Cortex – Zero-Storage Headless CMS
Headless CMS enforcing zero internal storage, letting users manage content in their own MongoDB or PostgreSQL databases.
Overview
We built a 'Zero-Storage' Headless CMS that decouples specific storage providers from the content management interface. This IaaS solution ensures absolute data sovereignty for enterprise clients by connecting directly to their databases.
Data Sovereignty vs. Usability
Enterprises require modern content editing tools but often cannot use cloud-hosted CMSs due to strict compliance (GDPR/HIPAA). They needed a UI that controls their data without holding it.
- Data Residency: Ensuring no data persists on our servers.
- Schema Introspection: Dynamically understanding any DB structure connected.
- Security: Managing connections without exposing credentials.
Stateless Translation Layer
NizSol architected a system that dynamically generates GraphQL APIs and Admin UIs based on the user's database schema on-the-fly.
- Introspective Schema: Auto-generates matching APIs from existing SQL schemes.
- RLS Mirroring: Respects underlying database security policies natively.
- Direct-to-Metal: Compiles API queries directly to optimized SQL/MQL.
Engineering for Trustless Connections
The core philosophy was 'trust no one, store nothing'. We had to build a system that was effectively a pass-through UI for the customer's own infrastructure.
Driver Abstraction Logic
Built a universal adapter layer that translates abstract CMS actions (create, edit, publish) into database-specific queries (SQL/MQL).
Ephemeral Session Management
Designed an authentication flow where credentials are encrypted in the user's session ram and never written to disk.
Dynamic UI Generation
Created a render engine that reads the database schema on connection and constructs the Admin UI forms in real-time.
Security Auditing
Performed rigorous penetration testing to ensure the 'tunnel' between the client browser and their database was impenetrable.
Key Features
Bring Your Own DB
Plug in any MongoDB, Postgres, or MySQL connection string and get an instant Admin UI.
Zero-Persistence
We store nothing. Your data lives and stays in your own VPC/infrastructure.
Instant GraphQL
Automatically spins up a documented GraphQL API based on your existing database tables.
Role-Based Access
Granular permission settings that map directly to database-level user roles.
Schema Visualizer
Interactive ERD diagrams generated automatically from your connected database.
Audit Logging
Tracks every content change made through the CMS for compliance purposes.
Technologies Used
Frontend
Backend
Security
“Cortex gave us the beautiful editing experience our marketing team needed, but the data never leaves our encrypted VPC. It's the best of both worlds.”
VP of Engineering, Cortex Architecture
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