Simplify Drupal → Contentful Demo

SD-CONTENTFUL - A technology demonstration exploring migration paths from traditional Drupal architecture to modern headless CMS (Contentful + Next.js). This project demonstrates Python-based content transformation, API design considerations, and CMS evolution patterns.

Part of broader research into CMS migration tooling and AI-assisted platform transitions.

Project Status

✅ MVP Complete - Demo is functionally complete and deployed! All 31 tips are accessible with images, styling, and full functionality.

Live Demos:

• Vercel: https://sd-contentful.vercel.app/
• Pantheon: https://dev-sd-contentful.pantheonsite.io/

Original Sites:

• Original Drupal site: https://simplifydrupal.com/ (monolithic Drupal version)
• React version: https://simplifydrupal.com/react-app/ (Drupal backend + React frontend)

This project uses Spec Kitty for spec-driven development.

Overview

This project explores the technical challenges and architectural decisions involved in migrating from traditional monolithic CMS (Drupal) to modern headless architectures. Key focus areas:

Migration Strategy:

• Python-based content transformation and data mapping
• CSV-based intermediate format for content portability
• Automated import scripts for bulk content migration
• Preservation of content relationships and metadata

Technical Approach:

• Adapter pattern to decouple UI from CMS backend
• API-first design enabling future backend flexibility
• TypeScript strict mode for type safety across migration boundaries
• Server-side rendering (SSR) for performance and SEO

Real-World Constraints:

• Managing content transformation across different data models
• Maintaining SEO and URL structure during migration
• Balancing modern architecture with practical migration paths
• Multi-platform deployment (Vercel, Pantheon) for hosting flexibility

Architecture

• Frontend: Next.js (App Router) with Server-Side Rendering (SSR)
• CMS: Contentful
• Language: TypeScript (strict mode)
• Pattern: Adapter layer abstracts CMS access

Project Structure

• .worktrees/ - Feature worktrees (Spec Kitty workflow)
• docs/ - Documentation, guides, and planning documents
• scripts/ - Utility scripts for data migration and content import
• scripts/data/ - CSV data files for content import
• .kittify/ - Spec Kitty configuration and constitution

Development

Setup

1. Install dependencies:

   npm install

2. Configure environment variables:

   • Copy .env.local.example to .env.local
   • Add your Contentful Space ID and Access Token

3. Run development server:

   npm run dev

   Visit http://localhost:3000 to see the app locally.

Deployment

The app is deployed to two platforms:

Vercel Deployment

• Live: https://sd-contentful.vercel.app/
• Automatically deploys on push to main branch
• See .worktrees/004-description-deploy-next/kitty-specs/004-description-deploy-next/quickstart.md for details

Pantheon Deployment

• Live: https://dev-sd-contentful.pantheonsite.io/
• Deployed to Pantheon's Next.js hosting platform
• See docs/PANTHEON_DEPLOYMENT.md for full setup guide
• Includes health check endpoint at /api/health

Custom Domain (optional):

• Both platforms support custom domains
• Current domains are clean and readable

Planning Documents

See the planning documents in docs/001-contentful-migration/ or .worktrees/001-contentful-migration/kitty-specs/001-contentful-migration/ for:

• Feature specification
• Implementation plan
• Technical research
• Data model
• Quickstart guide
• Work packages

License

MIT License - See LICENSE file for details