Strapi SQLite

Why deploy Strapi wth SQLite on Render?

Strapi is an open-source headless CMS that provides a customizable API and admin panel for managing content. This template configures Strapi with SQLite as its database, using a persistent disk for data and media storage, eliminating the need for an external database service for simpler deployments.

This template deploys Strapi with a persistent disk already configured to store both your SQLite database and Media Library uploads—a setup that typically requires manual disk provisioning and path configuration. With one click, you skip the hassle of setting up file persistence correctly, which is a common stumbling block when deploying Strapi to containerized environments. Render's persistent disks ensure your content and uploads survive redeploys without needing to wire up external storage like S3.

Architecture

What you can build

You'll have a running Strapi instance with a SQLite database and persistent storage for media uploads. This gives you a ready-to-use headless CMS where you can define content types, manage entries, and expose them via REST or GraphQL APIs for your frontend applications.

Key features

• SQLite Database Storage: Uses SQLite as the database backend, persisted to disk for data durability across deployments.
• Persistent Disk Storage: Stores both the database and uploaded Media Library files on Render's persistent disk volumes.
• One-Click Deployment: Includes a Deploy to Render button with pre-configured render.yaml for instant deployment.
• Media Library Support: Configured to persist uploaded media files alongside the application data on disk storage.

Use cases

• Solo developer deploys a personal blog CMS without database setup hassle
• Startup founder prototypes content API for mobile app quickly
• Freelancer builds client portfolio site with easy media uploads
• Student learns headless CMS concepts using simple persistent storage

What's included

Next steps

1. Open your Render service URL with /admin appended — You should see the Strapi admin registration page where you can create your first administrator account
2. Create a new Content-Type in the Content-Type Builder (e.g., 'Article' with a title field) — You should see the new type appear in the left sidebar and be able to create entries for it
3. Upload a test image to the Media Library — You should see the image thumbnail appear in the library and confirm it persists after refreshing the page (verifying your persistent disk is working)

Resources

• Strapi official site