Seeding Data in Strapi: Why Migrations are the Wrong Tool

In Strapi, default content for newly created content types should generally be seeded in the `bootstrap()` lifecycle function rather than migrations because migrations run before schema synchronization creates new tables. Bootstrap executes after schemas are synced, supports Strapi 5’s Document Service API, and should use idempotent logic such as unique-key checks, count checks, or plugin-store markers to avoid duplicate records on repeated application starts. Essential reference data, including categories, settings, and statuses, can be seeded in every environment, while demo content should be limited to development or an explicit environment flag, and larger datasets can be maintained as committed JSON files. Migrations remain appropriate for safely transforming existing database data before schema changes remove or alter old structures, such as copying values during a field rename, but they should guard against missing columns and are not intended for one-off production fixes. For moving editor-created content between environments, Strapi Data Transfer is more suitable than seeding, while isolated production cleanup should be performed through deliberate manual scripts.

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