Open-source headless CMS with AI: finally without paying

FormCMS is a headless CMS built with ASP.NET Core and React, and the big thing is you don't need anyone's permission to use it. The code is public, so you can read it, tweak it, and most importantly actually see what it does with your data — which is basically the dream of anyone who ever installed a sketchy WordPress plugin and never found out what it was doing.

The system gives you two ways to fetch your content: REST APIs if you like the classics, and GraphQL if you want to ask for exactly what you need without dragging along mountains of useless data. In plain terms: you can build whatever frontend you want on top of it, from a mobile app to a static site, without being chained to anything.

But the coolest bit is the integrated page designer, built on GrapesJS. If you've ever cursed at writing HTML by hand for a landing page, this solves it: drag-and-drop, live preview, done. This is the kind of thing proprietary CMSs charge extra for, and here it comes with the package.

The tech stack underneath is solid: ASP.NET Core for the backend (stable, scalable, decent performance) and React on the frontend (the sensible choice if you want interactivity without losing your mind). Not weird or experimental picks, which means finding devs who know this stuff is way easier than with exotic frameworks.

Whether it's a side project, a startup with no budget to burn, or a company trying to avoid vendor lock-in, FormCMS is a real foundation. Being open-source also means the community can add features over time — and they usually do, because when software is free people are more likely to pitch in.

One disclaimer: it's open-source, so there's no support hotline to yell at if something breaks. But honestly? Most paid CMS docs are terrible anyway.