Headless CMS?

A Headless CMS (Content Management System) is a backend-only content management system that acts as a content repository. It allows you to manage and store content while delivering it via APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) to any front-end or platform. Unlike traditional CMS platforms, which bundle the front and back ends together, a headless CMS decouples these components. This separation of concerns provides significant flexibility and scalability for developers and content managers alike.

Headless: Content Management vs Website Rendering

A traditional CMS like WordPress manages both content and its presentation, typically in the form of web pages. It provides themes, templates, and layouts to control how the website looks. In contrast, a Headless CMS only handles the content management part, leaving the front-end or rendering entirely in the hands of the developers. This means the content is stored in a raw format, often as JSON, and can be delivered to various devices and platforms, such as websites, mobile apps, or even IoT devices, through APIs.

The front-end or the presentation layer (website rendering) is built independently by developers using front-end technologies like React, Vue.js, or Angular. This is why it’s referred to as “headless”—there is no predefined "head" (front end) for presenting the content.

Q: What Exactly is Headless CMS and Why Would You Use It?

A Headless CMS provides greater flexibility by separating content management from the front-end display. Here's why this decoupling is advantageous:

  1. Omnichannel Publishing: With a Headless CMS, content can be published to multiple platforms (websites, mobile apps, smart devices, etc.) without needing separate management for each platform.
  2. Custom Front-end Development: Developers have the freedom to build custom front ends using modern frameworks, allowing for better performance, scalability, and control over the user experience.
  3. Future-Proofing: As new devices or platforms emerge, content can be easily adapted without redesigning the entire system, ensuring longevity and adaptability.

Using WordPress as an Example

To explain headless CMS, let’s use WordPress, the most popular traditional CMS platform, and see how it can operate in a headless architecture.

How to Get WordPress as a Headless CMS

While WordPress is traditionally used as a coupled CMS, where both content management and front-end rendering are done within the platform, it can be configured to work as a headless CMS.

  1. Install WordPress: First, install WordPress as usual on your hosting environment.
  2. Enable the REST API: WordPress comes with a REST API, which allows you to access your site's data in JSON format. You’ll need to make sure that the API is enabled, which is typically the default setting.
  3. Disable Front-end Themes (Optional): If you plan to handle all the front-end work separately, you may want to disable the theme rendering in WordPress, focusing entirely on the content management aspects.
  4. Build the Front-end: Use a front-end framework like React, Vue, or Angular to build the user interface. The content managed within WordPress can be fetched via the REST API and rendered within your custom front end.

Benefits of Using WordPress as a Headless CMS