To integrate CMP like CookieScript with Contentful/ Strapi, add your CookieScript code to the <head> of your application, include the EU AI Act Content Modeling for AI compliance, configure CookieScript for Global Privacy Control, and block all tracking scripts. Don’t forget to test cookie blocking.
Traditional Content Management System (CMS) architecture was once the standard for web development. However, as business needs grow more complex and customer expectations increase, there is a need for new technology.
Headless Content Management System (Headless CMS) was developed to satisfy business needs. Headless CMS separates consent management and compliance issues from content.
Using CookieScript with Contentful or Strapi ensures compliance with GDPR and other privacy regulations by managing user consent for cookies across headless frontend frameworks. CookieScript provides a Cookie Banner, Cookie Scanner, blocks Third-Party Cookies, and adds Google Consent Mode v2 to your site, while the CMS manages content, separating the compliance layer from the content.
This approach allows businesses to deliver managed content via API using Contentful and Strapi, while CookieScript ensures compliance with regulations.
This article explains more about headless CMS compliance and shows how to integrate CookieScript JavaScript code into your frontend application, how to configure cookie blocking, and how to reach compliance with data privacy laws.
Headless CMS Compliance: The 2026 Guide to Using CookieScript with Contentful and Strapi
A headless CMS is a content management system that separates the content presentation from the content management. They are separated into two layers: the frontend for the content presentation and the backend for the content management.
Separating the frontend from the backend separates your content from platform integration. In traditional CMSs, content is mixed with code and locked in silos, making it difficult to make content changes or reuse content quickly.
A headless CMS uses modular content components. Now, using headless CMS, marketers can manage content independently, and developers can build faster, employ different integrations, and automate changes.
Digital channels and devices are evolving, so there is a need for more flexible solutions. Traditional CMSs deliver content in webpage-oriented frameworks, making it impossible for the same content to fit other digital platforms or software. In 2026, headless CMSs empower to use the same content across websites, mobile apps, digital displays, conversational interfaces, and more.
The most popular CMSs for content management are Contentful and Strapi.
CookieScript Consent Management Platform (CMP) is one of the best compliance management tools, that provides a Cookie Banner, Cookie Scanner, blocks Third-Party Cookies, honors Global Privacy Control, and adds Google Consent Mode v2 to your site.
Using CookieScript with Contentful or Strapi ensures compliance with GDPR and other privacy regulations by managing user consent for cookies across headless frontend frameworks (e.g., React, Next.js, Vue). CookieScript ensures compliance, while the CMS manages content, separating the compliance layer from the content and allowing content to fit other digital platforms or software.
In 2024, users ranked CookieScript CMP on G2, a peer-reviewed website, as the best CMP for small and medium-sized companies. It’s also a Google-certified CMP.
How does a Headless CMS Solution Work?
Headless CMS separates content from coding: headless CMS deliver content via APIs for seamless display across any site, device, or other digital platforms.
Headless architecture has two layers. Backend systems (headless CMS) deliver content to the frontend systems (website) via APIs. Typically, headless CMS solutions work using this structure:
- Content is stored in blocks without any coding
Thus, content could be easily reused or adapted to various platforms. - APIs deliver content to any digital product or channel
Content platforms like Contentful or Strapi use APIs to connect apps to content and deliver content to any digital channel. - CookieScript API integrates content with a Content Management System (CMS)
Using the CookieScript API, website or app operators can manage user consent, cookie scanner, and third-party cookie blocking on digital channels. - Headless CMS compliance
The use of CookieScript with Contentful & Strapi allows website operators and marketers to store and manage your content, deliver digital products and apps faster, and comply with data privacy laws such as GDPR.
This is different from WordPress and other monolithic CMSs that tightly couple the frontend with the backend, locking your content just to a single platform.
Scan your website for free and see what cookies, including Third-Party Cookies, your website uses:
How to Integrate CookieScript with Contentful for Global Compliance
In a headless architecture, Contentful consists solely of a database. Since cookies are set by the browser when a user visits your site, CookieScript must be installed on your frontend framework (e.g., Next.js, Nuxt, or Gatsby), not inside the CMS admin panel.
Since most Contentful users utilize Next.js, the integration focuses on the _document.js or layout.tsx file.
As of 2026, the EU AI Act requires businesses to label AI-generated content. Thus, you should also display a machine-readable AI badge next to the content.
To integrate CookieScript with Contentful for global compliance, perform the following steps:
- Frontend script injection
Add your unique script from the CookieScript dashboard to the<head>of your application. Use thestrategy="afterInteractive"if using the Next.js Script component to ensure it doesn't block your content delivery. - Include the EU AI Act Content Model into your Contentful Content Model
Add a Boolean field named isAiGenerated. Add a Short Text field foraiDisclosureStatement. Your frontend should check this field and, if true, display a machine-readable AI badge next to the content. - Configure CookieScript for Global Privacy Control
Enable GPC in the CookieScript dashboard. Go to your CookieScript user account > Settings > Frameworks, where you will find GLOBAL PRIVACY CONTROL (GPC), and toggle it to ON. With GPC enabled, CookieScript will detect if a user has GPC active in their browser and automatically opt out of sharing or selling user data. - Contentful App Framework (Optional)
You can build a custom "Compliance Sidebar" app in Contentful that pulls in your latest CookieScript scan reports so editors can see in the CMS which pages are currently non-compliant. - Block all tracking scripts
Disable all tracking scripts from running automatically. CookieScript CMP blocks all third-party scripts by default. Remove or pause all scripts you will find in the Header field. - Test cookie blocking
Load your app in a fresh incognito window and check for cookie behavior. Make sure that all cookies except essential ones are blocked until users give consent.
How to Integrate CookieScript with Strapi for Global Compliance
Integrating CookieScript with a headless CMS like Strapi requires a frontend-first approach. Because Strapi is decoupled from your display layer, the cookie banner must be implemented in your frontend framework, where users actually interact with your content.
Read this step-by-step guide on how to integrate CookieScript with Strapi to reach global compliance with GDPR, CPRA, the EU AI Act, and honor Global Privacy Control:
- The frontend integration
CookieScript must be installed on your frontend framework (React, Next.js, Vue, etc.) rather than the Strapi admin panel. Copy your CookieScript script from the dashboard and paste it into the<head>of your frontend's root layout. - Update Strapi Content Modeling for AI compliance
Add AI metadata fields in your Strapi Content-Type Builder. Add a "Compliance" component to your articles or product pages by using these fields:
Field 1:is_ai_generated(Boolean)
Field 2:ai_model_info(Short Text)
Field 3:human_reviewed(Boolean)
When your frontend fetches content from Strapi, it usually checks theis_ai_generatedfield. If true, the frontend should automatically display a machine-readable "AI-Generated" badge required by regulatory standards. - Configure CookieScript for Global Privacy Control (GPC)
Enable GPC in the CookieScript dashboard. Go to your CookieScript user account > Settings > Frameworks, where you will find GLOBAL PRIVACY CONTROL (GPC), and toggle it to ON. With GPC enabled, CookieScript will detect if a user has GPC active in their browser and automatically opt out of sharing or selling user data. - Block all tracking scripts
Disable all tracking scripts from running automatically. CookieScript CMP blocks all third-party scripts by default. Remove or pause all scripts you will find in the Header field. - Test cookie blocking
Load your app in a fresh incognito window and check for cookie behavior. Make sure that all cookies except essential ones are blocked until users give consent.
Headless CMS Compliance Checklist
By 2026, compliance requires more than just a banner and respecting user choices. It requires geo-targeting to detect user location and provide a banner that complies with local regulations, GPC detection, EU AI Act labeling, and Consent Mode v2 integration.
To meet the regulatory compliance requirements, set the required configuration using the CMS like Contentful & Strapi dashboard (frontend's root layout), or enable required options on the CookieScript dashboard.
Use these best practices for headless CMS compliance:
- Install CookieScript code into the head of your frontend application
In headless CMS, content lives in Contentful or Strapi, while the actual cookie enforcement happens in your Frontend (Next.js, Remix, etc.). Install the CookieScript snippet into your frontend's root layout (layout.tsxfor Next.js orindex.htmlfor Vite). - Zero-latency loading (Contentful & Strapi dashboard)
Use async or defer to ensure the banner doesn't block the initial content fetch from Contentful or Strapi APIs. - Use CMS Content Modeling for AI-generated data (Contentful & Strapi configuration)
Add AI-metadata fields to your "Article" or "Page" content types in Contentful or Strapi and code your frontend to check these fields. If true, render a machine-readable label (metadata) and a visible "AI-Generated" badge next to the content. - Server-Side Filtering (Strapi Only)
Use a Strapi Middleware to strip "Personalized" content fields from the API response if the user has rejected Tracking Cookies. - Enable Global Privacy Control (CookieScript dashboard configuration)
Go to CookieScript settings and enable GPC. When enabled, CookieScript will detect the GPC signal and automatically opt out of sharing or selling user data. - Enable geo-targeting (CookieScript dashboard configuration)
This allows sites and apps to provide the right cookie banner and set up regional behaviors for cookie compliance. - Enable Google Consent Mode v2 (CookieScript dashboard configuration) Google requires using Consent Mode v2 to use its products like Google Ads or analytics. Google Consent Mode v2 integration allows businesses to use cookieless pings for GA4 and Google Ads if users decline cookies.
- Check WCAG 2.2 cookie banner compliance (CookieScript dashboard configuration)
Make sure that your banner colors have at least a 4.5:1 contrast ratio and are fully navigable via the Tab key. - Enable auto-blocking (CookieScript dashboard configuration)
Enable CookieScript's automatic cookie blocking to prevent third-party scripts from firing before consent.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to integrate CMP with Contentful for global compliance?
To integrate CMP like CookieScript with Contentful, add your CookieScript code to the <head> of your application, include the EU AI Act Content Model into your Contentful Content Model, configure CookieScript for Global Privacy Control, and block all tracking scripts. Don’t forget to test cookie blocking.
How to integrate CMP with Strapi for global compliance?
To integrate CMP like CookieScript with Strapi, add your CookieScript code to the <head> of your application, update Strapi Content Modeling for AI compliance, configure CookieScript for Global Privacy Control, and block all tracking scripts. Don’t forget to test cookie blocking.
Do I need a CMP if my headless CMS doesn’t set cookies?
Yes, you need a Consent Management Platform (CMP) to manage cookies. Even if the headless CMS itself doesn’t set cookies, your site could still have third-party cookies. If you use Analytics (GA4, Plausible, Matomo), ads/retargeting (Google Ads, Meta Pixel, TikTok, LinkedIn Insight), heatmaps/session replay, embedded content, chat, support, etc., you need a CMP. Users ranked CookieScript as the best CMP for small and medium businesses.
How to block iframes in a headless CMS until consent?
You can block iframes the same way you block scripts: don’t load the iframe at all until the user has consented to the right category. Don’t render the iframe at all on first load. Show a placeholder (“This content will be available after you accept cookies”) and only swap in the real iframe after a Consent Management Platform like CookieScript confirms consent.
Does the Strapi admin panel need a cookie banner?
Usually, no. Strapi’s admin panel is an internal workspace, not a public one. You don’t collect user data, so you don’t need a cookie banner there. You may need one if the admin panel is exposed to external editors or clients and you use cookies to track them or add tracking/third-party tools (analytics, session replay, chat). In 2025, users ranked CookieScript as the best CMP for small and medium businesses.
How do I handle consent across subdomains and environments (staging/prod)?
Use the same CMP configuration on every subdomain you want to share consent across. Set the consent cookie domain to the parent domain: Domain=.example.com and keep cookie categories consistent (same category names for same behavior) on different subdomains. Note the leading dot before .example.com - this is what makes the consent cookie readable on www, app, blog, etc.