How to Migrate from Contentful to a Custom CMS
One of the largest issues you face when launching an online project is content management. Since Contentful is easy to implement and works effectively immediately, it has numerous developers and businesses opting for it. Its user-friendly cloud-based platform and API enable it to easily incorporate content with your application or website.
However, as the project develops, things begin to shift.It becomes clear that customized workflows, improved data control, and unique features are needed. Here, many companies decide to migrate to a CMS specifically tailored for them.
I'll go over the reasons you might want to switch, the procedures, and some helpful tips to ensure a smooth transition in this blog.
Why Move Away from Contentful?
I’ve seen businesses face this exact situation many times. Here are the main reasons why they choose a custom CMS over Contentful.
1. Customized for Your Needs
Contentful works well when you need something quick and standard. But what if your project calls for something different, such as a convoluted procedure for approving content or a highly specialized method for connecting content? You can create precisely what you require with a custom CMS, eliminating the need for pointless workarounds.
2. Lower Long-Term Costs
Contentful’s pricing increases as your content grows. This can be a big problem when your site handles thousands of articles or products. A custom CMS doesn’t charge you per API call or storage use. After the initial development, your main cost is hosting and occasional maintenance, which is far more predictable.
3. Full Data Ownership
You don't have complete control over where or how your content is backed up when it's stored in Contentful's cloud. Strict data privacy regulations are necessary in some industries.
4. Improved Performance
Custom-built solutions are often faster for your specific use case.You can speed up content loading for your users by optimizing database queries and caching mechanisms because you know exactly what features you need.
Step 1: Take Stock of What You Have
Understanding your current Contentful setup is the first step.
Which kinds of content do you oversee? (For instance, products, writers, and articles.)
Which fields belong to each type of content? (For example, title, image, description, and publication date.)
What is your total number of items?
Do you keep videos and pictures in different files?
Are there links between content types (like an article linked to an author)?
I always advise making a basic spreadsheet. Put your fields, relationships, and content types in columns. This clarifies everything and provides you with a design blueprint for your unique CMS.
Step 2: Design Your Custom CMS Structure
Next, think about how your custom CMS should look. Unlike Contentful, you’re not limited by a platform - you can build exactly what makes sense for your business.
Decide on your database structure. For most projects, a relational database like Postgres works well because it handles structured relationships cleanly.
For example:
An articles table could include: id, title, body, author_id, published_at.
An authors table could include: id, name, bio, profile_picture_url.
A media table could store: id, file_url, type, and metadata.
Keep things simple at first. You can always extend later as your needs grow.
Step 3: Export Content from Contentful
Contentful allows you to export your content as JSON files. These files contain your data and some extra information like IDs and timestamps.
The media is the tricky part. Videos and images must be downloaded separately because they are not included in the export. Frequently, a straightforward script or manual download can accomplish this..
Organize your files in folders - one for content entries, one for images, and one for videos. It will help later when you import everything into your custom CMS.
Step 4: Import Data into Your Custom CMS
With a custom CMS, you don’t have a bulk import tool ready-made. But you don’t need complex solutions either.
I usually recommend starting small. Import a few entries first and see if they appear correctly in the admin panel. Upload media files and link them to the right content entries.
For example, once you’ve imported authors, you can link each article to its correct author by using the author_id. Similarly, media files like images should be linked by storing the URL in your database.
This process doesn’t have to be perfect from day one. It’s okay to start with a handful of items and fix issues as they appear.
Step 5: Test Everything Thoroughly
After the import, testing is key. Without proper checks, your content won’t display correctly, or worse, relationships will break.
Here’s what I always check:
Are all content entries visible in the admin panel?
Do articles display the correct author information?
Are images and videos loading properly?
Does the front-end correctly retrieve and present data from the new CMS?
To avoid future issues, I advise performing these checks manually initially before automating them later.
Step 6: Deploy the New CMS
It's time to deploy once development and testing are complete.The majority of people select cloud hosting services like Heroku, AWS, or DigitalOcean. Because of its dependability and performance, Postgres is a good option for the database.
The last step after deployment is to update your front-end to use your unique CMS API rather than Contentful's.
Step 7: Maintain and Improve Over Time
One of the key advantages of a custom CMS is its capacity for ongoing improvement. As needed, add new features, improve performance, or modify workflows. Additionally, don't forget to regularly create backups. Having a solid backup plan in place is essential to preventing data loss now that you have total control.
Conclusion
Migrating from Contentful to a custom CMS is not just about shifting data. It’s about building something that works exactly how your project needs it.
The process includes:
Understanding your existing content structure.
Designing a database and CMS that fits your business.
Exporting content and media carefully.
Importing data step by step.
Testing everything.
Deploying the system.
sustaining and getting better with time.
If you want better cost control, flexibility, and total control over your data, you might want to consider a custom CMS.
Plan carefully, take your time, and move forward with the migration one step at a time. In the end, you will have a system that grows with your business and is perfect for your needs.