How to create a modern web app using WordPress and React

Combine the power of a React front-end with the internet’s most popular CMS

Bret Cameron
We’ve moved to freeCodeCamp.org/news

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Want the advantages of a modern React SPA, but need a back-end that feels familiar? In this article, we’ll go through how to set-up WordPress’s REST API, including custom posts types and fields, and how to fetch this data inside React.

Recently, I was working on a React app for a client when they sprung this question on me: ‘Can we use it with WordPress?

Since late 2015, the answer to this question has been yes. But the steps necessary to create a working decoupled site may not seem straightforward, especially to those who aren’t familiar with both WordPress and React.

On my journey to create a working application, I encountered a handful of tricky obstacles, and in this article, I’ll explain how to avoid them. I’ll also share several tips and tricks I learned along the way!

Contents

Part 1: Background Information

Part 2: WordPress

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Bret Cameron
We’ve moved to freeCodeCamp.org/news

Writer and developer based in London. On Medium, I mainly write about JavaScript, web development and Rust 💻