Let’s be honest — most off-the-shelf content management systems are like overstuffed burritos.
You ask for something light and simple, but end up with a bloated, rigid setup stuffed with features you’ll never use.
I’ve been there — wrangling WordPress into doing something it clearly wasn’t built for, drowning in plugins, and still not hitting the mark.
Then I discovered a combo that changed the game: Strapi for the backend and React for the frontend.
Not love at first sight, but more like a curious swipe right. The more I explored, the more I realized this pairing gave me the freedom to build exactly what I needed — no fluff, no handcuffs.
If you’re tired of stuffing your content into someone else’s mold, let me walk you through how I built a custom CMS from scratch with Strapi and React — real talk, no boilerplate, and all experience.
Environment Setup (The Calm Before the Build)
Before diving into code, I like to organize my environment — think of it as clearing your desk before a big project.
Here’s what I got in place before the real build began:
- Node.js Installed
Acts as the electricity powering both Strapi and React. - Backend Folder (Strapi)
Your content command center — this is where you define types, entries, and manage your data structures. - Frontend Folder (React)
This is your showroom. It’s where you design how your content is presented to the world. - A Quick Visual Plan
Just a rough sketch: I needed blog posts, categories, and maybe a spotlight section. That early vision helped guide my content models.
Once everything was installed and folders neatly organized, it was time to bring this digital machine to life.
Main Content (Where the Magic Happens)
The beauty of Strapi + React lies in the control it gives you.
With Strapi, you’re not stuck with someone else’s idea of how content should work. It’s a LEGO kit for backend content structures.
You want to manage articles, authors, images, FAQs? You can build exactly that — no bloat, no guesswork.
And then React steps in:
You fetch that content via API and display it exactly how you want. Responsive cards, dynamic filtering, interactive sections — all fully under your control.
One moment that stood out to me?
A non-tech teammate jumped into the Strapi admin panel and wrote a blog post — without me touching a single new line of code. That’s when I knew this wasn’t just powerful — it was sustainable.
Best Practices (What I Wish I Knew Sooner)
Here are a few hard-earned tips that will save you hours:
- Future-Proof Your Content Types
Today it’s a blog post. Tomorrow it’s a podcast or video hub. Build modularly and stay flexible. - Lock Down Permissions
Avoid giving public roles too much access in Strapi. It’s easier to loosen permissions later than to fix a breach. - Use Reusable Blocks
In React and Strapi. Repetition is a killer. Build once, reuse often. - Design for the Editor, Not Just the User
Clean admin UIs, smart defaults, and clear labels make your future self (or team) happy. - Backups and Versioning
It’s not optional. Set it, automate it, forget it — but do it.
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Conclusion (A CMS That Works For You)
Building a CMS shouldn’t feel like solving a Rubik’s Cube blindfolded.
It should feel like sculpting — shaping tools around your vision. Strapi and React offer a level of creative and technical freedom that traditional CMS platforms just can’t match.
No more clunky dashboards. No more rigid templates. Just you, building something that’s yours.
If you’re ready for a CMS that grows with you — and not against you — give the Strapi + React stack a try.
And the next time someone asks how you built such a clean, custom solution?
Just wink and say, “It’s custom.”
