Headless CMS

What is a headless CMS?

A headless CMS is a content management system where the backend (where you manage content) is separate from the frontend (where that content is displayed). Unlike “traditional CMSs,” where content and presentation are tied together, a headless CMS drives content through a API to any platform you want.

The term “headless” refers to the absence of a fixed “head” or front. You manage content in a dashboard as you are used to, but you determine where and how that content is used – for example on a website, mobile app, webshop or on other digital screens in your store or showroom.

The content is usually retrieved via a REST- or GraphQL API, giving developers a lot of freedom in how they process and display the data on the front end. So you are not stuck with the templates or limitations of the CMS itself.

Headless CMSs are ideal for organizations that want to deploy their content in multiple places, or want more flexibility in technology and design. Examples of popular headless systems include contentful, Sanity, DatoCMS en strappy.

When do you choose headless CMS?

A headless CMS offers clear advantages in certain situations. Here are a few examples of when you would choose a headless approach:

• Scalability – A headless CMS can easily be combined with a CDN such as Cloudflare. This ensures faster loading times and better performance.
• Flexibility & speed – Because the frontend is separate from the CMS, you can use any technology or codebase you want (like React or Vue)
• Safety – Because the CMS does not have a public frontend, you reduce the risk of DDoS attacks because the backend is not directly accessible.

Use cases of a headless CMS

A headless CMS is especially valuable in situations where flexibility, speed or publishing content in different places is key. Here are three use cases that show the power of a headless CMS:

1. Multilingual or international websites
For organizations that operate in multiple countries, a headless CMS offers the possibility to manage content from one central environment and to adjust it per country or region. Content can be offered per language, while the design or platform differs per language or country.

2. Distribute content across multiple channels
Let’s say you manage content for a website, mobile app and digital signage in stores. With a headless CMS, you only have to create that content once. The same content is rolled out to every channel via APIs, without duplication.

3. Webshops with a custom frontend
In e-commerce, you want speed, flexibility and control over the user experience. A headless CMS combined with a custom frontend (e.g. in React or Vue) ensures super fast loading times and an optimal UX, while the content remains easy to manage.

Headless CMS and the impact on UX

Headless development has a huge impact on the user experience (UX) of a website. Because the frontend is separate from the CMS, developers have complete freedom to fast, interactive and a tailor-made interface build with modern frameworks like React or Vue. This ensures shorter load times, smoother transitions and better performance on mobile and desktop.

The frontend is also fully tailored to the user needs, without the limitations of the CMS. This makes the website faster and feels more pleasant and modern. Headless makes it possible to really put UX at the heart of the design and technology.

Headless CMS with Laravel, WordPress and WooCommerce

A headless website doesn't have to mean saying goodbye to familiar systems like WordPress, WooCommerce or Laravel. All these platforms are very suitable to work headless. WordPress and WooCommerce have an API that allows you to retrieve content and products in a separate frontend.

Laravel lends itself excellent for custom solutions in a headless setup, where you have full control over the structure and logic. This way you combine the power of a well-known CMS or framework with the flexibility of a modern frontend, for example built in React, Vue or Next.js. Ideal for scalable, fast and future-proof websites.

Let us build your headless CMS

Digital Agency Van Ons is your partner to help you build your headless solution. We take care of everything from A to Z. In a Discovery Phase we map out your wishes completely and translate them into the technical architecture of your headless solution. Then we build and launch your new headless website in a few weeks.

We are proud of our satisfied customers: we were in the Fonk150 list rated with a 9,2We are in the Emerce Top100 list and are ISO certified.