WordPress to Astro with EmDash
Moving from WordPress to Astro usually raises two separate questions:
- How do we modernize the frontend?
- How do we keep a usable CMS for editors?
EmDash is interesting because it addresses both at once. Astro becomes the application and rendering layer, while EmDash provides the content management workflow that WordPress teams are used to.
Why Teams Consider This Move
Section titled “Why Teams Consider This Move”- Better control over frontend architecture
- A more modern TypeScript-based development workflow
- The ability to keep editor-friendly publishing concepts
- Fewer compromises than running Astro with a completely separate CMS
What Changes in Practice
Section titled “What Changes in Practice”- Themes become Astro layouts and components
WP_Querybecomes EmDash content query functions- WordPress post types and taxonomies map to EmDash collections and taxonomy structures
- Content import happens through EmDash’s migration tools instead of manual copy-paste
What Usually Stays Familiar
Section titled “What Usually Stays Familiar”- Editors still work with a CMS UI
- Posts, pages, taxonomies, media, and navigation remain recognizable concepts
- Migration planning still revolves around content, redirects, media, and taxonomy integrity
Recommended Migration Order
Section titled “Recommended Migration Order”- Evaluate EmDash with a pilot Astro project
- Review EmDash vs WordPress and What Is EmDash?
- Test content import on a representative WordPress export
- Validate redirects, media handling, and custom field mapping
- Move one smaller site or section before committing to a large migration