Getting Started with ThinCMS

Documentation

Get started in 5 minutes

From zero to a running ThinCMS instance in five steps. This quickstart guide covers everything you need to go from cloning the repository to managing your first piece of content.

Before you begin

Prerequisites

ThinCMS has minimal requirements. You need a machine with Node.js and a terminal. That's it — no database server, no Docker (unless you want it), no complex infrastructure.

Required

Node.js 18+

ThinCMS runs on Node.js 18 or later. We recommend the latest LTS release. Check your version with node --version.

Required

npm or yarn

Any modern package manager works. npm ships with Node.js by default. pnpm and yarn are also fully supported.

Optional

Git

For cloning the repository. You can also download the source archive directly from the releases page.

Not required

Database server

ThinCMS uses SQLite. No MySQL, no PostgreSQL, no connection strings. The database is a single file created automatically on first run.

Quickstart

Five steps to your first site

1

Clone the repository

$ git clone https://github.com/thincms/thincms.git
$ cd thincms
2

Install dependencies

$ npm install

This installs Next.js, Prisma, React, and all other dependencies. Takes about 30–60 seconds on most connections.

3

Configure your environment

$ cp .env.example .env

Open .env and set your THINCMS_API_KEY. This key authenticates all API and MCP requests. Generate a strong random string — openssl rand -hex 32 works well.

4

Initialize the database

$ npx prisma db push

Prisma creates the SQLite database file and sets up all tables. No database server to install or configure — the file is created automatically in your project directory.

5

Start the development server

$ npm run dev

ThinCMS is now running at http://localhost:3000. Open it in your browser and you'll see the default site. The admin panel is accessible at /admin.

Next steps

Now that you're running

Your ThinCMS instance is live. Here are the most common things to do next.

Content

Create your first post

Use the admin panel at /admin or call the REST API directly. Posts support HTML content, categories, tags, SEO metadata, and scheduling.

Theming

Customize your template

Edit the page frame, stylesheet, and navigation through the API or admin panel. Templates use simple HTML with tags like {{content}} and {{nav:header}}.

AI

Connect an AI agent

ThinCMS includes a built-in MCP server with 45 typed tools. Connect Claude, Copilot, or any MCP-compatible agent to manage content with natural language.

Deploy

Go to production

Ready to deploy? See the Installation Guide for VPS, Vercel, and Docker deployment instructions.

Need the full deployment guide?

The installation guide covers production deployment options including VPS, Vercel, Docker, and more.