How to Set Up Strapi and Deploy on Heroku

Creating a Content Management System (CMS) using Strapi and deploying it on Heroku combines the flexibility of Strapi's headless CMS with the simplicity of Heroku's cloud platform. Strapi enables developers to design a customized CMS, defining content structures and APIs, while Heroku streamlines the deployment process, providing a scalable and managed environment for hosting the Strapi-based CMS. This synergy allows for efficient content management and delivery in a cloud-native and user-friendly ecosystem for your app development.

What is Strapi?

Strapi is an open-source, headless Content Management System (CMS) known for its flexibility and customization capabilities, allowing developers to design tailored admin panels, APIs, and database models. As a self-hosted solution built on modern technologies, Strapi is ideal for those seeking a customizable CMS for various projects, including web applications and mobile apps. Here are its key features:

Headless CMS

Unlike traditional CMS platforms like WordPress, Strapi is "headless". This means it doesn't dictate how content is presented but provides it as data over an API. This approach offers more flexibility in how the content is used, whether it's for websites, mobile apps, or other platforms.

API-Centric

Strapi is designed to build APIs quickly. It provides a powerful API to interact with your content.

Customizable

Strapi is highly customizable for different use cases. It allows developers to tailor the admin panel, APIs, and database models according to their needs.

Self-Hosted

Strapi is self-hosted, giving users complete control over their data and infrastructure.

Technology Stack

It's built using modern technologies such as Node.js, and React, and supports various databases like MongoDB, MySQL, SQLite, and PostgreSQL.

Use Case

It's ideal for developers looking to build project-specific CMS without the overhead of managing presentation layers, perfect for web applications, mobile apps, and more.

What is Heroku?

Heroku stands as a Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) cloud platform, empowering developers to construct, execute, and manage applications seamlessly within the cloud environment. Vital elements of Heroku comprise:

User-Friendliness

Heroku is renowned for its straightforwardness and user-friendly interface. It allows developers to deploy, manage, and scale applications with minimal configuration and hassle.

Support for Multiple Languages

Heroku supports several programming languages, including Ruby, Java, Node.js, Scala, Clojure, Python, PHP, and Go.

Add-ons

Offers a range of add-ons that provide various services like databases, monitoring, caching, and more, which can be easily integrated into applications.

Deployment

Simplifies the deployment process with Git-based deployments and Docker container support.

Dynos

Applications on Heroku run in lightweight, isolated environments called "dynos" that are abstracted from the underlying hardware.

Scalability

Provides easy scalability options, allowing applications to handle increased traffic by adjusting the number of active dynos.

Managed Infrastructure

Heroku manages hardware and servers, allowing developers to focus on their applications.

Use Case

Ideal for startups and businesses that want to deploy applications quickly without dealing with infrastructure management.

Also, Explore | Cross-platform Mobile App Development

Steps to Set Up Strapi and Deploy on Heroku

1. Local Setup with Strapi

Install Strapi:

Use Node Package Manager (npm) to install Strapi.
bash

npx create-strapi-app my-blog --quickstart

This command creates a new Strapi project in a folder named my-blog.

Configure Strapi:

After installation, Strapi's admin panel will open in your browser.
Set up an admin account to manage your blog.

Create Blog Content Types:

Use the Content-Type Builder in Strapi's admin panel to define the structure of your blog content, such as 'Articles', 'Categories', 'Authors', etc.

2. Preparing for Heroku Deployment

Database Configuration:

Strapi's default SQLite database isn't suitable for Heroku. Configure Strapi to use a PostgreSQL database, which is more suitable for production and supported by Heroku.

Environment Variables:

Set up environment variables for database connections (like DATABASE_URL) and other necessary settings. These variables will differ between your local environment and Heroku.

Install Heroku CLI:

Download and install the Heroku CLI tool, which allows you to manage your Heroku applications from the command line.

3. Deploying to Heroku

Create a Heroku App:

heroku create my-strapi-blog

Configure Database on Heroku:

Add a PostgreSQL database to your Heroku application. This can be done from the 'Resources' tab in your Heroku app dashboard.

Set Environment Variables in Heroku:

Transfer your local environment variables to Heroku. This can be done via the 'Settings' tab in your Heroku app dashboard or via the CLI:
bash

heroku config:set DATABASE_URL=your_database_url

Deploy Your Strapi App:

Deploy your Strapi application to Heroku. If your code is hosted on GitHub, you can connect your GitHub repository for continuous deployment. Alternatively, you can deploy using Git:
bash

git push heroku master

4. Post-Deployment Setup

Initialize Database:

After deployment, you may need to run database migrations or seed the database.

Access Strapi Admin Panel:

Visit https://my-strapi-blog.herokuapp.com/admin to access the Strapi admin panel on Heroku.

5. Maintaining and Updating

Regular Updates:

Keep Strapi and its dependencies updated. Regularly pull changes from your repository and redeploy to Heroku.

Monitoring:

Use Heroku's dashboard to monitor your app's performance and logs.

Scaling:

Scale your Heroku dynos as needed to handle increased traffic or background tasks.

Also, Read | Hybrid App Development | An Introductory Guide

Conclusion

In the realm of modern web development, the combination of Strapi's headless Content Management System (CMS) and Heroku's cloud platform as a service (PaaS) presents a powerful synergy. Strapi's flexibility, customization options, and API-centric approach make it an ideal choice for developers seeking to create tailored CMS solutions. On the other hand, Heroku's simplicity, language support, and managed infrastructure alleviate the complexities of deployment and scaling, providing a seamless environment for hosting applications. If you are looking to develop a custom CMS or web or mobile app, connect with our app developers to get started.