Headless CMS
Manage content from a single backend and publish faster, anywhere
What is a Headless CMS?
The term ‘headless’ refers to separating the ‘head’ of a CMS from the body, with the two connected through APIs.
In essence, the head is the presentation layer, so typically the frontend website templates, pages, and views, while the body is the backend content repository.
A headless CMS focuses on storing and delivering structured content – while still allowing creators, marketers and non-technical business users to control content through an administration interface.
Headless vs Traditional CMS
While a headless CMS decouples the frontend and the backend, a traditional CMS is monolithic, and essentially an all-in-one option. These CMS’ are more rigid in their architectural implementation and quite often have a template-driven frontend, meaning users can create and manage content without much technical knowledge.
The Evolution of the CMS
With the evolution of the internet came a rapid adoption of dynamic content. Quickly, businesses began needing more control over their content than static HTML pages could give them.
Along came the monolithic CMS, popularized by the likes of WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal. These are all-in-one option where the frontend and backend are delivered in a tightly-coupled framework.
As mobile exploded and more content was consumed on handheld devices, a lot of CMS options were forced to adapt.
While you can now access installed and cloud-based options, and many now offer different plugins, extensions and APIs, the rise of multiple customer touchpoints (omnichannel experiences) demanded a different kind of CMS. This is where headless CMS and more sophisticated MACH CMS architecture comes into play.
Headless CMS Buyers Guide 2023
If you’re considering a headless CMS architecture for your business, or are in the middle of an evaluation process, we’ve created an unbiased buyer’s guide to help you make the right choice.
Headless Commerce: The Basics
Whether you’re only just hearing about headless, or you’re simply fed up with your current technology and are looking for a better solution, our guide is the place to start.
We’re a Strong Performer and That’s Official
We’ve been singled out as a Strong Performer in a report by leading global research form Forrester that examined how different vendors stack up when it comes to agile CMS.
Advantages of a Headless CMS
Build personalized, immersive experiences
Bring together best-in-class applications
Lightning fast
Ever evolving and flexible
Manage content across multiple channels and touchpoints
Enhanced security
Use any framework you want
Advantages of a Traditional CMS
An all-in-one system
Doesn’t require much technical knowledge (depending on your needs)
Superior visual administration and content editors
No (or lower) reliance on developers for updates
Simple, easy-to-use templates
Lower implementation costs
Fast to implement