Most content tools put a company, a database or an API key between you and your words. Here is where JustJSON sits next to the closest options — including the ones we admire.
| Tool | Account | Server / DB | API key | Local-first | Typed output | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JustJSON Local, file-based — needs no backend at all. | None | None — files on disk | None | Always (fully local) | types.ts + Astro collections | Devs who want content with zero backend |
| Keystatic Git-based, typed content; React/Astro friendly (Thinkmill). | None (git) | None (git-based) | None | Yes | Yes | Git-based teams happy to write config |
| Decap (Netlify CMS) Mature, git-based; heavier setup, dated DX. | None (git) — needs auth setup | None, but an OAuth broker is required | Git provider auth | Partial | No | Existing Netlify / git sites |
| Tina Git + optional cloud; visual editing. | Required for cloud | Optional (Tina Cloud) | Required for cloud | Partial | Yes | Visual editing on top of git |
| Hosted headless (Contentful, Sanity…) Cloud CMSs that host your content and rent you an API. | Required | Theirs — hosted database | Required to read | No | Via codegen | Large teams and scale |
Head to head: vs Keystatic · vs Decap · vs Tina · vs hosted headless
A fair-use summary of publicly documented behaviour, compiled 2026. Tools evolve — tell us if anything reads wrong and we'll fix it. Keystatic, Decap and Tina are excellent projects; JustJSON's edge is starting from nothing in one command.