Hire senior and proven Storyblok Developers

About Storyblok

Storyblok is a headless Content Management System (CMS) designed to give developers a flexible way to manage and deliver content efficiently. Unlike other traditional CMS platforms, Storyblok has great features that make the lives of developers and content creators easy.

It separates content management (backend) from the frontend presentations layer. This gives you abundant flexibility to customize the frontend for more versatile content delivery across platforms.

Some of the highlighting features of Storyblok make it the go-to option for a diversified client base.

1. Visual Editor: One of the best features offered is live content previews. This saves a lot of time and gives creators a clear view of how the content will look after publication.

2. Content structure: Storyblok's content structure has ensured great reusability and customizability. It divides entire content into dynamic blocks, static assets, and constants. This approach helps maintain efficiency, as everything can be reused across the pages.

3. API-Driven: Like other CMS solutions, Storyblok provides RESTful and GraphQL APIs to deliver content. This makes frontend development easy, and developers can choose any framework or library, such as React.js, Angular, Vue, or even native mobile apps.

4. Block versioning: Any change in content blocks is logged.

5. Internationalization: This is an excellent option for businesses operating in various regions. This feature makes localization management easy for developers.

6. Collaboration: Storyblok provides collaboration features where developers, designers, and creators can work together as a team.

Must-have technical skills

1. Proficiency in Core Web Technologies: Web development fundamentals are the backbone of any Storyblok project. Developers must be proficient in HTML, CSS, TypeScript, and JavaScript because these technologies form the basis for building and styling any web application's frontend. Mastery of these core technologies ensures that developers can effectively implement the content managed within Storyblok, creating responsive and visually appealing user interfaces.

2. JavaScript or TypeScript frameworks and libraries: Storyblok is designed to be frontend-agnostic, supporting a wide array of JavaScript or TypeScript frameworks such as Next.js, Nuxt, React, Vue, Astro, Svelte Kit, Remix, and Gatsby. Developers must have experience with at least one of these frameworks to fully leverage Storyblok’s flexibility. Proficiency in these frameworks allows developers to build complex, dynamic interfaces while ensuring seamless integration with Storyblok’s backend, thereby delivering a superior user experience.

3. Proficiency in responsive design: Responsive design is crucial in today’s multi-device world. A Storyblok developer needs to ensure that the content displays consistently and optimally across all screen sizes and devices. This skill is vital for maintaining a high-quality user experience, as it ensures that content adapts fluidly to different environments, providing users with the best possible interaction regardless of their device.

4. Advanced UI/UX design skills: Advanced UI/UX skills are essential for developers to understand and accurately implement the vision of designers. In Storyblok, where reusable components are a key feature, a developer with strong UI/UX skills can create and manage these components effectively. This capability not only enhances the consistency and efficiency of the content across the application but also improves the overall user experience by ensuring that the content is intuitive and engaging.

5. REST APIs and asynchronous operations: Storyblok is an API-first platform, relying heavily on RESTful APIs and GraphQL for data communication. Developers must be adept at working with these APIs to integrate Storyblok's backend with the frontend seamlessly. Understanding asynchronous operations is also crucial, as it enables developers to manage data fetching and state updates efficiently, leading to smoother, faster applications.

6. Frontend build tools: Tools like Webpack are essential for modern web development. They bundle and optimize JavaScript, CSS, and other assets for efficient delivery. Proficiency in these tools ensures that developers can create highly performant applications, minimizing load times and enhancing the user experience. Similarly, familiarity with package managers like npm or Yarn is critical for handling dependencies, which is a routine part of any JavaScript project.

7. Version Control Systems: Version control, particularly Git, is indispensable in any development environment. Developers must be skilled in using Git to manage code changes, collaborate with team members, and maintain a history of the project’s progress. This skill is particularly important in Storyblok projects, where multiple developers might work on different components or content structures simultaneously.

8. Understanding of Visual Studio Code: Visual Studio Code (VS Code) is one of the most popular code editors among developers due to its versatility and the wide range of extensions available. Familiarity with VS Code or similar editors enhances a developer’s efficiency, allowing them to write, debug, and deploy code more effectively. This productivity is crucial in Storyblok projects, where quick iterations and smooth workflows are often needed to keep up with content demands.

Nice-to-have skills

While the core technical skills are essential for any Storyblok developer, certain additional skills can significantly enhance their effectiveness and the overall quality of the projects they work on. Here's why these "nice-to-have" skills are valuable.

Proficiency in CSS Preprocessors (SCSS/SASS/LESS):

CSS preprocessors like SCSS, SASS, and LESS add advanced functionality to standard CSS, making it more powerful, maintainable, and reusable. Developers proficient in these preprocessors can write cleaner, more organized stylesheets that are easier to manage and scale. This is especially important in large Storyblok projects where maintaining consistent styling across multiple components and pages is critical. The ability to use variables, nesting, and mixins helps streamline the development process and ensures that the design system remains cohesive.

Understanding UI Component Libraries:

Familiarity with UI component libraries such as Tailwind CSS, Material UI, and Ant Design can greatly speed up the development process. These libraries offer pre-built, customizable components that developers can integrate into their projects, saving time and ensuring consistency in design. For Storyblok developers, this knowledge means they can quickly create responsive, accessible, and aesthetically pleasing user interfaces, allowing them to focus more on the unique aspects of the project rather than building every component from scratch.

Knowledge of design system development

Developers familiar with Storyblok often work on component-based architectures that integrate with custom or third-party design systems. Understanding how to build reusable components with a headless CMS is also valuable.

Knowledge of performance optimization

Performance optimization is crucial for delivering fast and efficient user experiences. Developers with knowledge of performance metrics and optimization techniques can identify bottlenecks and implement solutions to improve load times, responsiveness, and overall site speed. In a Storyblok environment, where content is often served dynamically across various platforms, optimizing performance ensures that users receive the best possible experience, regardless of the device or network conditions.

Testing knowledge

As web applications grow in complexity, the importance of testing cannot be overstated. Developers with experience in unit testing, particularly for UI components, can help ensure that the code is reliable, maintainable, and free of bugs. This is particularly valuable in Storyblok projects, where the content structure and presentation layer must work seamlessly together. Familiarity with testing frameworks like Jest, Mocha, or Cypress allows developers to write tests that validate the functionality of individual components, reducing the likelihood of issues in production and providing peace of mind to clients.

Understanding of accessibility

Accessibility is a critical aspect of modern web development, ensuring that websites and applications are usable by people with disabilities. Developers who understand accessibility principles can build interfaces that are navigable by keyboard, compatible with screen readers, and compliant with accessibility standards like WCAG. For Storyblok developers, this skill is particularly important because it ensures that the content delivered through the platform is inclusive and accessible to all users, thereby broadening the potential audience and improving user satisfaction.

Active participation in the Storyblok community

Being active in the Storyblok community demonstrates a developer’s commitment to staying current with the latest updates, best practices, and trends within the platform. Developers who engage in community forums, attend Storyblok events, or participate in discussions are likely to have a deeper understanding of the platform.

This experience is valuable because it shows they are proactive in solving problems, sharing knowledge, and continuously learning – all of which can directly benefit your team.

Interview questions & answers

1. What is a semantic HTML element?

Example answer: Semantic HTML elements clearly describe their meaning in a human and machine-readable way. Examples include header, footer, article, and section. These elements not only help developers understand the structure of the document but also improve accessibility and SEO by providing more meaningful content to browsers and search engines.

2. What are the differences between Flexbox and CSS Grid?

Example answer:

• Flexbox: A one-dimensional layout model used for arranging items in a row or column. It's great for distributing space within items and aligning items within a container.
• CSS grid: A two-dimensional layout model that allows you to create complex grid-based layouts. It can handle both rows and columns, making it more powerful for designing entire web layouts.
• Use cases: Flexbox is typically used for smaller components of a layout (like navigation bars or aligning items in a card), while CSS
• Grid is often used for larger-scale layouts (like page layouts).

3. What is hoisting in JavaScript?

Example answer: Hoisting is JavaScript's default behavior of moving declarations (but not initializations) to the top of their containing scope (global or function scope) during the compilation phase. This means that variable and function declarations can be used before they are declared in the code.

4. What is CMS? Which CMS platform do you know?

Example answer: A Content Management System (CMS) is a software application or set of related programs that help users create, manage, and modify digital content on a website without needing extensive technical knowledge. CMS platforms, including text, images, videos, and more, are commonly used for managing web content.

WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, Magento, Wix, etc.

5. What is a closure in JavaScript?

Example answer: A closure is a function that retains access to its lexical scope, even when the function is executed outside of that scope. Closures allow a function to access variables from an outer function even after the outer function has finished executing.

6. What is media query?

Example answer: Media queries are a CSS feature that applies different styles to web pages based on the device's or viewport's characteristics. They are a fundamental part of responsive web design, enabling developers to create designs that adapt to different screen sizes, orientations, resolutions, and other device-specific features.

7. What is the difference between let, const, and var?

Example answer:

• var: Function-scoped or globally scoped. Can be redeclared and updated. It is hoisted and initialized with undefined before the code execution.
• let: Block-scoped. Cannot be redeclared in the same scope, but it can be updated. It is not hoisted like var and is not initialized until the code execution reaches it.
• const: Block-scoped. Cannot be redeclared or updated. However, if the variable is an object, the object's properties can be updated, but the reference to the object cannot be changed.

8. What are some ways to optimize a website's performance?

Example answer:

• Minify CSS, JavaScript, and HTML: Reduce file sizes by removing unnecessary characters.
• Use Content Delivery Networks (CDNs): Distribute static resources to servers closer to users.
• Lazy Load Images: Load images only when they are about to enter the viewport.
• Enable Browser Caching: Store static files locally to reduce the number of HTTP requests.
• Reduce HTTP Requests: Combine files, use CSS sprites, and inline small CSS or JS snippets.
• Optimize Images: Compress images to reduce file size without sacrificing quality.
• Use WebP format: Consider using WebP image format for faster loading.

9. What is NPM or YARN?

Example answer: NPM (Node Package Manager) and Yarn are both package managers for JavaScript, used primarily for managing dependencies in Node.js projects

10. What is Webpack? Are there any alternatives to Webpack?

Example answer: Webpack is a popular open-source JavaScript module bundler primarily used in web development. It is designed to bundle JavaScript files (and other assets like CSS, images, etc.) into a single or smaller number of output files, which are optimized for use in a web application.

Alternatives: Parcel, Rollup, Vite, Snowpack, ESBuild, etc.

Use cases for Storyblok

Websites

Storyblok is an ideal choice for building and managing content-rich websites. Its headless architecture allows developers to create dynamic and reusable content components that can be easily integrated into various frontends, whether it’s a traditional website, a single-page application, or even a static site generated by tools like Gatsby. This flexibility ensures that content can be updated and managed efficiently without disrupting the overall design and functionality of the site.

ECommerce

For eCommerce businesses, Storyblok provides a robust platform to manage diverse content types such as product descriptions, promotional banners, blogs, and customer reviews. By decoupling the content management from the presentation layer, Storyblok allows eCommerce sites to deliver a seamless and consistent shopping experience across different platforms, including web, mobile, and even in-store displays. The ability to easily integrate with popular eCommerce platforms and CRMs further enhances its utility in this space.

Mobile apps

Storyblok's API-first approach makes it a powerful backend for mobile applications. It allows developers to deliver up-to-date and consistent content across multiple devices, ensuring a cohesive user experience. Whether you’re managing content for a native iOS or Android app, or a cross-platform solution built with frameworks like React Native, Storyblok enables you to update content centrally without needing to redeploy the app.

Digital signage

Businesses that rely on digital signage, such as retail stores, airports, or corporate offices, can benefit from Storyblok's centralized content management capabilities. Storyblok allows you to manage and update content across various digital displays from a single platform. This ensures that messaging remains consistent, relevant, and easily adaptable to different locations or audiences.

Marketing campaigns

Storyblok is an excellent tool for managing content-driven marketing campaigns. Marketers can quickly set up and manage landing pages, promotional materials, and other campaign-related content. The visual editor empowers non-technical team members to make real-time updates and tweaks without involving developers, speeding up the time to market and ensuring that campaigns are always fresh and engaging.

Advantages of using Storyblok

• Flexibility in frontend development: One of Storyblok's greatest strengths is its flexibility. Developers are free to choose any frontend technology or framework that best suits the project’s needs, whether it's React, Vue.js, Angular, or even static site generators. This flexibility fosters greater creativity and innovation in both design and functionality, allowing developers to deliver highly customized user experiences.

• Enhanced content management: Storyblok's visual editor and component-based content structure significantly enhance content management. The visual editor allows content creators to see real-time previews of their work, reducing the risk of errors and ensuring that content looks exactly as intended before it goes live. The component-based approach enables the creation of reusable content blocks, which not only speeds up the development process but also ensures consistency across various parts of the website or application.

• Efficient content delivery: With its API-driven architecture, Storyblok delivers content to multiple platforms and devices. This capability is essential in today's multi-channel environment, where users expect a consistent experience whether they're on a website, mobile app, or other digital touchpoints. Storyblok's efficient content delivery mechanisms help maintain this consistency, enhancing the overall user experience.

• Popular integrations: Storyblok is designed to integrate seamlessly with a wide range of tools and services, including analytics platforms, CRM systems, and eCommerce platforms. This makes it a versatile choice for businesses looking to centralize their content management while leveraging existing technologies. The ability to integrate with other tools ensures that Storyblok can fit into almost any tech stack, providing a cohesive solution for managing content across different systems and platforms.

• Scalability and performance: Storyblok is built to scale with your business. Whether you’re managing a small blog or a large enterprise-level site with millions of users, Storyblok's robust infrastructure ensures that your content is delivered quickly and reliably. Its versioning and collaboration features also support large teams, making it easier to manage content at scale without losing track of changes or updates.

These advantages make Storyblok not just a CMS, but a strategic asset that can drive growth and efficiency across your digital properties.

Summary

Hiring the best Storyblok developers requires a strategic blend of technical assessment, industry knowledge, and a clear understanding of your business needs. As Storyblok continues to rise as a leading headless CMS, finding developers who can fully harness its potential is crucial for delivering dynamic, scalable, and efficient digital experiences.

With the right developers on board, your business will not only be able to fully leverage Storyblok's powerful features but also stay ahead in the competitive digital landscape. Investing in skilled Storyblok developers is an investment in your brand's future success.