Headless CMS Explained

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While a traditional CMS is one monolithic system, a headless CMS separates the "body" of a content management system (the backend) from the "head" (the frontend). That means you can use whatever technology you want to build your system while distributing your content to any channel, format, or audience.

Users who switch to headless CMS (opens in a new window) can reap benefits including blazing production speeds, unmatched technical agility, and full control over their tech stacks. They also gain a distinct advantage: the ability to create modern, powerful content experiences that are unique to their brand and stand out from the crowd.

Let’s take a closer look at what a headless CMS is and what it can do for your organization.

What is headless CMS?

A headless CMS is a backend-only content management system built from the ground up as a content repository. The content is then accessible via a RESTful API or GraphQL API for display on any device. This separates your data (the “body”) from how it’s presented (the “head”), hence the term “headless”.

This separation may seem minor, but it gives your teams a revolutionary amount of freedom:

• Developers gain total control over their tech stack (opens in a new window) and can use whatever technology they want without worrying about how it’ll impact the frontend
• Marketers can move with speed and agility (opens in a new window), pushing content in any format to every possible channel

The result? A bigger, faster market impact that keeps customers coming back for more.

Headless CMS vs legacy CMS: What’s the difference?

Headless CMS separates the frontend of a system from the backend. Legacy CMSs – also called traditional or monolithic CMSs – are the opposite, operating as an all-in-one system. Content goes in the backend to be used for a single frontend only. In most cases, this is your typical no-frills website.

Legacy systems might seem like a dream come true for those craving a no-fuss, all-in-one content solution. But here’s the catch: that simplicity comes at a steep price. These systems are rigid, locked into their original design, and extremely resistant to meeting any individual or less common needs

Want to expand to new channels? Hope your dev team has a lot of time on their hands. Scaling is a headache at best and impossible at worst. And because all your content, code, and assets are trapped inside one closed-off system, you’re stuck. No easy reusing, remixing, or repurposing — just a whole lot of roadblocks.

Monolithic systems are convenient, quick, simple solutions. But to be all of those things, they’re sacrificing creativity and denying any possibility of a truly tailored CMS for your organization. Not everyone will be satisfied with the trade-off.

Here's an at-a-glance look at the differences between headless CMS and legacy CMS:

Think of it like Legos. Some people are happy with a preset build kit. Predetermined pieces, step-by-step instructions, and a final product that looks the same as everyone else’s. There’s certainly comfort in predictability, but it also puts a hard limit on creativity. You’re boxed in before you even begin.

But as any Lego enthusiast will tell you, build kits are far from your only option. Now, imagine stepping into a Lego store where every brick is at your fingertips. You can pick from every available brick to build the exact creation you have in mind: no more, no less. That’s what headless CMS offers. You decide what pieces to use, how they connect, and what the final masterpiece looks like. No constraints, no cookie-cutter results. Just pure freedom.

Headless CMS examples

Headless CMS is growing in popularity, with a quarter of users in 2024 already embracing a headless system. This popularity has led to the rise of many headless providers. However, it’s important to closely consider any CMS that claims to be headless, as this is not always the full truth. Some will embrace headless elements, but not truly be headless.

For example, WordPress is one of the most popular monolithic CMSs out there. As headless providers have started to take leading roles in the industry, WordPress has started to offer an API approach, called by some “decapitation”. While it aims to be similar to a headless CMS, it still misses the mark: this functionality is not what the system has been designed for, and as such, is unlikely to achieve the same benefits that headless users see.

Headless CMS benefits

The flexibility of a headless CMS offers plenty of advantages, but they can generally be organized into three key benefits: speed, agility, and control.

1. Break-neck speed

Thanks to the use of APIs, developers are free to use any frontend tools that will best serve their projects. That means they won’t have to learn a new language if they don’t want to or get stuck with outdated tools if there are better ones that could replace them. They can interchange at will, without ever worrying about how their changes will impact the frontend presentation layer. Less obstacles means faster production.

There’s also the matter of speed with scaling. When you use a headless CMS, you can repurpose content effortlessly across an unlimited number of channels. Not only does this ensure consistency and broaden your reach, but it also makes it faster and easier to scale personalized experiences.

2. Agility to keep competitors on their toes

When you embrace a headless CMS, you’re also embracing composability (opens in a new window). Composability is at the heart of that Lego analogy from earlier: the freedom to assemble and present content as needed based on flexible, reusable building blocks. Devs can create preset components, and presto – all your content editors need to do is customize the content and arrange them as they see fit.

Headless also grants agility on the technical side by future-proofing your tech stack. Designed to adapt to new technology, headless CMSs are an essential part of MACH principles that work so they’ll never be outdated. The structure is designed to incorporate new technology, not shut it out. Its APIs mean that whenever new technology comes along that you’d like to use, you can integrate them with full confidence that it’ll operate seamlessly within the system.

3. Control with confidence

When you get final say over what’s in your tech stack, you unlock limitless possibilities. You’re free from vendor lock-in, backend limitations, and frontend disruptions. Your team can breathe life into the boldest content management strategies without a hitch. With headless, you control your CMS – not the other way around.

Choosing a headless CMS also puts you in control of your security. Headless CMSs are natively more secure than legacy alternatives. Thanks to the separation of the front and back ends, there’s a minimized exposure to attacks. Even if one component becomes compromised, you still have another shield: the API-based communication model means components aren’t directly connected, so the breach won’t be able to spread.

How to use a headless CMS

Monolithic CMSs might work for some people with simple needs, small operations, or few devs. But if you want to really shine on a large, captivating scale, headless CMS is the only way to go.

A few use cases include:

• Websites: Whether using JavaScript frameworks like VueJS/Nuxt.js or static site generators like Gatsby, adopting a headless CMS will help you produce higher-performing, sophisticated websites.
• eCommerce Platforms: Managing an eCommerce platform such as Shopify or BigCommerce requires the input of a lot of content. Headless can help centralize it and distribute it across multiple channels, making products available and streamlined across the web.
• Mobile apps: Native mobile apps for iOS, Android, and Windows Phone are all use cases for headless CMS, benefiting from its ability to deliver custom experiences to users based on their data and behavior within the app.
• AR/VR: AR and VR are emerging technologies (opens in a new window), both well-supported by headless thanks to its ability to provide a content repository to deliver the experience and integrate with various AR tools such as Unreal Engine.
  
  But these are just a few examples. In-person kiosks? Smart speakers (opens in a new window)? Multi-tenant websites (opens in a new window)? Check, check, and check. If it can connect with an API, it can be powered by headless.
  For more info on what a headless CMS can do – and a few tips on finding if it’s right for you – one of our experts weighs in:

Headless CMS FAQs

Are headless CMS and decoupled CMS the same?

Not quite. Some people use “headless CMS” and “decoupled CMS" interchangeably, but it’s important to note that they’re not the same. Headless CMS is a system that separates content from code and will never have a frontend presentation layer attached by default. By contrast, a decoupled CMS will also separate those elements, but it does have a presentation layer linked. In most cases, this is a website.

The key difference comes down to the default presentation layer: a headless CMS won’t have one, but a decoupled CMS will. This sacrifices a bit of the flexibility and power that headless CMS is known for but isn’t quite as restrictive as a monolithic CMS.

Is headless CMS better for SEO?

Yes. A headless CMS gives you full control over your tech stack. This empowers you to fine-tune your content structure, page speed, and metadata – all of which play a big role in attracting search engines. Legacy systems tend to have clunky code and rigid templates, limiting what you can do to increase visibility. But with headless, you’re on the fast-track to search engine optimization on your terms.

Is headless CMS the future?

Headless CMSs are designed to evolve right alongside your business. You’ll never have to switch CMSs again. Just update your tech stack, integrate the latest tools, and keep moving forward. Headless CMSs will be able to integrate any technology that uses APIs, including technology that hasn’t even been invented yet. It doesn’t get much more future-proof than that!

Which headless CMS to choose?

That’ll depend on your needs. But keeping a few tips in mind can help ensure you land on the right choice:

• Get input from every team that’ll be using the system – from marketers, developers, and content editors alike.
• Read case studies (opens in a new window) to see how it performs in the real world. Bonus points if there’s insight from your industry.
• Take advantage of free trials and personalized demos to test different options before committing.

Finding the perfect headless CMS is a journey, but these strategies can help you find one that fits your team like a glove.