Introducing Contensis React Base 4

We’re excited to introduce Contensis React Base v4 – the next evolution of our React foundation for building fast, scalable, and maintainable websites with Contensis.

This release brings the platform up to date with the modern React ecosystem, introduces important architectural improvements, and lays the groundwork for future enhancements.

Version 4 is already running in production across a number of internal and client projects (including this website!) giving us confidence in its stability and readiness.

Whether you’re starting a new project or upgrading an existing one, v4 gives you a more robust and future-proof foundation.

Contensis React Base is the core framework for building React-powered websites with Contensis. It handles the heavy lifting so you don’t have to, including:

• Routing driven by Site View
• Server-side rendering (SSR) with Express
• Redux store setup and state management
• Content loading and mapping from Contensis
• Built-in support for search, forms, and much more

In short, it provides everything you need to get a production-ready React application up and running quickly with Contensis.

Version 4 is a major upgrade that modernises Contensis React Base and improves long-term stability. As a result, it also introduces breaking changes that existing projects will need to account for when upgrading.

Contensis React Base now supports React 18, aligning the framework with the current React ecosystem and opening a clear path toward future versions, including React 19.

This update ensures compatibility with modern React capabilities such as streamed server-side rendering, concurrency, and automatic batching, enabling more flexible and performant applications.

Version 4 includes upgrades to key libraries across the stack:

• React Router v5 → v6 (with flags for v7 compatibility)
• Express v4 → v5
• Node.js 18+ required (Node 20/22 recommended)
• Updated peer dependencies across the board

These updates bring Contensis React Base in line with modern tooling and platform standards.

The "search package" is now integrated directly into Contensis React Base.

Previously, this was a separate library that required additional setup in both the routing and Redux configuration of a project. This is no longer required.

Key changes:

• Search can be configured directly in your routing (via searchOptions or the onRouteLoaded hook)
• No additional imports, reducers, sagas or Redux injection are needed
• Search results are triggered automatically by defining a facet or listing type
• Common parameters are handled for you by default
• Updated localisation support enables localised facet and filter keys

Existing implementations will continue to work, but older boilerplate can now be removed.

We've introduced built-in support for localisation. You can now:

• Configure and switch between locales
• Translate static UI elements
• Resolve and navigate to translated versions of content

This provides a standard approach to handling multi-language sites within Contensis React Base.

Version 4 includes an upgrade to Styled Components v6, allowing you to take advantage of the latest CSS features.

At the same time, the framework has been updated to allow greater flexibility in how styles are handled. This opens a path towards alternative approaches, such as CSS Modules, for teams looking to move away from Styled Components over time.

Contensis React Base exists to give you the best foundation for building Contensis-driven React apps - and this package evolves with Contensis. If you're currently using v3, upgrading to v4 keeps your project aligned in that direction, as well as:

• Compatibility with modern React (v18+) and wider ecosystem
• Improved performance and rendering behaviour
• Reduced complexity across core features
• A more maintainable and future-proof codebase

Upgrading now helps keep your project aligned and avoids larger migration efforts later.

As a major release, upgrading to v4 introduces breaking changes and will require updates to your project. To support this, we’ve created a step-by-step migration guide covering everything you need to make the transition.

👉 Read the upgrade guide

To start a new project or upgrade an existing one:

1. Install the latest version of @zengenti/contensis-react-base
2. Follow the migration guide (for existing projects)
3. Test your application thoroughly
4. Deploy with confidence on a modern React stack

Contensis React Base v4 is an important step forward. By aligning with React 18 and modern dependencies, it sets the stage for future enhancements and continued improvements to developer experience.

We’re excited to see what you build with it.