A Collection is a group of related files with a similar format (e.g., a folder of pages, blog posts, or data files). Collections are a core part of your CloudCannon CMS experience.
By default, CloudCannon automatically detects your Collections when you first create your CloudCannon configuration file by searching your files for folders of similar content. You can configure your Collections when you first create your Site or at any time by opening your CloudCannon configuration file in the Data Editor or Source Editor.
In CloudCannon, your Collections appear in the Site Navigation for easy access. Each Collection has a name and icon. You can also configure Collection groups in the Site Navigation to organize your content further.
Clicking on a Collection will open the Collection browser. The Collection browser shows you all the files in your Collection, with each file represented by a Card. Depending on how you have configured your Site, these file Cards will show:
- The title of your file.
- An icon.
- Some metadata associated with that file (e.g., the output URL).
- An image within the file or a preview screenshot of the webpage to which the file outputs.
This allows your team members to see all your content at a glance.
For more information on configuring how your files look in the Collection browser, please read our documentation on Cards.
The Sort dropdown, the View dropdown, and the Collection filter search bar are at the top of the Collection browser. These tools allow you to customize the order in which your files appear, switch between List, Card, or Gallery view, and search for specific files.
By default, Collections also has an + Add button at the top right to add files and subfolders to your Collection. You can access additional file actions by opening the Context Menu at the top right of a file card.
From your Collection browser, your team members can add files, edit files, and delete files. Clicking on a file will open it in one of CloudCannon's four editing interfaces: the Visual Editor, the Content Editor, the Data Editor, or the Source Editor.
As you make changes to your files, CloudCannon will help you keep track of those changes by adding a New, Edited, or Deleted File Badge to your file Cards. When you save your changes, CloudCannon will update your Git repository and remove the File Badges.
You can configure your Collections in multiple ways to create an intuitive editing experience for your team members. This includes configuring the Collection name and icon, adding a description or documentation link, changing how new files are created, or adding a file glob or Schema.
For more information, please read our documentation on configuring your Collections.