Strapi Custom API Builder plugin

Design your custom API's (or custom reports / or custom views) directly from the Strapi CMS admin panel. Simply select the fields you need to show, enter a valid slug and let the plugin magically create the routes, controllers & services for you. Very easy to create & even easier to maintain.  

⚙️ Versions

Strapi v5 - (current) - v2.x Strapi v4 - (legacy) - v1.x

🎯 Breaking changes in v2 (Strapi v5 Support)

• Strapi 5 Compatibility: Fully migrated to Strapi v5 APIs
• Document Service API: Migrated from Entity Service to Document Service API
• Helper Plugin Removed: Custom implementation of translation utilities
• React Router v6: Updated to use React Router DOM v6
• Design System Updates: Updated to simplified Design System imports
• Peer Dependencies: Now requires @strapi/strapi: ^5.0.0
• Required Dependencies: Users must install additional dependencies (see installation)

Breaking changes in v1

• Support for media & multiple media added
• Support for multiple relationships at the same level added
• The above features makes it incompatible with v0.x. The current version wont work with the custom API's created with v0.x.

✅ Production Ready

v2.0.0 is production ready! The plugin has been fully migrated to Strapi v5 and thoroughly tested. All core functionality is working and the plugin is actively maintained.

🚧 Roadmap

• Build an API Visually from the Admin UI
• Auto compose Routes, Controllers and Services
• Complete UI tests
• Use built in slug system to auto generate slugs and validate if they are unique
• Add filtering capabilities
• Add ordering/sorting capabilities
• Add pagination capabilities
• Robust way to handle both multi / single value
• Manage multiple relations
• Support Media & Multiple Media
• Disable if no content types
• Improve UI for scalability
• When we have a field in the builder and its deleted from the content-type, handle it in a graceful way
• When we have a new field, show it in the builder while editing
• Provide a way to visualise the constructed query

⏳ Installation

Install Strapi with this Quickstart command to create a Strapi project instantly:

• (Use yarn to install the Strapi project (recommended). Install yarn with these docs.)

# with yarn
yarn create strapi-app my-project --quickstart

# with npm/npx
npx create-strapi-app my-project --quickstart

This command generates a brand new project with the default features (authentication, permissions, content management, content type builder & file upload). The Quickstart command installs Strapi using a SQLite database which is used for prototyping in development.

📦 Install the plugin

yarn add strapi-plugin-custom-api@latest

# or

npm i -S strapi-plugin-custom-api@latest

⚠️ REQUIRED: Install UI dependencies

For Strapi v5 compatibility, you MUST also install these UI dependencies:

yarn add @strapi/design-system @strapi/icons

# or

npm install @strapi/design-system @strapi/icons

Why these dependencies are needed:

• @strapi/design-system: UI components for the admin interface
• @strapi/icons: Icon components for navigation and UI

Note: lodash is now included directly in the plugin - no need to install separately!

⚙️ Configure the plugin

Add the following config to /config/plugins.js file:

module.exports = {
  "custom-api": {
    enabled: true,
  },
};

Note: If you don't have a plugins.js file, create one in your /config/ directory.

🚀 Start your application

After successful installation, build and start your Strapi application:

yarn build && yarn develop

# or

npm run build && npm run develop

For development with automatic admin rebuilding:

yarn develop --watch-admin

# or

npm run develop --watch-admin

🎬 Step by step installation video

https://www.loom.com/share/6ed4576bf2d645f5b7f45b7928c74def

The Custom API Builder plugin should appear in the Plugins section of Strapi sidebar after you restart your app.

🔧 Troubleshooting

Plugin not loading?

1. Check dependencies: Ensure you've installed lodash, @strapi/design-system, and @strapi/icons
2. Clear cache: Delete node_modules/.cache and rebuild
3. Check configuration: Verify plugins.js is configured correctly
4. Console errors: Check browser console for specific error messages

Common issues:

• "Cannot resolve @strapi/design-system": Install the missing dependency
• "Plugin not found": Verify the plugin is listed in your package.json
• "Admin won't build": Clear cache and rebuild with --watch-admin

For more detailed troubleshooting, see CLAUDE_CODE_GUIDE.md.

📋 Requirements

• Strapi: v5.x
• Node.js: v18+ (recommended)
• NPM/Yarn: Latest stable version

🔄 Migration from v1.x

If you're upgrading from v1.x (Strapi v4):

1. Upgrade Strapi to v5 first
2. Install new dependencies as shown above
3. Update plugin version: npm install strapi-plugin-custom-api@latest
4. Test functionality thoroughly
5. Review CLAUDE_CODE_GUIDE.md for detailed migration information

🚀 Usage

https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/34507994/172044022-7dce9138-d716-4806-a765-b446f24a94dd.mp4

As simple as that

🤖 AI-Assisted Development

This plugin's Strapi v5 migration was completed using Claude Code, Anthropic's AI development assistant. The comprehensive upgrade included:

• Complete API migration (Entity Service → Document Service)
• Dependency resolution and compatibility fixes
• End-to-end testing with Playwright automation
• Systematic debugging and troubleshooting

See CLAUDE_CODE_GUIDE.md for detailed documentation on maintaining this plugin with AI assistance.

📚 Documentation

• Installation & Usage: This README
• Development Guide: CLAUDE_CODE_GUIDE.md
• Technical Details: CLAUDE.md
• Change History: Git commit history

🦸 Contributors

• @vivmagarwal - Original author
• @cjboco - Contributor
• Claude Code - AI-assisted Strapi v5 migration

📄 License

MIT License - see LICENSE file for details.

🤝 Support

Found a bug or need help?

• Issues: GitHub Issues
• Discussions: GitHub Discussions
• Documentation: Check CLAUDE_CODE_GUIDE.md for detailed troubleshooting

Made with ❤️ for the Strapi community