, GROQ filters, and Studio UI.
Next.js + Sanity CMS for Marketing Teams: What Editors Get
Wondering if Next.js and Sanity CMS gives marketing teams real editorial control? Here is what the editor experience looks like in practice.
Sanity CMS + Next.js website cost in 2026: a straight breakdown
What does a Sanity CMS Next.js website cost to build in 2026? Real budget ranges by project type, plus hosting, retainer, and what drives cost up.
Next.js vs Astro for Content Sites and Blogs: An Honest Comparison
Next.js vs Astro for content-heavy sites — rendering models, Sanity CMS integration, bundle size, ISR, and when to pick each for a real project.
Syncing Sanity CMS to Algolia Search in Next.js
Step-by-step: webhook-driven Sanity-to-Algolia sync, InstantSearch React UI, and handling stale index edge cases in Next.js. Practical and production-tested.
Sanity Studio Custom Input Component: A Colour Picker
Step-by-step guide to building a Sanity Studio custom input component using definePlugin, useFormValue, and PatchEvent with a real colour-picker example.
Sanity Multilingual Content in Next.js with next-intl
Step-by-step guide to connecting Sanity document internationalisation to next-intl in the App Router, with schema design, GROQ patterns, hreflang, and slug pitfalls.
Sanity Scheduled Publishing & Custom Document Actions (2026 Guide)
How to set up true scheduled publishing in Sanity via the Releases API, plus custom document actions: an approval gate before publish and Slack notifications.
Advanced GROQ Queries: Joins, Coalesce & Array Flattening
Deep dive into advanced GROQ queries in Sanity: inline joins, the coalesce() function, conditional projections, and array flattening with real payload sizes measured.
How I rotate Sanity draft mode secrets at the edge without redeploying Next.js
Step-by-step: Sanity draft mode preview in Next.js App Router with Vercel Edge Config for zero-downtime secret rotation. No content leaks.
How I configure Sanity image URL auto=format with next/image to serve WebP and AVIF
Using Sanity's auto=format with next/image correctly avoids double-encoding and wasted bytes. Here is the exact setup I use in production.
How to Evaluate a Sanity CMS Development Proposal Before You Sign
A Sanity CMS development services proposal should show milestones, staging URLs, and scope guardrails. Here is what good looks like.
Sanity Pricing 2026: Real Limits, Hidden Costs & When Free Runs Out
Independent breakdown of Sanity pricing 2026: where the free plan actually breaks (2 editors, 500k API requests/mo), what Growth really costs per seat, and the upgrade triggers Sanity doesn't highlight.
Payload CMS vs Sanity for Next.js in 2026: An Honest Comparison
Payload CMS vs Sanity for Next.js in 2026: hosting, GROQ vs the local API, TypeScript DX, pricing, and lock-in — compared honestly by someone who's shipped both.
Sanity Draft Mode Preview: Next.js App Router + Edge Config
Step-by-step: route handlers, cookie strategy, and Vercel Edge Config secret rotation for Sanity draft mode preview in Next.js. No leaks.
Mux Video in Next.js + Sanity CMS: Upload & Playback Guide
Step-by-step guide to Mux video hosting in Next.js and Sanity CMS: sanity-plugin-mux-input setup, direct uploads, signed playback URLs, and poster images for fast LCP.
Serve WebP & AVIF from Sanity Without Double-Encoding
Learn when to use Sanity's auto=format image URL API vs next/image formats, how cache keys work, and how to keep payloads small in a Next.js project.
What a real Sanity CMS development services proposal looks like
A breakdown of a real Sanity CMS development services proposal — milestones, payment terms, staging promises, and red flags to watch for.
WordPress to Sanity Migration Cost: Does It Pay Back?
A honest breakdown of WordPress to Sanity migration cost, including plugin savings, hosting, editorial gains, and when the switch simply isn't worth it.
5 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Sanity CMS Developer
Before you hire a Sanity CMS developer, ask these five questions. Know what a strong answer sounds like — and which answers should worry you.
Sanity vs WordPress Headless CMS: When Headless Wins
Sanity vs WordPress headless CMS compared on editor UX, performance, dev experience, and real migration numbers. Honest about where WordPress still wins.
Sanity vs Strapi vs Payload CMS: An Honest Comparison for 2026
Sanity vs Payload CMS vs Strapi, compared on pricing, editor UX, schema modelling, and lock-in. Payload vs Strapi gets its own section. No vendor bias.
Hire a Sanity developer vs agency: five honest trade-offs
Deciding whether to hire a Sanity developer or an agency? Five honest trade-offs covering cost, speed, accountability, and risk to help you choose right.
Sanity CMS website cost in 2026: what founders actually pay
A plain-English breakdown of Sanity CMS website cost in 2026, from small marketing sites to complex multi-locale builds. Real ranges, real drivers.
Kill CLS on Sanity Images: sizes, width & height from Metadata
Kill CLS on Sanity images for good. Pull metadata.dimensions into next/image sizes and aspect-ratio boxes — exact GROQ and component code.
Sanity Hotspot + next/image: Pixel-Perfect Focal Point Crops
Use @sanity/image-url with hotspot, crop, fit, width, and height to crop Sanity images to an exact size in next/image — focal point preserved, with code and the exact GROQ.
Sanity Portable Text Custom Components in Next.js
Learn how to build Sanity Portable Text custom components in Next.js — code blocks, callouts, embedded forms, and captioned images with full TypeScript types.
Signs Your WordPress Site Needs a Headless CMS Rebuild
Slow pages, locked content, and plugin chaos are warning signs your WordPress site has hit its ceiling. Here's how to know when a headless rebuild makes sense.
Best headless CMS for Next.js in 2026: Sanity vs Contentful vs Payload vs Storyblok
Sanity vs Contentful vs Payload vs Storyblok for Next.js in 2026 — honest trade-offs on GROQ, App Router support, pricing, and editor UX, with a clear pick by team type.
Sanity TypeGen: Fully Typed GROQ Queries in TypeScript
A step-by-step guide to Sanity TypeGen: CLI config, generating TypeScript types from GROQ queries, CI integration, and handling schema evolution gotchas.
Sanity CMS + Next.js App Router: A Practical Getting Started Guide
A step-by-step Sanity CMS + Next.js tutorial for developers setting up schemas, GROQ queries, and Sanity Studio with the App Router for the first time.
Sanity Webhooks + Next.js ISR Revalidation with HMAC Verification
Step-by-step guide to connecting Sanity webhooks to Next.js route handlers for on-demand ISR revalidation, with correct HMAC signature verification and error handling.
Sanity CMS vs Contentful for Next.js Projects: An Honest Comparison
Sanity CMS or Contentful for your next Next.js build? Honest comparison — pricing, GROQ vs GraphQL, editor DX, lock-in, and which one wins where.
Sanity Webhook Revalidation: Batching Tags in Next.js
A pattern for consolidating dozens of per-document Next.js revalidations into one tagged endpoint using SANITY_REVALIDATE_SECRET, cutting webhook noise and deploy times by 70%.
Fix Sanity Hotspot Image CLS by Pre-Calculating Focal Crops
How I pre-calculate Sanity image hot-spot crops server-side to eliminate layout shift and guarantee stable LCP under 2.5s on editorial pages.
Sanity Slug Validation: Block Duplicate Slugs Before Publish
Sanity's slug field doesn't enforce uniqueness by default. Here's the custom GROQ validation hook that blocks duplicate slugs at publish, across multiple document types.
Sanity Content Versioning Without Breaking Client Pages
A production pattern for rolling schema changes in Sanity without throwing runtime errors or requiring a full site rebuild — coalesce in GROQ, migrate later.
Sanity Studio Bloat: Audit & Prune Unused Document Types
A step-by-step approach to identifying orphaned Sanity schemas, measuring Studio bundle impact, and safely removing dead document types without breaking production.
Sanity Structure Builder: Hide Drafts, Speed Up Editors
Sanity Studio ships with every draft visible by default. I use structure builder filters, defaultOrdering, and custom panes to cut editor cognitive load by 70%.
GROQ Conditional Projections: Cut Query Payload by 60%
A pattern for projecting only the fields your Next.js components actually render, using GROQ's select() and type filters to prune unused blocks from a union array.
Avoiding N+1 Queries: Modeling Sanity References in RSC
A pattern for structuring Sanity references and GROQ projections that eliminates query waterfalls in server components, cutting fetch latency by 200–400 ms.
Sanity Image Placeholders Under 50 kB: Palette, Not Base64 LQIP
Cut LQIP overhead on Sanity + Next.js sites to nearly zero using Sanity's built-in metadata.palette instead of inline Base64 blur data. Exact GROQ and component code.
Multi-Locale Navigation in Sanity Without Bloating Queries
A singleton pattern for i18n navigation that keeps GROQ queries fast, using dynamic field access (field[$param]) instead of string interpolation.
Structuring Sanity Schemas to Avoid Query Waterfalls
Denormalising references and embedding common fields in Sanity schemas cuts server component render time by 40–60%. Here's the pattern I ship.
Next.js TTFB Optimization: Sub-200ms with PPR, Edge & Sanity
Next.js TTFB optimization in practice: Partial Prerendering for the shell, edge runtime for dynamic fragments, and tight GROQ projections — with before/after benchmarks (420ms → 140ms).
Shaving 140 kB Off a Next.js Bundle: Lazy-Load Portable Text
Portable Text blocks can bloat client bundles. Here's how I defer serializers with dynamic imports and RSC boundaries to keep marketing pages under 80 kB — and where lazy-loading trades away SEO visibility.
Sanity Draft Mode Without Sacrificing Edge Performance
A production pattern for Sanity draft previews in Next.js that keeps published pages on the edge while editors see real-time changes.
Why I Use Next.js + Sanity for Content Sites
A practical breakdown of when Next.js + Sanity is the right stack, what it buys you for SEO and velocity, and the trade-offs to watch.