In the ever-changing digital landscape, Strapi has emerged as a powerful and versatile tool that has redefined the way developers create, manage, and deliver digital content. With its open-source nature and a rich history of development, Strapi has consistently pushed the boundaries of what's possible in the world of content management systems (CMS).
Through this blog, we'll take a deep dive into the version history of Strapi and explore its remarkable features that have made it a preferred choice for developers worldwide.
The beginning of Strapi
Strapi's journey began with its first release, Strapi 1.0, which was a significant milestone for content management systems. Released in March 2015, Strapi 1.0 offered developers a robust and extensible platform for building APIs and managing content. It was built on top of Node.js and leveraged the power of JavaScript to provide a flexible and scalable CMS solution.
Major features were:
- Seamless and reliable deployment
- Overhaul of Admin UI build process
- Improved stability
- New core API
- Easier Monorepo setup and installation
Strapi beta included 1.8 and 1.9 versions.
Strapi 2.X
Strapi 2.x brought several improvements and new features to the table, making it an even more attractive choice for developers. Major features were:
- Manage a variety of media assets
- Edit size, name, alt text, etc.
- Sort the assets and filter
- Preview images and videos
- Connect your media library to the service provider
Strapi 3.X
This one included Strapi 3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.8.
It marked a significant shift in the way developers approached content management. With the growing trend of "headless" CMS solutions, Strapi embraced this concept and became a leading player in the headless CMS arena.
The major features overall included:
- Native support for .env files
- Better database lifecycles
- Easily migrate settings across environments
- Custom roles and permissions feature
- New draft and publish feature
- Relational fields display
- Single-sign-on authentication
- Internationalization for localization
Strapi 4.X
This new major version of Strapi includes:
- New UI with improved navigation
- Plugin API
- Database query engine
- Updated REST and GraphQL API
- API token allowing to manage permissions
- Error handling
The Strapi 4.2 included features such as:
- Logo customization
- Removed limit on deep populate on components
- Fix generation of OpenAPI documentation with top level type attribute
Strapi 4.3 included:
- Typscript support
- Media library folders
Strapi 4.4v included:
- Upgraded API token
- Custom fields
- Integration with other tools
- Personalization
- Improved developer experience
The version 4.5 included enhanced UX features and capabilities while the 4.6 version ensured data export and import, and component rendering capability was enhanced. Version 4.10 had improved custom fields size customizations, documentation plugin override, and reviewed workflows MVP.
4.11 has automated Schema Type Generation, Review Workflows, Bulk Publish, and React18 while 4.12 has new Strapi Cloud Custom Plan, Improved Review Workflows and Bulk Publish. 4.13 includes assignees for Review Workflows, Additional TypeScript Support & Cloud Regions + Shared Projects.
Conclusion
Strapi's version history is a testament to its commitment to innovation and adaptability in the ever-changing world of web development and content management.
As Strapi CMS continues to evolve with newer versions like Strapi 4.x and beyond, it will likely remain at the forefront of the CMS landscape, empowering developers to build dynamic and scalable digital experiences while providing content creators with intuitive tools for managing and delivering content effectively.
From its humble beginnings in Strapi 1.x to its evolution into a headless CMS powerhouse in Strapi 3.x, Strapi has consistently delivered valuable features and improvements to meet the needs of developers and content creators.
Strapi will play a crucial role in shaping the future of content management. Organizations should keep in check the Strapi versions that are being launched and embrace its full potential and capabilities to stay ahead.