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Underpeaks Core is an open-source, self-hosted headless CMS that its UnderPeaks tutorial says can generate a Flutter or Next.js project from a content model you define. Following the tutorial, the setup runs in five stages: prepare a database, install and start Core locally, complete the installer, define a model, and generate an app with the underpeaks-nxf command-line tool. The “in 5 minutes” in the title is the tutorial’s claim. It is not a timed test, and the tutorial does not say where the clock starts or stops. Expect a longer session if you need to set up a database account or a license key from scratch.
What you need before you start
The tutorial assumes a developer workstation and a few accounts. Gather these before you clone anything:
- Node.js and npm, which the tutorial uses to install dependencies and start the local server. It does not state minimum versions.
- Git, to clone the repository.
- A reachable database. The tutorial names Supabase, PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, and Firebase as options. It does not publish a full compatibility matrix, so confirm your database is supported before you build a plan around it.
- A free account license key, which you generate through the UnderPeaks account the tutorial describes. The tutorial calls it free. It does not describe the license terms, and this article did not verify them.
- Network access for the CLI, because the
underpeaks-nxftool requires a login before it can generate a project.
No special hardware or paid software is required by the tutorial. The workflow is software and service setup on your own machine or server.
The Tool Desk
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- Clone the repository. Run
git clone https://github.com/underpeaks/underpeaks-core.git, then change into the new folder. - Install dependencies. Run
npm installfrom the repository root. - Start Core. Run
npm run dev, then openhttp://localhost:3000in a browser. The page should show the installer rather than a finished admin console. - Choose and connect your database. In the installer, select a database type, enter the connection details, and use the connectivity test before going further. Passing the test is the point where the installer can move on to creating tables.
- Create tables and, optionally, seed demo content. Seeding adds sample data so the admin console has something to show. Skip it if you want an empty project.
- Create the admin account and enter the license key. Use the account you will sign in with from now on.
- Define a shared model in the console. Create a model, then attach it to a page. The tutorial presents this as the single definition that both generators will read.
- Install the CLI and log in. Install
underpeaks-nxffollowing the tutorial’s instructions, then runnxf loginand complete the authentication step. - Generate a project. Run
nxf generate flutterfor a Flutter app ornxf generate nextjsfor a Next.js app.
What the generator produces
According to the tutorial, the generated project includes the models you defined, an API client for talking to Core, and authentication flows. The tutorial also says one model can drive both the Flutter and Next.js outputs. This article did not run the generators, so it cannot confirm the contents of the output, whether the two outputs match feature-for-feature, or whether the generated code builds and runs without edits.
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Flutter output
Generate with nxf generate flutter. Treat the output as a starting project. Before you rely on it, confirm the API client points to your running Core instance and that the authentication flow works against your admin account.
Next.js output
Generate with nxf generate nextjs. The same checks apply: confirm the API endpoint and authentication settings match your Core deployment before building on the output.
Troubleshooting database connections
The tutorial’s main troubleshooting advice concerns the database connection. Work through these checks in order:
- Re-check the credentials. A wrong host, port, database name, username, or password causes the connectivity test to fail.
- Confirm the database is reachable from the machine running Core. A database on your own laptop and a database in the cloud fail in different ways, so test reachability from the same environment that runs
npm run dev. - Allow your IP address on cloud databases. The tutorial notes that cloud providers may restrict connections to approved IP addresses. Add the machine’s address to the provider’s allow list, then run the connectivity test again.
- Restart Core after changing settings. Stop the dev server, run
npm run devagain, and reloadhttp://localhost:3000.
Is the five-minute claim realistic?
For a developer who already has Node.js, Git, a database they can connect to, and a license key, the stages are short. The time goes into the parts the title leaves out: creating accounts, sorting out database access, and the first CLI login. Because this article did not time the steps, read “five minutes” as an aspirational headline rather than a measured result. Plan for a longer first session, and treat the first generated project as something to verify rather than something to ship.
Alternatives to compare
Two self-hosted options come up often in this space. They solve adjacent problems, so compare them on the axes that matter for your project.
| Option | Self-hosted | Content storage and database | API access | Flutter or Next.js support | Generates application code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Underpeaks Core with underpeaks-nxf | Yes, run locally with npm run dev |
Database you connect during installation; options named include Supabase, PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, and Firebase | Generated API client, per the tutorial | Flutter and Next.js generators, per the tutorial | Yes, per the tutorial; output not independently tested |
| Cockpit | Yes, Docker installation described in its repository README | Not stated in the README reviewed | REST and GraphQL APIs | Flutter named as a possible front-end; Next.js not stated | Not stated; the README describes content models and APIs, not project generation |
| Outstatic | Yes | Git-backed Markdown and MDX files; database needs not stated | Not stated | Next.js integration; no Flutter generator described | No; it edits Markdown and MDX content in a Next.js site |
Choose Underpeaks Core if your priority is generating starter projects for both Flutter and Next.js from one model. Choose Cockpit if you want a self-hosted CMS with REST and GraphQL APIs that your own front end calls, and where you will write the application code yourself. Choose Outstatic if your content lives naturally in Markdown files inside a Next.js site and you do not need a database-backed CMS.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Verdict
Underpeaks Core is worth a trial if you want a self-hosted CMS that writes starter Flutter or Next.js code from a shared model. The documented route is clear: clone, install, run, complete the installer, define a model, log in with the CLI, and generate. Before you commit, check the license terms, confirm your database is supported, and inspect the generated output yourself, since the tutorial’s claims about the generated project and the five-minute setup are its own and were not independently verified.
Documentation beyond the tutorial was not found in the material reviewed for this article, so the license terms, the full database list, security posture, and the generator’s behavior across versions remain open questions. Ask the vendor for current documentation before you use Underpeaks Core for anything beyond evaluation.
Best Value
Compare the three options above against your own deployment needs before choosing, and do not treat a headless CMS with an API as a code generator unless its documentation says it generates code.
Quick Recap
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