Notion as an E-Commerce CMS

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Table of Contents What I Actually BuiltHow Notion Helped Me Learn about Software DesignWhy I Moved Away from SquarespaceThe EconomicsHow Was It Building in Cursor and AI Coding?Project TimelineSecurity, Operations, and SEO ConsiderationsSo Now Comes the Question…What is NextYour Next Steps I'm happy to say that I have fully released my new website. This is something that I have wanted to do for years now, and ultimately I am very happy with the results after a few months of hard, dedicated work. With this new website, I will be able to update information faster, create new pages and releases in a much more streamlined way, as well as enhance users' experience when navigating through the actual website itself.

With this case study, my whole goal is to tell you my full experience of building this website from scratch and give a bit of a sneak peek of how this helped me understand a bit more of how programs (like Notion) can actually teach you the core concepts of eventually building your own systems. I'll also explain a bit about using AI agents such as Cursor and what really helps me see the benefit for AI tools and their abilities for future projects, including how to use them in Notion.

Why Now? The timing finally aligned when my Squarespace subscription renewal approached in early September. Rather than commit to another year of limitations, I decided this was the moment to build something that could truly scale with my growing music catalog and complex content relationships.

💡 As a first-time coder in 2025, the landscape for AI-assisted development had reached a tipping point. Tools like Cursor, ChatGPT, and Claude had matured to where someone with deep systems knowledge (but zero traditional programming experience) could realistically build sophisticated applications. This case study documents my complete journey from never having written a line of production code to deploying a fully functional e-commerce website in ~100 hours. The combination of powerful AI coding assistants and my existing understanding of database relationships from Notion created a unique opportunity to bridge the gap between system design and technical implementation.

What I Actually Built

This is a fully integrated content management and delivery platform built from the ground up. The architecture has three main layers that I designed to be both powerful and easy to maintain.

System Architecture Diagram

1. The CMS Backend

It turns Notion into a powerful content management system using database relationships, rollups, and automated workflows. Eleven interconnected databases manage everything from compositions to media to subscriber lists, with complex relations and rollups that keep all the data connected properly across the entire system. The sophisticated relationship modeling creates 22 tables in the Postgres database, demonstrating the advanced relational architecture required to handle all the many-to-many connections between compositions, media, collections, and other content types. Content on the homepage, catalog listings, and resource connections all update automatically based on how the databases are connected.

To give a more complex example: Take a multi-movement composition like "Resolutions: Suite for Brass Trio." In Notion, I relate this composition to multiple media files (audio for each movement), pricing information, and collection groupings. On the website, this creates a dynamic composition page where the Buy Now button automatically shows current pricing and availability, the audio player includes all related recordings, and Previous/Next buttons let visitors navigate through the entire work in the correct sequence. All of this data comes from different databases but appears as one cohesive experience - and updating any relationship in Notion instantly changes how everything displays on the website. This is why my 11 databases require 22 Postgres tables: the many-to-many relationships between compositions, movements, media files, collections, and purchase options create the junction tables needed to make this sophisticated functionality work.

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What This CMS Backend Delivers:

• Single source of truth: Update one relationship in Notion → changes everywhere instantly • Automatic complexity: 11 Notion databases → 22 optimized Postgres tables automatically • Cross-database intelligence: Homepage, catalog, and resource pages all stay connected • Zero manual work: No database schema configuration or relationship management required

2. The Sync Layer

The sync system acts as a manual bridge between Notion and PostgreSQL. When I make changes in Notion, I run a sync command (node dual-sync) that pulls all the database content and relationships, then transforms them into optimized PostgreSQL tables.

The system intelligently creates junction tables for many-to-many relationships and handles all the database complexity automatically, but only when I choose to run the sync.

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Why Manual Sync is Better Than Real-Time (for this setup):

• Cost control: No constant API calls running up costs in the background • Deliberate updates: I control exactly when changes go live on the website • Error prevention: I can review and test changes in Notion before syncing them to the live site • System stability: The website runs independently from Notion - if their API is down, my site keeps running from PostgreSQL • Performance: No sync overhead during normal website operations

3. Hybrid Content Delivery

It is a modern, component-based website that's database-driven with flexible content delivery. The system intelligently adapts between dynamic database queries and static page content depending on what works best for each use case. The responsive component system means when I update something, it changes everywhere automatically, supporting advanced features like searchable catalogs, media players with metadata, and automated homepage features, all mobile-optimized and focused on performance and user experience.

This cross-database intelligence means that when I add a new composition with related media in Notion, it doesn't just appear on the individual composition page - it automatically shows up in the searchable media catalog, homepage features, and any other component that pulls from those databases. For example, the search page dynamically aggregates content from multiple databases to display compositions, media files, and their metadata in one unified interface. Update one relationship in Notion, and it instantly propagates across every page that uses that data. This is what zero hardcoded content really means - the entire site rebuilds itself based on database relationships.

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Hybrid Content Delivery in Action:

• Dynamic pages: Database-driven compositions, catalogs, search - consistent and automatically connected • Static pages: Full creative control with rich Notion formatting - files, videos, custom layouts • Hybrid power: Embed database content within static layouts for maximum flexibility • Zero hardcoded content: Entire site rebuilds itself based on database relationships and Page Content in Specific Pages.

Hybrid Content Delivery: Dynamic vs Static Pages

The system intelligently adapts between two content delivery methods depending on the use case. Dynamic pages (like compositions, media catalogs, and search results) pull from database properties for consistent relational display and automatic cross-database intelligence. Static pages (like resources, blog posts, and specialized content) pull directly from Notion page content, giving me complete creative control with rich formatting - file uploads that become download buttons, embedded YouTube videos, custom layouts, multi-column sections, and callouts. This essentially turns Notion into a full-featured page builder that syncs to the website with all formatting intact.

Even more powerful, I can embed dynamic database content within static page layouts. For example, resource pages use custom formatting from Notion page content, but can also include related news updates through database relations. These updates automatically appear both in the dedicated news section and embedded within the relevant resource pages, creating true hybrid content delivery.

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The media overlay system demonstrates this cross-database intelligence perfectly.

When viewing a composition, users access an overlay that dynamically pulls together all related content - media files, purchase options, score videos, and audio files from multiple databases. Clicking "Next" automatically updates everything for the next movement, with all connections maintained through database relationships.

I design reusable widgets that pull specific data from the databases and can be deployed throughout the website - like the full media player and specialty design carousels. These overlays appear consistently across different pages.

The system includes automated e-commerce where payment links stored in Notion dynamically populate across all relevant pages. Using direct Stripe integration with PDF delivery via Mailgun APIs, I can update pricing once in Notion and it automatically updates throughout the website - keeping the core site stable if any payment issues occur.

How Notion Helped Me Learn about Software Design

If you are not familiar with Notion, let me introduce you to what is one of the best teaching tools out there for learning about database design in the most fun way possible. While Notion is often represented as this all-in-one app for tasks, journaling, habit tracking, and other productivity needs, the real power isn't in the complexity it can accomplish, but rather the simplicity in its core design and ease of connecting to the web.

Put it this way: I love Notion. As a Notion Ambassador, I've helped organizations implement it into their workflows, and I use it extensively for my personal life management. Many people see Notion as just a powerful note-taker or task manager, but the real power comes from the fact that everything is a carefully curated building block that can relate to online functionality.

Examples of What I Built in Notion

Before building this website, I spent years creating increasingly sophisticated systems in Notion that taught me advanced database design. Here are some examples: Client Management Systems • Student Lesson Management Portal: Individual student pages with Zoom integration, lesson journals, resource access, and progress tracking • Teaching Management Platform: Course systems with assignments, student tracking, grading pipelines, and automated credit management • Full Invoicing System: Automated billing, payment tracking, client management, and financial reporting workflowsBusiness & Personal Operations • Comprehensive Finance System: Multi-account budgeting, recurring transactions, expense tracking, and monthly rollup reports • HQ Navigation Dashboard: Full PARA-method implementation with Projects, Areas, Resources, and Archives across all life domains • Personal Knowledge Management: Writing logs, voice note processing, and automated content organization across multiple databases • Time Log Task Manager: Integration between time tracking and task management with productivity analytics and reporting • Bible Study Database: Cross-referenced passages, characters, locations, and themes with interconnected relationships for researchMusic & Theory Systems • Professional Brass Organization Portal: Complete member management, music library, and performance tracking with automated permissions • Music Dashboard: Cross-referenced music catalog, instrument-specific PDF distribution, and concert planning workflows • PDF Deployment System: Dynamic file distribution where musicians get only their specific parts based on instrument and concert selection • Music Interval & Chord Analyzer: Complex formula-driven calculator for interval identification, chord analysis, and harmonic progression theory with automated enharmonic relationships With the API, you can build incredibly creative systems—either purely in Notion itself or push that information out through APIs. Once you realize how Notion systems operate compared to actual software, everything becomes incredibly clear about how you can scaffold true SaaS products. It's more like a very fast software builder than a traditional productivity app.

What makes Notion truly limitless is that it removes traditional constraints found in other tools. Instead of being locked into rigid templates or predetermined workflows, every element becomes modular and interconnected. You can relate databases in complex ways, create sophisticated automations, and build systems that grow with your needs. This flexibility means Notion adapts to your thinking process rather than forcing you to adapt to the software's limitations.

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Why Notion Over Airtable or Other Database Tools?

While tools like Airtable excel at pure database management, Notion's unique advantage is that it functions like a website builder with databases embedded within pages. This hybrid approach is crucial for website development because you're not just managing data - you're creating the content experience.

Notion feels like a playground where you can experiment with page layouts, database views, and content relationships in real-time.

Airtable has more rigidity - it's excellent for structured data management but doesn't give you the creative freedom to rapidly prototype content layouts and user experiences that translate directly to website design.

When building my website, this distinction became crucial. The ability to create prototype pages in Notion that combined rich content with database relationships meant I could design the entire user experience before writing any code. With Airtable, I would have managed the data well, but I'd still need separate tools for content creation and layout design (atleast to my knowledge).

Why Notion is a Great Learning Tool

In reality, all the systems of Notion are not necessarily brand new concepts. What's intriguing and really powerful about the tool is how accessible they've made complex processes. Not only that, but they made Databases fun! You can learn not just how databases work from this system, but then you also can learn how to code with the formulas on top of that. Notion's formula system taught me how to query and manipulate data across related databases, which directly translated to understanding how building the 22 Postgres tables needed to work together. The rollup properties showed me data aggregation concepts that became crucial for the many-to-many relationships between compositions, media, and collections. You get to learn automations and how they work with their automation editor. And then you can go a step further by investigating the API. Finally, they have just added AI agents, which I think is going to change the game even further. It's helping promote working in systems like Cursor in a very natural way.

💡 The unlimited flexibility of Notion's building blocks means you're naturally absorbing core programming principles while creating practical systems. The real value comes from developing custom tools that solve your specific challenges—tools you understand intimately and can adapt as your needs evolve.

Notion basically helps you understand how when databases are related to one another and they start talking to each other, how you can transform that data to be useful information and then how you basically can search for that data and/or filter it out naturally. On top of that, it's not just about data. What makes Notion fun is the fact that it has some pre-integrated views that help it become more powerful with their different use cases. Not to mention, the text editor that is integrated specifically into Notion is so fast and really fun to actually build in.

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Key Takeaway - Notion as a Learning Tool

Notion isn't just a productivity app - it's an intuitive gateway to understanding professional database design and system architecture. The skills you learn building complex Notion systems directly translate to real software development, giving you a massive head start when working with AI coding tools.

Why I Moved Away from Squarespace

The Squarespace Limitations I Hit

Don't get me wrong—Squarespace does have some dynamic capabilities and can create attractive websites quickly. But as my music catalog grew and my needs became more sophisticated, I kept running into fundamental limitations that became increasingly frustrating.

System Rigidity & Manual Media Management While I could customize layouts to some extent, the real problem was being stuck in a rigid system that forced manual work for everything. The biggest frustration was having to manually upload and embed audio/video files for each composition every single time, instead of being able to create simple relationships where media could be dynamically linked. There was no way to say "this composition relates to these three audio files" - I had to manually place each file on each page. This made managing a growing catalog of 70+ compositions with multiple media files each absolutely tedious.

No True Database Relationships This was the killer limitation. Squarespace can pull from collections (their version of databases), but you can't create meaningful relationships between different content types. I couldn't relate compositions to multiple media files, link movements to parent works, or automatically populate related content across different page types. Each piece of content lived in isolation.

Template Rigidity While Squarespace templates look professional, they force you into predetermined layouts and functionality. I couldn't create the dynamic media overlays I wanted, couldn't build cross-referenced content systems, and definitely couldn't implement the sophisticated database relationships that my music catalog needed. Every composition looked identical regardless of its complexity or unique requirements.

Scalability Issues As my catalog grew, managing content became exponentially more time-consuming. Adding a new composition meant updating multiple pages manually, checking that everything linked correctly, and ensuring consistency across the entire site. With no automation or relationship intelligence, every content update was a manual, error-prone process.

When most organizations build custom systems like this, they create a dedicated admin page where you can manage all the content - but that requires significant development time and expertise just to build the admin interface itself.

What I did with this system is essentially made Notion my admin page where I can edit all the content and maneuver everything. Instead of spending additional development time building a custom admin interface, I get all of Notion's powerful editing capabilities, database views, relationship management, and user-friendly interface for free. This lets me focus development effort on the user-facing website while having enterprise-level content management tools built in.

The Biggest Advantage: True Data Ownership Through Postgres

Here's what I think is the most important aspect of this entire system: this is literally just my own code—files and folders on my computer that I fully control and store myself. If I have a problem with hosting, if a platform changes pricing, or if anything else comes up, I own all the data and all the code. I'm not locked into any single service because everything lives on my machine.

But here's the key insight that makes this approach incredibly powerful: while the data stays in Notion for easy editing, it also syncs to Postgres, so I can still move off of Notion if something happens with it in the future. This dual-layer approach gives me the best of both worlds. Notion provides probably the easiest and simplest way to connect via online functionality for website development—their API is incredibly developer-friendly and their database system is intuitive. But the Postgres buffer means I'm never truly locked in.

Since this is my own codebase stored as files and folders, I can maneuver and pivot however I need to if any problems come up. Moving to a different platform or hosting provider is not a horrible and time-wasting endeavor—I can move anytime I want because I control every piece of the system. Even if Notion significantly changed their API or pricing, everything would keep running from the Postgres database while I figure out the next steps.

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True Data Ownership Benefits:

• Full control: Files and folders on your computer - no platform lock-in • Dual-layer protection: Data in Notion for editing + Postgres backup for independence • Easy migration: Move hosting/platforms anytime without vendor dependence • Future-proof: System keeps running even if Notion changes API or pricing

You Can Chose the Design!

Beyond the cost issue, Squarespace's template constraints became the bigger obstacle.

The before and after comparison below shows exactly why I had to make this change:

New Website

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Old Website

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So to put it this way, I moved for these reasons

• A single source of truth for all content that automatically propagates changes everywhere • An editor that feels fast and flexible without platform constraints • A runtime that is reliable, queryable, and cheap to operate long-term

The biggest difference is that I now have much more flexibility in what I'm able to do. In Squarespace, I was stuck with template constraints that forced a one-size-fits-all approach—manually uploading media for each composition, being limited to predetermined layouts, and constantly fighting against the system's rigidity.

With the custom system, I have complete control over both the database relationships and the design implementation. When I add a new composition with multiple movements in Notion, the website automatically creates the appropriate navigation, connects all related media, and displays everything in the right context. That's what true customizable control delivers.

The Economics

Here's a clear comparison of what this custom build actually costs versus traditional alternatives:

Bottom Line: ~100 hours + ~$500 (AI) (Could be Reduced) + $1-$10/month vs. $340/year (Squarespace) or $15-$60K + $100-$500/month (custom development)

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Custom Build Costs

• Development time: ~100 hours of my labor • *AI/API costs during build: ~$500 (Probably could be reduced!) • Ongoing hosting: $3-$15/month (Railway covers $5 usage credit; only scales higher with thousands of daily users) • Notion: Free (optional $10/month for automations, $20/month for AI features) • Platform fees: None • Vendor lock-in: None *Note: High AI/API cost was primarily due to lack of knowledge of best practices for AI models and learning good prompts for systems. This was my first coding build and large-scale AI usage (previously only used for simple no-code automation). This cost could easily be reduced with research and understanding which models work best.

Workflow Benefits:

• New page creation: 5-10 minutes (with all information gathered) • No mobile review needed (only in initial build) • Simple copy and paste of info • Auto-adds media/news to other parts of the workspace • Update info in one place in Notion, it updates everywhere in the system • No duplicate data

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Traditional Alternative Costs

• Squarespace Premium: $340/year with severe limitations • Squarespace development time: ~45 hours initial setup (learning platform constraints, uploading media, fighting template limitations, testing layouts) • *Custom development equivalent: $15,000-60,000 for systems with comparable database complexity and e-commerce integration • *Enterprise CMS: $500-$2,000/month for comparable functionality • *Hosting for dynamic sites: $40-$500/month on traditional platforms *Note: some of these numbers are estimates are coming from some personal research and AI estimates. With that, take the estimate numbers as you will.

Traditional Workflow:

• New page creation: 25-40 minutes (with all information gathered) • Need to review mobile page separately • Need to update info on multiple different parts of the system • Need to manually add information, like related media files, to different parts of the system

These projections are just the numbers that I experienced through the system. For me, I was already paying for Notion's $20/month business plan, so I consider that a sunk cost. I'm basically paying for the website for at most $10/month, but it's all dependent on usage and traffic, so it's often actually less. I'm saving a lot of money a year, I get full autonomy and control, and I'm updating my pages way faster. To be honest, it's just more fun doing it this way.

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Key Takeaway - Economics:

Value isn't just in cost savings - it's in control. The ~$500 AI learning cost becomes a permanent skill investment, while the 90% reduction in ongoing costs ($500-600/year → $30-120/year) gives you budget freedom to experiment with additional integrations and features that would be impossible on platforms.

How Was It Building in Cursor and AI Coding?

If we are being technical with this, this is definitely in the category of vibe coding and/or context coding. Through this build, I experimented with both aspects of this process, as well as writing/updating the code myself as well. I should mention my Notion background first for context: I already knew how to build apps and systems before this because I experimented with Notion for about three years. So when I got to the prompting side and building specifically in Cursor, it ultimately became very clear that "if I just want to make a system that's similar to Notion" while I prompt and know how the architecture works, I can "build this basically like I would in Notion."

Your existing knowledge becomes a force multiplier with AI. Because I understood database relationships from Notion, I could communicate complex requirements using familiar vocabulary. Instead of explaining database theory from scratch, I could say "relate compositions to media with rollup data" and the AI immediately understood the architecture I needed. However, AI amplifies your existing knowledge - you remain the architect and decision-maker - you still need to be the director of the system and manage it.

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Key Learning Moment

I think one of the most fascinating things was when I decided to switch from using the API directly from Notion to update the website to syncing with Postgres. What was really cool about building that sync between Notion and Postgres is it taught me what a relation table actually meant. And as soon as I figured that out and saw what was actually happening, it became 10 times faster to actually problem-solve, fix some issues, and make everything sync up correctly.

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Development Pattern That Emerged

Success came from understanding when to use which tool and structuring my workflow for maximum effectiveness:

ChatGPT → High-level architecture discussions and visual design.

Cursor → Implementation and code execution

Claude Sonnet → Complex backend problems and logic

Understanding these tool differences significantly reduced both development time and costs compared to using just one AI throughout the entire process.

Six Key Principles I Learned

These are just some snippets of what I took away from this build. For me, this was a really good time to do this because I think this agent form of using AI is definitely not going anywhere. Notion did just launch their AI agents, and they honestly speed up my workflows in Notion greatly. It's like using the Cursor agents but doing it in Notion, which is flat out amazing. Again, not perfect, but all these prompting examples still apply.

Understand System Architecture First You will need to know how software systems work and get that knowledge before you can really build. Before diving into your project, you can make a little test demo of it, but I would do research on how the systems actually are supposed to work before fully diving in and making something that is production-ready.

You are the Director; Guide The AI, Scheme out the Production AI won't automatically be able to create the most amazing, functional, or operational setup, even with multiple problems. You still need to be the director of the system and manage it. Research and figure out the right knowledge. You must know your system, and you must keep track of what you're building. This is for both long-term and short-term. AI chats are still not the brevity of the knowledge.

Test Architecture Early When building your architecture, before diving deep into what you do, be sure this is the way you want to build your system. I highly recommend experimenting and having like a test little function and/or a little app before doing something that you really think is important. A good example is the Notion API and transitioning over to Postgres. Transitioning this functionality actually glitched out a lot of my system. If I just started with Notion syncing into Postgres, it would've saved so much development time and headache.

Inputting Specific Triggers Matters There are certain triggers and certain words you need to bring up in order to get the responses and the build that you want. For instance, if you go with any chatbot and you think something's supposed to search on the web because the AI probably doesn't know specifically about that answer, you need to say, "This is something you need to search for," and that prompts it to actually go and search on the web. This is crucial because AI doesn't know what to avoid and what to prioritize. When talking and working with AI, the input you give it matters. With that said, you don't need to be necessarily hyper-fixated on your most pinpointed and accurate words when giving instruction. Focus on the triggers and the main points.

Leverage Your Existing Knowledge For me, with this experience, because I worked so much in Notion, I basically just made what I wanted from a Notion setup but did it through HTML and other forms of code. Having deep knowledge of relations and rollups accelerated development tremendously because I could communicate complex requirements using Notion vocabulary that the AI immediately understood. Instead of explaining "create junction tables for many-to-many relationships," I could say "relate compositions to media with rollup data" and skip straight to implementation. I know how my system fully works, and I know how things are all connected. I don't know exactly every single line of code and every single function, but I know operationally how it's supposed to operate and do what it's supposed to do. That's crucial.

Know Your End Goal Know exactly what you want your end goal to be, and you don't need all the answers of how it's supposed to work. You need to be open to the creative solutions of how they're supposed to connect, but also be able to understand what is happening in front of you—how everything actually operates.

How to Think About Your Development Workflows

Beyond the core principles, one of the most practical things I learned was being specific about purpose + scope when working with AI. Instead of vague requests, structure your prompts around these two dimensions: Purpose CategoriesScope CategoriesExample in PracticeBuilding: "Create a new component that..."UI/Frontend: Layout, styling, component behavior, user interactionsInstead of "Make the homepage better"Say: "Build me a new hero section component that displays dynamic composition data from the database with responsive card layouts"Fixing: "Debug this specific issue where..."Backend/API: Database queries, server logic, data processing, integrationsInstead of "The media player isn't working"Say: "Fix the backend API issue where the media player component isn't receiving the correct metadata from the Postgres sync layer"Optimize: "Optimize this existing code to..."Data Flow: How information moves between systems, state managementInstead of "Clean up this messy code"Say: "Optimize the data flow between the Notion sync and frontend display to reduce redundant API calls and improve loading times"Information: "Help me understand how this works..."Architecture: System design, relationships between componentsInstead of "How should I structure this?"Say: "Help me with the architecture of this data system - specifically how compositions and media files should relate to each other between Notion and Postgres"

Project Timeline

💡 May 2025 → Decision to move from Squarespace and initial research phase May-July 2025 → Architecture planning and tool evaluation (~10-15 hours total)

July 22, 2025 → Committed to custom build with AI - development phase begins

Early August 2025 → Notion database architecture finalized and initial sync layer built

Mid-August 2025 → E-commerce integration and payment systems completed (most tedious phase)

Late August 2025 → Frontend components and dynamic page rendering implemented (main development focus)

September 6, 2025 → Website deployed and fully operational

Total: ~110-115 hours (10-15 hours research/planning + 100 hours active development from July 22-September 6)

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The Reality of Development Time

Now, you can tell that this still took a very long period of time—100 hours of my labor. To give context on where that comes from: this project was being developed entirely from scratch for myself as a someone who has not built a fully coded project at all, which meant doing the design, figuring out how the architecture should work, figuring out the layout of all the pages and how the cross-database relationships should display, doing research on different website layouts and how they're supposed to look. And then on top of that, continuously building brand-new relation layers and junction table connections throughout the system.

To be transparent, I love building complex projects—it's similar to how I approach composing 20-minute long pieces with intricate, recurring motives. 100 hours might sound like a lot, but for me it's genuinely enjoyable, especially when learning new skills. I typically tackle one major project per year, and this was mine for 2024. Next year, I'll probably focus on smaller builds until I'm ready for another big undertaking.

Security, Operations, and SEO Considerations

Building a custom dynamic system introduces specific challenges you need to be prepared for:

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Operations: You're the IT Department

• When things break: You debug sync issues, database problems, mobile layout failures, and API changes yourself • Multiple failure points: Notion API, deployment, database connections, payment integrations - each can fail independently. Postgres saves a lot of this headache. • The trade-off: Every troubleshooting session teaches you the system, dramatically reducing future issues. • Maintenance reality: Currently almost zero maintenance, but you need to be ready when problems arise. • Data validation: Implement checks in the sync layer to catch issues before they reach the live siteWill This All Be True in 6-10 Months From Now? I'll let you know in a future Update!

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Security: Protecting Your Data

• API token security: Store Notion integration tokens as environment variables - never in frontend code • Access control: Use Notion's permission system to control database access and instantly revoke tokens if needed • File management: Pull assets into application storage so links never expire and you control access

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SEO: Dynamic Pages Need Special Handling

• Bot accessibility: Build backend systems so search engines can crawl your dynamic database content • Google Search Console: Set up and maintain sitemaps, structured data, and crawl monitoring • Server-side rendering: Dynamic pages need proper meta tags and content rendering for bots to understand them • Performance impact: Database-driven content can affect page load speeds if not optimized properly

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Future-Proofing

Even if Notion significantly changed their API, everything is backed up in Postgres so the website would keep running. The sync layer is modular and could theoretically pull from a different source, and I control all the data unlike being locked into a platform.

The key insight: Having Postgres as a buffer between Notion and the website means API changes become optional updates rather than emergency fixes.

So Now Comes the Question… Should You Use AI to Help You Build an App or Website? I think the answer is, Yes!

If you are a developer, if you deal with programs like Notion, if you are into software design, and you know how software and information is built and developed, definitely try and build a website with Notion as the backend, with AI Tools for help.

The answer also comes down to "know what you want to build." Understand the architecture of what you are building. Experiment before deploying your professional software. Please review the code and/or the info that you have built. Maybe not line-by-line, but look at the main structure to be sure everything looks okay. Double-check security issues. Understand APIs and the security risks and possible pitfalls and problems that might come. Learn the primary definitions of the systems that you will be building and changing. Examples would be CSS terms and database components and properties. I think it also comes down to what you are wanting to build and how comfortable you are with the software you've already either experimented with or used.

I don't regret my time with Squarespace as it taught me how to start building layouts and the general scheme of how websites work, but I am incredibly thankful that I did transition to make my own system.

What is Next

This project has been incredibly encouraging, and I'm already planning to continue developing new systems and elements for this website. More information on that to come in future updates!

One of the biggest payoffs from this build has been gaining the confidence and capabilities to tackle even more sophisticated applications in the future. Building my very own music catalog has shown me what's possible when you combine deep system knowledge with AI tools. I have a genuine urge and drive to keep building.

As a musician approaching development through systems thinking, this project demonstrates how musicians with deep systems knowledge can build sophisticated technical solutions. I'm definitely interested in pursuing this as enjoyable, meaningful work and continuing to build more advanced projects.

Your Next Steps

If this case study has sparked your interest, here's how you can start your own journey:

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Start Here if You're New to System Building:

• Spend 2-5 months building increasingly complex systems in Notion - don't rush into coding • Focus on understanding database relationships - this knowledge becomes your AI collaboration superpower • Build something you actually use daily - real need drives better learning than theoretical projects

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Ready to Build? Here's Your Action Plan:

• Pick one specific problem your current tools can't solve (don't try to rebuild everything at once) • Start with Notion API experiments before committing to full development • Budget for AI learning costs (~$300-500 if you're methodical) as a skill investment • Plan for 50-100 hours if building from scratch as a first-time coder

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You're Ready If:

• You understand how databases should connect and relate • You've built complex Notion systems that others find impressive • You're comfortable troubleshooting and learning from failures

The combination of Notion's intuitive database system and AI-assisted development has made sophisticated web development accessible in a way that wasn't possible just a few years ago. The barrier isn't technical skill anymore - it's systems thinking and the willingness to learn.

The future of building is collaborative—between you and AI, between your existing knowledge and new possibilities. If you understand how data should connect and flow, you have everything you need to build sophisticated technical solutions.

Related News

• Website Redesign! Custom Coded E-Commerce with Notion as the Backend
• Brandon has been named a Notion Ambassador

SEO Blob

# Notion as an E-Commerce CMS

## Unlock the Power of Notion for E-Commerce Development

This comprehensive resource is designed for individuals seeking to leverage Notion as an enterprise-grade content management system (CMS) for building professional websites, particularly in the e-commerce space. As a Notion ambassador, I aim to optimize this content for both human users and AI crawlers to ensure maximum visibility and usability.

### Overview of Notion as a CMS

Notion serves as a powerful backend for e-commerce applications, replacing traditional website builders like Squarespace. By utilizing Notion's robust database capabilities, users can create a sophisticated CMS that allows for dynamic content delivery and efficient content management.

### Key Features of Notion for E-Commerce:

1. Database Relationships: Understand and implement complex relationships between different types of content, enabling a seamless user experience.
2. Dynamic Content Delivery: Learn how to create both dynamic and static pages, ensuring that your website adapts to user interactions and database updates.
3. Cost Efficiency: Discover how to significantly reduce operational costs by utilizing Notion, with ongoing expenses dropping from hundreds of dollars per year to a mere fraction of that.
4. Time Efficiency: New page creation is streamlined, reducing the time needed for updates and content management, allowing for a more agile workflow.
5. Educational Value: Gain insights into database design and system architecture through hands-on experience with Notion, empowering you to build your own systems.

### Learning Objectives

- Master Database Design: Gain a profound understanding of how databases work and how to create relationships between them.
- Implement AI Tools: Learn how to use AI tools like Cursor and ChatGPT to assist in your development process, enhancing productivity and efficiency.
- Build a Fully Functional E-Commerce Site: Step-by-step guidance on building a complete e-commerce website, from initial planning to deployment.

### Practical Applications

- Content Management: Use Notion to manage your product listings, customer data, and media files effectively.
- User Experience: Create a user-friendly interface that enhances customer engagement and satisfaction.
- Cross-Database Intelligence: Implement features that allow different databases to communicate, providing a rich and cohesive user experience.

### Additional Resources

For those interested in deepening their knowledge of Notion, trumpet playing, composition, and coding, this resource serves as a foundational guide. It is tailored to meet the needs of beginners and experienced users alike.

### Access and Download

This resource is available for free download to provide you with all the necessary insights and tools to start your journey with Notion as an e-commerce CMS.

Download Link: [Access Resource Here]

By following this guide, you will be equipped to harness the full potential of Notion in your e-commerce endeavors, paving the way for a successful online presence.