abyiber.com

Problem

I needed a headless CMS that would allow me to efficiently manage and showcase content while keeping the development process scalable and easy to maintain. The goal was to create a flexible content system that could:

• Allow for dynamic content updates without modifying code.

• Provide a consistent and visually appealing design.

• Support fast, automated deployments with a smooth CI/CD pipeline.

• Ensure high performance, accessibility, and SEO optimization.

• Be developer-friendly, while also making content creation easy for non-technical users.

Another challenge was balancing design flexibility with efficiency, ensuring that the website could adapt to future needs without unnecessary complexity. 

Solution

A headless CMS built with a static site generation framework, designed to efficiently manage and showcase content.

Planning

To ensure the system met the needs of developers, content creators, and end-users, I started by writing user stories from each perspective. This helped define the tech stack, visual design, and content workflow, allowing me to break the project into manageable tasks.

Since I was working solo, I didn’t use JIRA. Instead, I created a Kanban board in a spreadsheet that automatically prioritized daily tasks based on risk assessment, due dates, and sprint progress.

Design

For the UI/UX, I used Figma to design the homepage and project showcase page.

• Created a style guide and design tokens for consistency.

• Ensured a clean, modern, and scalable designfor future iterations.

Development

Setting Up the Environment

I built the system using: Next.js, React, TypeScript – Ensuring performance, maintainability, and flexibility. Tailwind CSS – For rapid UI development and responsive design. ESLint & Prettier – For clean and structured code. Node.js, Jest, Cypress – For backend processing and testing.

Content Management System (CMS)

I integrated Contentful to manage content dynamically:

• Stored text, images, and links for easy updates.

• Used Rich Text Editor over MDX to separate content from code.

• Optimized for non-technical users, making content updates seamless.

Once the CMS was set up, I began writing end-to-end tests with Cypress to validate the workflow and user experience.

New Tech Exploration – Tailwind CSS

Coming from Styled Components, Sass, Bootstrap, and vanilla CSS, I found Tailwind CSS incredibly time-efficient while still allowing flexibility. It streamlined component styling, reducing development time significantly.

Testing

Test-Driven Development (TDD) played a major role in ensuring code reliability and performance.

• Unit Tests: Used Jest for individual components.

• Integration Tests: Used React Testing Library to validate UI interactions.

• End-to-End Testing: Used Cypressto simulate user actions from content creation to display.

• Performance Testing: Used Lighthouse and Vercel Analytics to measure page load speed and accessibility.

A major challenge was achieving a perfect Lighthouse score:

• LCP Fix: Optimized images by testing different formats and resolutions.

• CLS Fix: Refactored the Navbar implementationto prevent layout shifts.

After these optimizations, the performance score hit 100%, unlocking the Lighthouse fireworks 🎇.

Deployment

Deployment was smooth with Vercel: GitHub Integration – Auto-deploys every push. Staging Environment – Runs Cypress E2E tests before production. Custom Domain & SSL – Ensures secure, professional hosting.

Continuous Integration & Development

The system is designed for fast, efficient content and feature updates:

• Next.js, Contentful, and Vercel provide an automated CI/CD pipeline.

• Vercel Analytics helps monitor user engagement and performance.

• Future Roadmapincludes adding new layouts, interactive content, and more automation.

With a structured CMS, high-performance front-end, and seamless deployment, this portfolio is built to scale, adapt, and evolve effortlessly. 🚀