How to connect Contentful with Netlify

Introduction

If you’re using Contentful as your CMS and Netlify to build and host a static site, there’s a common friction point: content updates are ready, but someone still needs to trigger a deploy before those changes go live.

The Contentful Netlify app solves this by bringing Netlify build controls directly into Contentful. Editors can trigger builds and follow deployment progress without ever leaving the entry editor.

In this tutorial, you’ll install the Netlify app in Contentful, connect it to one or more Netlify sites, and use the built-in widget to trigger builds and open your site.

What the Netlify app does

The Netlify app integrates Contentful with Netlify to make deployments more editor-friendly.

It allows you to:

• Trigger a Netlify build directly from the Contentful web app
• View build status updates in real time inside Contentful

This keeps content editing and deployment closely connected, especially for teams that rely on static site generation.

Prerequisites

Before getting started, make sure you have the following set up:

• A website that:

  • Is generated using a static site generator (for example Hugo, Middleman, or Gatsby)
  • Pulls content from Contentful
  • Is pushed to a remote Git repository that Netlify can access

• A Netlify setup that includes:

  • A Netlify account
  • A Netlify site connected to that repository
  • Continuous deployment enabled for that site

How it works under the hood

Once installed and configured, the Netlify app performs several actions behind the scenes:

1. Authenticates with Netlify using OAuth
2. Lets you select which Netlify sites Contentful is allowed to build
3. Creates incoming build hooks for those sites
4. Listens for build status changes and reports them back to Contentful
5. Adds a sidebar widget to the entry editor that can trigger builds and open the site

All of this happens automatically after the initial setup.

Step 1: Install the Netlify app and connect your account

Start by installing the Netlify app in your Contentful space.

1. Open your Contentful space.
2. Go to Apps (or Marketplace, depending on your UI).
3. Find the Netlify app and begin installation.
4. Click Connect… when prompted and complete the Netlify OAuth flow.

This authorizes the app to interact with Netlify on your behalf.

It’s worth noting that the OAuth token is only used during configuration and is not stored. If you later want to change the app’s configuration, you’ll need to re-authenticate.

Step 2: Configure which Netlify sites can be built

After authentication, you’ll choose which Netlify sites Contentful should be able to trigger builds for.

1. Use the dropdown to select a site from your Netlify account.
2. Confirm that the site has continuous deployment enabled.
3. Assign a label so editors can easily identify the environment.

A common and recommended setup is to configure two sites:

• A production site labeled Production
• A preview site labeled Preview

While this isn’t required, it gives editors a safe way to verify changes before triggering a production deployment.

Step 3: Trigger builds from the entry editor

Once configuration is complete, Contentful adds a Netlify widget to the entry editor sidebar.

From this widget, editors can:

• Trigger a build using the Build button
• See the current build status as it runs
• See who triggered the last build and when
• Open the selected Netlify site with Open site

This becomes the primary workflow for editors: update content, publish when ready, and trigger a build without leaving Contentful.

FAQ

What happens to the OAuth token used during setup?
The token is only used during the configuration process and is not persisted. You’ll need to re-authenticate if you update the app’s configuration later.

Who can trigger Netlify builds from Contentful?
Only admins can install and configure the Netlify app. Once installed, the build widget is available to all users with content access in the space.

Next steps

If you want to get even more value out of this integration:

• Set up a dedicated preview site on Netlify and connect it as a separate environment.
• Align your editorial workflow so builds happen at clear checkpoints, such as after review or approval.
• Double-check that your Netlify sites are connected to the correct repositories and branches, since the app relies on Netlify’s continuous deployment setup.

With this integration in place, content updates and deployments feel like a single, connected workflow instead of two separate systems.