When the time comes to choose a content management system (CMS) architecture, building a scalable, functional, and cost-efficient application depends on making the right choice. Traditionally, monolithic CMS were behind most content-heavy sites. WordPress, for instance, has held up a massive part of the web for a long time. But in the last several years, a new option has emerged and changed the way we think about content: headless CMS. This is more than a buzzworthy, it’s a new idea. It’s a competent and competitive architecture choice that’s not going anywhere soon. Let’s explore a bit about it and find out how it works, why it’s different, and why this is the future of content management.
What exactly is Headless CMS?
Anything that describes itself as a headless CMS is used to disconnect content (the back end) from the user interface (the front end). All content is stored and managed on the back end. Content managers live here, pushing content and data without having to worry about what’s happening in the presentation layer. That content is then available to front end developers through an API. They can consume the content and arrange it however they need on the front end, without having to think about how it’s being stored and managed.
Decoupling these data and presentation layers is what separates a headless CMS from a traditional CMS. Before headless, the CMS controlled content, storage, and presentation all within the same system. This tight integration limits the flexibility and independence of developers and content creators because any changes to the front end can potentially create a need to adjust the entire CMS.
The benefits of using headless CMS
The most immediate advantage of implementing a headless CMS is the ability to streamline collaboration within the team. With the content management system being decoupled from the front end, team members can work on both aspects simultaneously. Being able to work in parallel accelerates the development process because individuals working on content, development, or design can focus on their task without being dependent on each other’s timeline.
A second strength that makes headless CMS a popular choice is the flexibility of technology in the front end. With no constraints other than consuming an API, the front-end team can choose a tech stack based on the organization’s needs/goals and the strength of the team. Freeing the dev team of the constraints of a traditional CMS (think templates, themes, and plugins) will allow them to leverage their skillsets to create a completely customized UI quickly.
Another major advantage of this architecture is its ability to serve multiple channels. Creating a consistent user experience across multiple platforms is hard work, and managing content for all of them is often a cumbersome and disorganized process. Because a headless CMS doesn’t care where the content goes, it’s simple to create a single source that can be used for multiple channels. Need a banner that you can use for the website, marketing emails, and the mobile app? That’s a single piece of content. How about a single front-end checkout component that looks and behaves the same across multiple brands? With a headless CMS, you can make it so.
What could go wrong?
Exploring solutions is never a “one size fits all” scenario. Technologies have trade-offs, and headless is no exception. There are a few things to pay attention to that might make this approach unrealistic or a bad fit.
First, there are often larger infrastructure requirements needed to make this work. Without any out-of-the-box options provided by the CMS (site builders, analytics tools, etc.), you’ll be creating all the UI from scratch. The freedom to choose a front-end tech stack comes with the cost of time spent making those decisions and building the initial structure. Make sure your team is equipped to handle this upfront load before committing.
There is also a potential “gotcha” for content authors that needs to be considered. They likely won’t be able to alter the placement or presentation of content through the CMS. Those changes will have to be made on the front-end side. This might work out to be a good thing depending on the structure of the team but can be a limitation nonetheless that could complicate some projects.
Why headless is here to stay
Building the web is a constantly changing world, so is this new headless approach just the current trend or is it taking root? A headless CMS will adapt itself to the future instead of freezing it in time. It allows for a highly scalable product, and fits in effortlessly to an agile team. At the end of the day, businesses need to choose an architecture that works best for them, but knowing how and when to implement a headless CMS is knowledge that can carry you for a long time to come.
If going headless makes sense architecturally, but there are hurdles to jump to make it happen, bringing in the expertise of a company like Merkle can bridge the gap between the right idea and a well refined result. Merkle has been using leading headless technology like Sitecore XM Cloud to improve the CMS experience for clients with this very need. Learn more about that here.
