Integrate Gatsby with Strapi to create a powerful and flexible web project that is both high-performing and easy to manage
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These integration guides are not official documentation and the Strapi Support Team will not provide assistance with them.
What Is Gatsby?
Gatsby creates fast websites by combining React with GraphQL to pull data from various sources like Strapi. It pre-renders pages during build time, delivering static HTML files that load quickly while maintaining security through Jamstack principles.
Gatsby's plugin ecosystem extends functionality while preserving performance. It automatically handles technical optimizations like code splitting, image optimization, and resource prefetching to improve Core Web Vitals.
The Strapi-Gatsby combination delivers exceptional value for developers seeking performance and flexibility. Integrating Gatsby with Strapi continues to gain popularity for good reason.
Optimized performance: Strapi powers Gatsby’s static site generation with dynamic content, delivering lightning-fast load times.
Flexible content modeling: Build exactly the data structures your site needs using Strapi’s customizable content types.
Seamless GraphQL integration: Strapi’s GraphQL API fits naturally into Gatsby’s data layer for clean, efficient querying.
Secure by design: With no runtime backend connection, your site surface area for attacks is drastically reduced.
Real-time content updates: Use Strapi webhooks to trigger Gatsby rebuilds automatically when content changes.
Scalable architecture: Serve static files globally through CDNs to handle massive spikes in traffic with zero backend strain.
Cost-effective hosting: Static sites are cheaper to host, especially for media-rich, high-traffic projects.
Powerful plugin ecosystem: Extend Strapi’s functionality with plugins, including tools tailored for Gatsby workflows.
Modern authoring experience: Strapi’s admin panel is intuitive for editors while giving developers full control.
Future-ready with Strapi Cloud & Strapi v5: Skip DevOps setup and leverage the latest performance, security, and Gatsby-friendly upgrades.
This isn't just theoretical.
ESC Nasa built a lightning-fast platform for showcasing projects with this combo.
How to Integrate Gatsby With Strapi
Combining Strapi with Gatsby gives you speed and flexibility without the headaches. Here's how to integrate these powerful tools.
Prerequisites and Setup
Before diving in, you'll need:
Node.js (LTS version recommended)
npm or yarn
Git
Setting Up a Strapi Project
Create a new Strapi project:
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npx create-strapi-app my-strapi-project
Navigate to your project directory and start the Strapi server:
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cd my-strapi-project
npm run develop
Access the Strapi admin panel at http://localhost:1337/admin and create your content types and sample content.
Deploy the contents of the public directory to your hosting platform (Netlify, Vercel, GitHub Pages, etc.).
Remember to set up environment variables on your hosting platform to match those in your .env.development file.
This setup gives you the best of both worlds—flexible content management through Strapi with Gatsby's static site generation for blazing speed and SEO benefits.
Want your site to update automatically when content changes? Set up webhooks to trigger Gatsby builds when Strapi content updates. Find details on setting up webhooks in the Strapi documentation.
Project Example: Build a Portfolio Website with Gatsby and Strapi
Let's look at something real—a portfolio website built with Gatsby and Strapi by coding educator John Smilga. It's the perfect jumping-off point if you're building your own developer or freelancer portfolio.
Project Overview
This portfolio project shows how integrating Gatsby with Strapi creates a dynamic, high-performance website that's also dead simple to manage. It's like having your cake and eating it too.
What makes it special:
Responsive Design: Makes your work shine on any device.
Easy Content Management: Update content without needing a CS degree.
Lightning-Fast Pages: Pages load before visitors finish blinking.
Customizable Options: Personalize without pulling your hair out.
Technical Implementation
Under the hood, this project runs on Gatsby v3 and Strapi with some clever implementation choices:
Content Modeling in Strapi: Custom content types for portfolio items, skills, and blog posts let you update content without bugging a developer.
Gatsby Data Fetching: The GraphQL data layer pulls exactly what's needed—no bloat, no waste.
Dynamic Page Generation: Each portfolio item and blog post gets its own page, created automatically from your Strapi content.
Image Optimization: Images load fast and look great on every device—from phones to giant monitors.
Benefits and Outcomes
What makes this combo so powerful?
Ease of Use: Non-tech team members can update content without breaking things.
Performance: Visitors don't bounce because they're waiting for slow pages.
SEO Optimization: Search engines love fast, well-structured sites like this.
Scalability: Add hundreds of portfolio items without slowing down your site.
Developer Quote
"Integrating Gatsby with Strapi allows developers to quickly build very fast static websites and apps. Both use JavaScript and integrate smoothly. This combination empowers developers to create high-performance sites while giving content creators an easy-to-use interface for updates."
Getting Started
Want to build something similar?
Clone the repository (when available) or start with a basic Gatsby project.
Set up a Strapi instance for your content management.
Configure the Gatsby source plugin for Strapi.
Customize the design and content to fit your personal brand.
This approach lets you focus on what matters—showcasing your work, not fighting with your website.
If you have any questions about Strapi 5 or just would like to stop by and say hi, you can join us at Strapi's Discord Open Office Hours Monday through Friday at 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm CST: Strapi Discord Open Office Hours
How does integrating Gatsby with Strapi benefit my website?
Integrating Gatsby with Strapi provides a combination of speed, flexibility, and SEO optimization. With Gatsby's static site generation and Strapi's flexible content management, you can create content-driven websites that load quickly, are easy to manage, and perform well in search engines.
What are the system requirements for integrating Gatsby with Strapi?
To integrate Gatsby with Strapi, you will need Node.js (LTS version), npm or Yarn, Git, and basic knowledge of JavaScript and APIs. You'll also need a running instance of Strapi and a suitable hosting solution for both Strapi and Gatsby.
How do I fetch data from Strapi using Gatsby?
You can fetch data from Strapi in Gatsby using the `gatsby-source-strapi` plugin. This plugin allows you to connect your Strapi backend to your Gatsby frontend. You can choose between GraphQL or REST APIs, depending on your preference for data fetching.
How do I optimize images from Strapi in Gatsby?
You can optimize images in Gatsby using `gatsby-plugin-image` and `gatsby-plugin-sharp`. These plugins allow you to load images dynamically and apply optimizations such as resizing and format conversion, ensuring fast image delivery and improving Core Web Vitals.
How do I deploy my Gatsby and Strapi project to production?
For deployment, you can deploy Strapi to a cloud service or use a VPS, and host your Gatsby frontend on platforms like Netlify, Vercel, or GitHub Pages. Make sure to configure environment variables for both the frontend and backend, set up webhooks for content updates, and use a CDN for static files to optimize performance.
How can I manage dynamic content in Gatsby with Strapi?
You can manage dynamic content in Gatsby by using Strapi's REST or GraphQL APIs to fetch data at build time. For real-time content updates, set up webhooks in Strapi to trigger a rebuild of your Gatsby site when content changes.
Can I use GraphQL or REST APIs to connect Strapi to Gatsby?
Yes, you can use either GraphQL or REST APIs to connect Strapi to Gatsby. Strapi automatically generates REST APIs for your content types, and if you enable the GraphQL plugin, you can use GraphQL for more precise data queries and fetching.
How do I handle multilingual content with Strapi and Gatsby?
Strapi provides an internationalization (i18n) plugin that you can use to manage multilingual content. You can then fetch the localized content in Gatsby based on the language preferences of your users, allowing you to deliver a personalized experience.
What are the best practices for building a Gatsby and Strapi project?
Best practices for building a Gatsby and Strapi project include using GraphQL for efficient data fetching, optimizing media assets, implementing content caching, setting up Strapi webhooks for real-time updates, and ensuring secure authentication for protected endpoints.
Where can I get support if I encounter issues with Gatsby and Strapi integration?
You can get support by joining Strapi Open Office Hours, visiting the Strapi and Gatsby community forums, and checking out the official documentation for both platforms. Additionally, GitHub repositories and Strapi’s Discord channel provide opportunities for troubleshooting and asking for help.