What is a headless CMS
Edit on GitHubHeadless content management system (CMS) is the trend of the years past. It is built as a content repository where you can store your contents and reach it through RESTful APIs. It is reactive: another system requests the content as and when it’s needed. Since it is a headless CMS there is no ui, so you have the freedom to build it based on your requirements. Thanks to its API-first concept it is easy to integrate with and gives more freedom to the developer to choose framework for his project.
What's a headless CMS anyway?
- loosely connected, often interchangeable components
- easy to integrate with
- scalable
- fast and flexible content delivery
- future proof
- few publisher and developer dependencies
- simple deployment
- good for content centric solutions
Advantages of headless CMS compared to traditional CMS
| Headless CMS | Traditional CMS | |
|---|---|---|
| Integration | Easy to integrate thanks to API first approach | All the content and the source code coexist and are bounded tightly, increasing complexity |
| Flexibility | Optional technology stack (database, framework, programming language) | Site must be written with a specific programming language or with a specific framework |
| Customazibility | Fully customizable | Built-in ui building blocks that you can choose from and customize |
| Setup and deployment | No install, easy upgrade | Requires a database + specific server hosting, and regular maintenance |
| Security | Delivered as SNaaS, you don't have to bother with security issues | Security upgrades and database backups required |
Usecases
- Build web application with a technology you are familiar with
- Native Mobile Apps
- Enrich product information on ecommerce sites
- Realize solution for special business needs
- In case fully customized ui is required
