Strapi Development

What is Strapi?

Strapi is an open-source headless CMS built on Node.js. It auto-generates a full REST and GraphQL API from your content types with zero manual API writing. You define your data model in a visual content type builder or in code, and Strapi generates the endpoints, handles authentication, manages media uploads, and exposes a clean admin panel -- all self-hosted on your infrastructure.

The defining feature is data ownership. Strapi runs on your server. Your content lives in your database. There is no vendor lock-in, no per-seat SaaS pricing that scales against you, and no data leaving your infrastructure unless you want it to.

The content type builder

Strapi's content type builder is where you define your data model. You create collections (repeatable entries like blog posts, products, or events) and single types (one-off content like a homepage or settings page). Each type gets fields: Text, RichText, Number, Boolean, Media, Relation, Component, and Dynamic Zone.

From that schema, Strapi auto-generates:

• REST endpoints: GET, POST, PUT, DELETE for every collection type
• GraphQL schema: Queries, mutations, and subscriptions via the GraphQL plugin
• Admin panel: A content editor for every collection, with configurable views
• Permissions: Role-based access control per content type and per HTTP method

No manual route writing. No controller boilerplate. The API surface matches your content model.

What we build with Strapi

Headless CMS backends for existing frontends

If you have a Next.js, Astro, Nuxt, or React site that currently has no CMS -- or is pulling from a CMS you want to replace -- we build a Strapi backend that fits. Content types are modelled from your existing data structure. Existing content is migrated. The frontend connects to the new Strapi REST API.

What we deliver: Strapi deployment (VPS, Railway, or AWS), content type schema, data migration, API documentation, and frontend integration.

Strapi with Next.js or Astro

Strapi is particularly strong as the data layer for static or hybrid frontends. Next.js fetches Strapi data at build time for ISR or SSG. Astro pulls it at build time for fully static output. The combination gives you a content editor for non-technical teams and a modern, performant frontend.

What we deliver: Full stack -- Strapi backend + Next.js or Astro frontend -- deployed and connected end to end.

Multi-tenant content platforms

Strapi supports multiple content types, roles, and permissions. For platforms where different clients or teams manage separate content, Strapi's RBAC (role-based access control) handles per-collection, per-role permissions. We have built editorial platforms where editorial teams manage different verticals with no cross-visibility.

E-commerce product catalogues

Strapi is not a full e-commerce platform, but it is an excellent product catalogue backend. Product data in Strapi, connected to a Stripe or Shopify checkout. The headless model gives you full control over the product listing UI without being locked into a storefront template.

Self-hosting and infrastructure

Strapi is self-hosted. That means you choose where it runs:

• VPS (DigitalOcean, Hetzner, Linode): Most cost-effective. Strapi runs as a Node.js process with a process manager like PM2. PostgreSQL or MySQL as the database.
• Railway or Render: Managed container hosting. Simpler than VPS with less ops overhead. Good for early-stage projects.
• AWS/GCP/Azure: Enterprise deployments with ECS, RDS, and CloudFront. We configure CI/CD pipelines, staging environments, and database backups.
• Strapi Cloud: Strapi's own managed hosting. Simpler for teams that do not want to manage infrastructure.

We deploy Strapi on the infrastructure that matches your scale, budget, and ops capability.

Plugin ecosystem

Strapi's plugin system extends the platform without forking the core:

• i18n plugin: Built-in internationalisation. Multiple locales per content type, with locale-specific content versions.
• Users & Permissions: JWT-based auth, roles, and per-endpoint access control.
• Media Library: File upload management with provider support for AWS S3, Cloudinary, and local storage.
• Email plugin: Transactional email with provider-based configuration.
• Documentation plugin: Auto-generates OpenAPI documentation from your content types.
• Sentry integration: Error tracking in production.

We also write custom Strapi plugins when the ecosystem does not cover a specific requirement -- webhooks, custom middleware, or integrations with external services.

Strapi v4 vs v5

Strapi v5 (released 2024) introduced a new Document Service API, flat REST response structure (breaking change from v4's nested data format), improved TypeScript support, and content history. We build on Strapi v5 for new projects and handle v4-to-v5 migrations when needed.

Strapi vs alternatives

Strapi vs Contentful: Contentful is a SaaS headless CMS with a polished editorial experience. Strapi is self-hosted with full data ownership. Contentful charges per locale and per user. Strapi scales without per-seat fees. If data ownership and cost at scale matter, Strapi wins.

Strapi vs WordPress headless: WordPress REST API is functional but built around a monolith. Strapi is API-first from the ground up. Strapi's content type builder is more flexible for non-blog data models. WordPress wins on familiarity and plugin breadth.

Strapi vs Directus: Both are open-source, self-hosted headless CMSes. Directus connects to an existing database and generates the API. Strapi manages its own schema. Strapi has a larger plugin ecosystem and community; Directus has better database-first flexibility.

We have production experience with all of the above and will recommend the right tool for your project.