What is headless commerce?

Headless commerce is a type of eCommerce architecture that decouples the front-end presentation layer from the back-end system that manages the data and business logic.

In a traditional eCommerce setup, the front-end presentation layer (i.e. the website or app that the customer interacts with) is tightly coupled with the back-end system that manages the data and business logic. This means that any changes to the front-end require changes to the back-end, and vice versa.

With headless commerce, the front-end and back-end are completely decoupled. The back-end system exposes a set of RESTful APIs that the front-end can use to access the data and business logic. This means that the front-end can be built using any technology or framework, and can be easily changed without affecting the back-end.

Why use headless commerce?

There are a few key benefits to using headless commerce:

Flexibility

One of the biggest benefits of headless commerce is the flexibility it offers. With a traditional eCommerce setup, you’re tied to the technology that was used to build the front-end. This can make it difficult and expensive to make changes to the front-end, as you may need to hire developers with specific expertise.

With headless commerce, the front-end can be built using any technology or framework. This means that you’re not tied to a particular technology, and you can easily make changes to the front-end without having to hire specialist developers.

Speed

Another benefit of headless commerce is that it can be quicker to develop and launch a new headless commerce site than a traditional eCommerce site. This is because the front-end and back-end are completely decoupled, so you can develop the front-end and back-end in parallel.

Improved performance

Headless commerce can also offer improved performance, as the front-end can be designed specifically for performance. With a traditional eCommerce setup, the front-end is often generated by the back-end, which can result in slow page loads and poor performance.

Better UX

Headless commerce can also offer a better user experience (UX), as the front-end can be designed specifically for the user. With a traditional eCommerce setup, the front-end is often generated by the back-end, which can result in a poor UX.

Simplicity

Headless commerce can also be simpler to set up and manage than a traditional eCommerce setup. This is because the front-end and back-end are completely decoupled, so you don’t need to worry about keeping the two in sync.

Scalability

Headless commerce can also be more scalable than a traditional eCommerce setup. This is because the front-end and back-end are completely decoupled, so you can scale the front-end and back-end independently.

Future-proof

Headless commerce is also future-proof, as the front-end can be easily changed without affecting the back-end. This means that you can easily make changes to the front-end to keep up with the latest trends and technologies.

Lower cost

Headless commerce can also be lower cost than a traditional eCommerce setup. This is because the front-end and back-end are completely decoupled, so you don’t need to worry about maintaining two separate codebases.

Improved security

Headless commerce can also offer improved security, as the front-end and back-end are completely decoupled. This means that the back-end can be behind a firewall, and the front-end can be built using a secure framework.

When should you use headless commerce?

Headless commerce can be a good choice for a number of different types of businesses, including:

Businesses that want a flexible eCommerce solution

Headless commerce can be a good choice for businesses that want a flexible eCommerce solution. This is because the front-end can be built using any technology or framework, and can be easily changed without affecting the back-end.

Businesses that want a quicker way to develop and launch a new eCommerce site

Headless commerce can also be a good choice for businesses that want a quicker way to develop and launch a new eCommerce site. This is because the front-end and back-end are completely decoupled, so you can develop the front-end and back-end in parallel.

Businesses that want a more scalable eCommerce solution

Headless commerce can also be a good choice for businesses that want a more scalable eCommerce solution. This is because the front-end and back-