Strapi CMS: Open Source Headless Commerce

Introducing Strapi CMS 🖥️

Strapi CMS, the leading open-source headless solution provides developers with the freedom to implement their favourite tools and frameworks, whilst enabling editors to manage and distribute their content with ease.

As you’d expect, the Strapi CMS favours flexibility of use, equating to a 100% JavaScript and fully customisable content management system that places the developer and its user-base first.

So, before we dive head-first into the role that Strapi's solution plays in the running of online stores, let’s take a look at the system's core functionalities and features below:

Build Quickly

The Strapi CMS works to build apps fast, making the task of producing; self-hosted, customisable and performant content API easier than ever before.

Open Source

The entire codebase utilised is maintained by hundreds of contributors via GitHub.

Start Customising

Users of the Strapi CMS can easily customise admin panels and APIs, enabling the extension of content management with custom plugins to be completed within seconds.

How Does It Work?

Still with us? Of course, you are and we bet you’re wondering how Strapi operates.

So, for those of you who want all of the information, we’ve compiled a few sections below to walk you through the solution’s process:

N0.1: Content Structures That Flex

No matter which data structure is the best for the business at hand, users of Strapi CMS can easily define models and create content structures that flex to their needs, whilst incorporating relations that create rich layout experiences.

N0.2: Write, Edit & Manage Content

Once the content architecture has been created, users can start to tell engaging stories, allowing cross-functional teams to deliver content seamlessly - no matter the; industries, cases, locations, devices, and/ or channels involved.

N0.3: Build Apps & Create Digital Experiences

One of the most credible attributes of Strapi CMS is its ability to grant users the opportunity to focus their talents on what matters most.

So, forget about the distraction of CMS. This handy tool integrates with individual best-in-class services by third-party vendors to connect the framework of the user’s choosing.

N0.4: RESTful API & GraphQL

Users of the Strapi CMS solution will also be able to access a standard RESTful API or GraphQL to query content.

N0.5: Traditional Servers & Cloud Platforms

Will it be self-hosted servers or cloud-based platforms? That is the true question here.

The Strapi CMS can be deployed on traditional hosting servers and services such as; 21YunBox, Render, Heroku, AWS, Azure (among others) or via a local Docker.

Introducing Shopify: The All In One Ecommerce Platform 🤝

If you’ve visited the likes of our journal before, you will know that the team here at Karmoon lives and breathes Shopify.

However, if this is your first time visiting us, the chances are that you’re either looking to up your ecommerce game or are wondering where you should start.

So, before we continue, it’s only right that we introduce you to Shopify as we have the Strapi CMS. To put it briefly, Shopify is the all-in-one commerce platform that retailers turn to when it comes to; starting, running and growing an online store.

Powering millions of businesses worldwide, the team at Shopify make the task of achieving independence simpler for merchants, enabling both small and established businesses to get their business up, running and evolving.

At Shopify, it is believed the future of commerce has more voices, which is why the platform works tirelessly to reduce the barriers of business ownership to make commerce more accessible for everyone.

So, now that we’ve all been introduced, it’s time to discuss how Strapi’s headless ecommerce API provides merchants with the freedom and flexibility to sell their products and services online:

Strapi’s Headless Ecommerce API

The headless ecommerce API for Strapi CMS acts as a window of opportunity, empowering online stores to sell their products across the web.

It's important to understand that the solution offers a variety of outlets for users, such as:

• Static Websites: A new way of building ultra-fast sites and applications.
• Mobile Applications: The headless CMS for blazing-fast mobile apps.
• Branded Websites: The CMS to; create, manage and expose a business.
• Editorial Sites: All content is centralised in one place.

Naturally, the Strapi CMS ecommerce solution is compiled of several key attributes, which have been curated to enable merchants to manage their content with ease.

So, we’re going to outline the key features below to answer any questions surrounding the solution's functionality in the running of an ecommerce store:

Increase Conversions with Immersive Storytelling 📈

With the guiding hand of the Strapi CMS, merchants can optimise the inventory of their Shopify store, whilst allowing consumers to surf and browse from any device.

Customised Ecommerce Functionality

From; the helpdesk to search and payment processes, Strapi seamlessly integrates with preferred platforms and services so that merchants can create the ultimate customer experience for their business, whilst leveraging preferable microservices.

Boost Online Sales with Strapi CMS 🚀

With Strapi, ecommerce stores on Shopify can manage all of their product inventory and brand content from a single source of truth.

As a result, the best shopping experience is provided to all browsers, regardless of the device which has been used to access the online store.

Speaking the Customer's Language

Furthermore, the headless ecommerce API for Strapi CMS works to create multiple versions of an online store so that it can function smoothly across different countries.

Wondering how this works? Here's how:

The goal here is to create multilingual versions of a website and/ or app. So, the solution begins the internalisation process by localising the content of the online store at hand.

In other words, this means translating the text and adapting the messaging and/ or structure of a page to each regional version of the store at hand.

Then, the retailer will simply select the pages that should be displayed on each version of the website and voilà, the job is done.

Preferred Platforms & Services 👌

So, now it’s time to connect your preferred; platforms, services, databases, front-end frameworks and static site generators to the Strapi CMS headless ecommerce API.

Oh and give some thought to who will host your website won't you?

See, it’s important to note that Strapi easily integrates with the best-in-class services such as; Gatsby, Vue.js, Nuxt.js, React, Angular, Svelte, Sapper and Hugo to deliver the best customer experiences on the web.

So, whether Shopify or another host is your port of call, Strapi will create an experience that is bespoke to you and your brand's preferences.

A Scalable & Social Ecommerce Platform

Still, want more? Read and discover how Mug & Snug utilised the Strapi CMS to develop a scalable social ecommerce platform.

The Free Enterprise Edition Trial 🙌

Wondering how you can access what you’ll need to build and scale a powerfully optimised tailor-made experience for your store's customers?

The Strapi CMS Enterprise Edition is the answer to content management that scales, including; advanced Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), Single Sign On (SSO) and Enterprise Support.

Get started with Strapi’s free enterprise edition trial by clicking the link provided.

Additionally, if you’re looking to integrate Shopify into your Strapi website, click the link provided for more information.

So, that’s it for today’s article. What are your thoughts on utilising Strapi’s headless ecommerce API with Shopify? Reach out and let us know.

If you’re actively looking to work with a Shopify agency designer or developer to assist you with your business, we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch to get started!