What Is Headless CMS?

Despite all the hype surrounding modern “headless” technology, which is set to take over the world of digital content management, the term remains confusing to many. In this post, we explain the meaning of a headless CMS, discuss the pros and cons of this type of system architecture compared to the traditional one, and provide guidance on when — and how — a business should implement it.

How a Headless CMS Works

First, let’s remind ourselves that a content management system, or CMS, is a software solution for managing various types of digital content (text, images, video, etc.). These platforms typically provide comprehensive environments and tools for creating, editing, reviewing, and publishing content.

The architecture of a traditional (or monolithic) CMS assumes tightly connected back and front ends. The back end contains a database, code, and plugins for storing and managing content. The front end incorporates built-in themes, CSS styling, and templates for displaying content on a website.

While developing websites for content delivery may have been sufficient in the past, the myriad of consumer electronics gadgets and commercial appliances available today has transformed business-to-customer interactions. Companies strive to adapt content to everything from ordinary PCs, tablets, and smartphones to wearables, and digital signage displays.

A traditional CMS architecture focused purely on web content cannot cope with this new multichannel reality. A headless CMS has emerged as an alternative addressing the limitations of legacy systems built decades ago and meeting the growing demand for engaging digital experiences across touchpoints.

So, what is a headless CMS? The term means the system doesn’t have an “upper part” — the predefined front end, or a presentation layer. It only provides the back end for content creation, storage, and management, along with APIs (application programming interfaces). The latter allows linking the back end to any front end and delivering content to any device.

Without templates for displaying content, a headless CMS doesn’t need to deal with page layout and design issues. Instead, it feeds the content from the central back end to multiple digital interfaces — websites, mobile apps, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, etc. Changing one interface or adding a device does not impact the entire system’s functioning.

Key Features of a Headless CMS

Elaborating on the definition above, we can distill a list of features characterizing headless CMS solutions.

• Back-end and front-end splitting. Unlike monolithic CMSs that couple the front end with the back end, a headless CMS stores and manages content independently from how it is displayed.
• API-first architecture. Content is accessed and delivered through APIs (usually RESTful API or GraphQL API), enabling developers to pull it into various applications and channels.
• Flexible modeling of structured content. Structured storage allows querying and fetching data for different use cases. You can set up custom content types and create various content relationships according to your needs.
• Multi-language and localization support. Headless CMSs usually have built-in localization features for geographical or cultural content variations. You can easily prepare and manage content in different languages.
• Integration capabilities. Headless CMS solutions often integrate with external systems and services, such as marketing automation, ecommerce platforms, CRM, or analytics tools.

Why a Headless CMS

Among the many reasons to use a system without a presentation layer, here are the primary benefits of a headless CMS.

Flexible technology stack

Headless CMS solutions are developer-friendly. Without built-in templates, development teams can choose the most effective — or their preferred — front-end frameworks to design unique user experiences.

Seamless omnichannel delivery

You can push content from a single back end to any digital platform (websites, apps, digital signage, voice assistants, etc.), repurposing and reusing it to meet the needs of today’s diverse audiences.

Scalability for future growth

With the headless approach, you can upgrade and scale parts of the system without redesigning the overall structure. In addition, many headless CMS solutions are cloud-based and offered as SaaS for high scalability and reduced server management needs.

Improved performance

Cloud-based headless CMS platforms efficiently distribute content worldwide through content delivery networks (CDNs), speeding up load times and improving performance metrics.

Enhanced security

Crucially, decoupling content from the presentation layer lowers security risks associated with the front end. The CMS interface isn’t directly accessible, and multiple authentication methods protect the APIs.

Headless CMS vs. Traditional CMS: Summary of Differences

Here is a quick overview of how headless and monolithic (traditional) CMSs differ in critical aspects and features.

When to “Lose Your Head”

Making the right headless vs. traditional CMS decision can impact your business’s competitiveness and profitability. The choice of CMS type should match your long-term content management goals. Given that you have an internal tech team or access to third-party specialists, the additional criteria below strongly indicate that you should go headless.

Omnichannel content delivery needs

Like the typical answer to why use a headless CMS, a common scenario is that you communicate with your audience via multiple channels and devices. Pick headless to ensure consistent messaging regardless of the platform.

Complex front-end requirements

Going headless will help you when you aim to use various cutting-edge technologies in the front end to create superior user experiences.

Scalability and fast growth expectations

Choose headless if you need a scalable solution to expand the project later on, respond to growing demand, and adapt to technological changes.

Necessary integration with existing systems

An API-first approach makes it easier to connect your CMS with other systems, such as ERP and CRM, analytics tools, and applications you currently use.

Examples of Headless CMS Solutions

The numerous headless CMS offers today represent a large segment of the content management market. Here are some popular platform examples with high industry recognition and expert ratings:

• Contentful — a “composable content platform” from a vendor founded in Germany in 2013, claiming more than 38,000 supported websites and 80 billion monthly API calls.
• Storyblok — a headless solution from an Austrian vendor, the only one recognized as Customers’ Choice in the 2023 Gartner Voice of the Customer Report for Web CMS.
• Contentstack — one of the headless CMS pioneers and a strong performer with top scores in the Forrester Wave Digital Experience Platforms report for 2023.
• Sanity — offering a “Content Operating System,” this headless CMS was rated the best by user satisfaction in the latest Jamstack Community Survey of developers.

Embracing the principles of MACH technology — Microservices-based, API-first, Cloud-native SaaS, and Headless architecture — many headless CMSs are at the heart of modern composable digital experience platforms (DXPs).

Common Challenges with a Headless CMS

So why not use a headless CMS everywhere? You also need to understand the unique disadvantages of this architecture.

Increased front-end complexity

Of course, if a system doesn’t have a “head,” you should set up one — or rather several front-end layouts for each channel, which can be a complex project.

Higher implementation time

Compared to traditional CMS solutions, setting up a headless CMS often takes longer initially, as developers need to configure and integrate different technologies upfront.

Dependency on technical expertise

Due to the lack of built-in front end and integration complexity, you should ensure access to skilled software engineers with knowledge of headless CMS development tools.

None of these challenges needs to be a showstopper. With proper planning, skilled development teams, and a careful selection of tools, you can make your headless project a success.

A Hybrid Headless Alternative

In response to the hype surrounding a headless architecture and the emergence of new competitors, incumbent CMS providers have started to offer a presentation-agnostic alternative: a decoupled or hybrid headless CMS. Sitecore XM Cloud is a vivid example of such a platform.

In a decoupled system, the back and front end communicate through calls to an API. It allows you to decide if you want to use ready templates for publishing content to the web or send your data via an API if you need it on other devices.

Choosing the Right Headless CMS for Your Business

With dozens of headless CMS options on the market, companies can find the process of choosing one to be perplexing. It requires careful consideration of various factors and seeking an optimal balance between your technical needs and business requirements. Here’s a quick guide to help you make the right choice:

To sum up, ensure your chosen CMS is secure, user-friendly for content creators, and integrates seamlessly into your technology stack. Be mindful of scalability and costs, as these factors will significantly affect your content strategy’s success in the long term.

Why SaM Solutions Is a Great Choice for Headless and Traditional CMS Development

At SaM Solutions, a global IT services provider, CMS-based development is one of our core competencies, which we have nurtured in client projects over several decades. We understand that each company’s content management needs are different, and thus, we always start with their detailed analysis before recommending an optimal solution to the client’s challenges.

Our CMS expertise helps us craft versatile composable DXPs using top-rated headless, hybrid, and traditional CMS solutions. With a deep understanding of each technology, SaM Solutions offers different related services, from CMS migration and integration to web, mobile, and ecommerce development and support.

Conclusion: Why the Future of Content Management Is Headless

Is Headless gaining momentum now? We explored queries for “headless CMS” with the Google Trends service. The resulting chart below reveals that the search term only started attracting user interest in 2016–2017, and its popularity has nearly doubled over the last three years.

Changing customer expectations and the proliferation of smart devices increase demand for multichannel B2C and B2B interactions. Businesses seek optimal ways to publish content on different connected hardware to reach their target audience better.

This challenge led to the popularity of decoupled and headless CMS solutions, which offer flexibility, scalability, and easy integration with other platforms. The adoption of headless has become one of the top trends shaping the content management industry in the 2020s.