How to Migrating Content Between Environments Using Import Export Entries Plugin

Perhaps you just built a client app with Strapi, and you are required to migrate data from one environment to another. This plugin is one of the most effective ways to achieve this and I will walk you through how to migrate content between environments using Import Export Entries plugin.

What is Import Export Entries Plugin

The Import-Export Entries plugin in Strapi makes it easy to migrate content between environments. This plugin provides a user interface for importing and exporting ranges from one environment to another. The plugin also allows for the creation of export profiles, which makes it easy to save and reuse export configurations.

The Import-Export Entries plugin in Strapi allows users to easily migrate content between environments, such as from a local development environment to a staging or production environment. This can be useful for transferring content created during development, or for migrating existing content from one environment to another. In this article, You will learn the steps involved in using the Import-Export Entries plugin to migrate content between environments.

Prerequisites

Before beginning the process of migrating content between environments using the Import-Export Entries plugin, there are a few prerequisites that need to be met:

• The Import-Export Entries plugin must be installed on both the source and destination environments.
• Both the source and destination environments must have the same content types and fields.
• Both the source and destination environments must be running the same version of Strapi.

Installing the Import-Export Entries Plugin

The first step in the process of migrating content between environments using the Import-Export Entries plugin is to install the plugin on both the source and destination environments.

type the command below to install your plugin

    npm install strapi-plugin-import-export-entries

but first, you need to build Strapi admin before starting your server, you can do that with

    npm run build

next launch your admin panel with

    npm run develop

and click on "Plugins” under General. You will see the import-export entries plugin.

Once the plugin is installed, you will need to configure it. Open your project on VScode or any code editor.

Setting up the plugin and preparing for content migration

For the plugin to work, you need to configure it and do a bit of setup. Follow closely

1. Create a plugins.js file under the config folder and add the code below

    module.exports = ({ env }) => ({
        //...
        'import-export-entries': {
          enabled: true,
        },
        //...
      });

1. Create another file src/admin/webpack.config.js

    'use strict';

    const MonacoWebpackPlugin = require('monaco-editor-webpack-plugin');

    module.exports = (config) => {
      config.plugins.push(new MonacoWebpackPlugin());

      return config;
    };

1. Then rebuild your admin dashboard using

    npm run build --clean

1. Now, Start the server to access your Dashboard by running

    npm run develop

1. Once you are in your Admin dashboard, You should see “Import Export” Under "Plugins”.

Ensure you do this for both projects. The project you are exporting from and the one you are exporting to.

Exporting Content

To export content using the Import/Export plugin in Strapi, you need to follow these steps:

1. In the Strapi admin panel, go to the "Plugins" section and click on the "Import/Export" plugin.
   

2. Select the "Export" tab and You will see a pop-up interface
   

You will be allowed to decide how you want to export your Database. To better understand relations in Strapi, Read this.

Click “Fetch Data and your database will be exported in JSON which you can then download to your local machine.

It can be found on my local machine here.

Importing Content

To import content using the Import/Export plugin in Strapi, you need to follow these steps:

1. In the Strapi admin panel, go to the "Plugins" section and click on the "Import/Export" plugin.
   

2. On the Import/Export plugin page, select the "Import" tab.
   

3. In the "Import" tab, click on the "Choose File" button and select the JSON file that contains the content that you want to import.
   

4. After selecting the JSON file, click on the "Import" button to start the import process.
   

5. The import process will start and the imported content will be added to your Strapi project.

6. You can verify that the imported content has been added by going to the "Content Types" section in the Strapi admin panel and checking the relevant content type

Troubleshooting common issues and best practices for successful content migration

If you're migrating content between environments using the import export entries plugin, there are a few common issues that can arise. Here's a troubleshooting guide to help you resolve them:

1. Exported content is not appearing in the import file:
2. This can happen if the plugin is not configured correctly. Make sure that you've selected the right export format and that all of the fields in your content type are included in the export.
3. Imported content is not appearing in the destination environment
4. This can happen if the import file is not formatted correctly, or if there are errors in the content itself. Make sure that you've checked the format of your import file and that all of the required fields are included. If you're still having trouble, try exporting your content from the source environment and importing it into a fresh install of the destination environment to see if there are any errors.
5. Some content is missing after migration
6. This can happen if certain pieces of content (e.g., images) are not properly exported or imported. Make sure that all of your content types include all required fields, and that any binary data (e.g., images) is properly included in both the export and import files.

Conclusion

The Import Export Entries plugin for Strapi makes it easy to migrate content between environments. Whether you're moving content from a development environment to production, or vice versa, the process is simple and straightforward. In just a few clicks, you can export your content as a JSON file and then import it into the desired environment. This plugin is an essential tool for anyone using Strapi in a multi-environment setup.