Portfolio without Backend knowledge - React, Vite, Strapi

Backend Development
1

Hi all, I would like to build a Portfolio for a friend using Vite, React and Strapi as headless-CMS, but I’m LOT confused.

Why Strapi?
Because I would like to give my friend the possibility to add contents by her own, and because I don’t want to use Wordpress. Initially I thought that an headless-CMS like Strapi could be a good solution since I don’t have Backend knowledge. Today I tried to make step further but actually I noticed that there are a lot of things that I cannot understand. So I’ve got a lot of doubts.

My Doubts

  • Do I need previous knowledge about Backend to work with Strapi or not?
  • Is it maybe better to have more time and go further with the freeCodeCamp curriculum, through Relational db and Backend certifications? Or in general it’ll be something that requires a lot of time?
  • If is it not a good idea using Strapi, do you think is better to deploy a Static website using React and Vite, or a web site builder like Wix etc? Because with Wix or Wordpress I feel like that I’m not using what I’ve learnt.

Please, I really need help and anwers. I’m continuing going around this thema without a good answer, direction, idea on what to do (or what not).

2
  1. No, not really.

They usually have good docs and you have tutorials as well.

  1. I doubt you need it just to work with a CMS, but it also can’t hurt.

Yes, it will take time, how much depends. A bit of backend knowledge is definitely not a bad idea. But the big headless CMS systems are all made with some ease of use in mind, but that doesn’t mean they can’t get technical.

  1. The user might not know the difference.

If they can easily add content and like the way the site looks I’m sure they don’t really care about the technology used (most users do not care one bit). But I too would want to avoid WordPress and Wix but then again maybe sometimes they are a good fit for the job.

I would suggest using Next.js and not just plain React.

https://www.google.com/search?q=next.js+strapi+portfolio

3

At the end I think the friend doesn’t need a professional Portfolio, BUT i want do it for learning purposes. So I would go on with my steps. Just yesterday I noticed that Strapi has a lot of tutorial with people which use Next.js and I began the tutorials. But then I was unsure because I thought: “Oh man, another tech to learn? Cool, but, why?”
Actually Next.js tells a lot about an easier production because it compiles, minifies, bundles and split automatically, so that the product is almost ready to be deployed. Otherwise, why?

4

Next.js is an actual framework, or meta-framework as they are also called. It gives you lots of things React does not. I would suggest you learn more about it if you are in doubt as to why you would use it. There are tons of learning materials for Next.

The CMS doesn’t dictate what framework to use, although some may have better integration with the most commonly used frameworks (React, Vue, Svelte, etc.). All the frameworks have meta-frameworks, like Next, Nuxt, Sveltekit, and so on.

1 Like