How do you get started with headless commerce in 2023?
Get started with headless commerce
Headless commerce refers to a method of building an e-commerce platform in which the front-end or the “head” (the user interface) is separated from the back-end or the “body” (the database and the server-side application).
This allows for greater flexibility and scalability in the development and design of the user interface, as well as the ability to integrate the platform with a wide variety of other systems and technologies.
This approach allows for faster and more efficient development, it also allows for more creative and personalized user experiences by giving more control to the front-end developer, giving them the ability to access the back-end through APIs.
There are primarily two ways to go about headless commerce: creating a custom headless architecture from the ground up or using pre-existing platforms that offer headless architecture as a built-in feature.
1. Determine if you should keep or switch your commerce platform.
When determining if you should keep or switch your commerce platform, there are a few key factors to consider. One important factor is whether your current platform can support the headless architecture that you need for your business. If your current platform does not have headless capabilities, or if it would require significant customization to support headless, it may be more cost-effective and efficient to switch to a platform that already has headless capabilities built-in.
Another important factor to consider is the scalability of your current platform. As your business grows, you may find that your current platform is not able to handle the increased traffic and data processing needs. In this case, switching to a more scalable platform could be a better option.
It’s also important to consider the technical capabilities of your current platform and the platform you are considering switching to. If your current platform has limitations that are hindering your ability to add new features and functionality, switching to a more flexible platform could be a better option.
Lastly, consider the cost and resources, if switching platforms requires a significant amount of time and money, it may be more beneficial to keep your current platform.
In summary, when determining if you should keep or switch your commerce platform, you should consider whether your current platform can support headless architecture, its scalability, its technical capabilities, and the cost and resources required to make the switch.
2. Pick a headless CMS.
When choosing a headless CMS, it’s important to consider several factors to ensure that the platform meets your business needs and goals. One important factor is content modeling. The CMS should provide a way to model your content in a way that makes sense for your business, this will allow you to easily create, manage, and organize your content.
Another important factor to consider is the APIs. The CMS should have robust APIs that allow for easy integration with other systems and platforms, this will allow you to easily retrieve and display your content on any device or channel.
User roles and permissions are also crucial aspects to take into consideration. The CMS should allow for multiple user roles and permissions, this will allow you to control who can access and manage your content.
Scalability is another important factor to consider, as your business grows, your CMS should be able to handle a large volume of content and traffic.
Security is also an important aspect to consider, the CMS should have strong security features to protect your content from unauthorized access.
Lastly, support and documentation are also important factors. The CMS should have good support and documentation so that you can easily troubleshoot any issues that may arise.
Popular headless CMS options include Contentful, Prismic, Strapi, and Sanity.io. It’s important to evaluate the different options and pick the one that best fits your specific business needs and goals. Remember that a headless CMS is not only a technical choice but also a strategic one, it will have an impact on your overall digital strategy.
3. Sync your CMS and APIs.
In headless commerce, syncing your CMS and APIs is an essential step to ensure the smooth functioning of your e-commerce platform. The headless commerce approach separates the front-end or “head” (the user interface) from the back-end or “body” (the database and the server-side application).
The CMS is responsible for managing and organizing the content, while the APIs are responsible for delivering that content to the front end. Syncing the two ensures that the data being displayed on the front end is always up-to-date and accurate.
There are several ways to sync your CMS and APIs, the most common methods include using webhooks or a middleware layer. Webhooks are a way for your CMS to send a notification to your APIs whenever the content is updated, this allows for real-time updates on the front end.
On the other hand, a middleware layer sits between your CMS and your APIs and regularly checks for updates and pushes the updates to the APIs. This approach is useful when you have a lower frequency of updates, and you don’t need real-time updates on the front end.
Additionally, some headless CMSs have built-in webhooks or integration feature that allows connecting the CMS with other systems or APIs, this could save time and effort to keep the data synced.
It’s important to consider how to handle conflicts and errors that may occur during the syncing process. This may include error handling mechanisms such as retries or fallback mechanisms, to ensure that your data remains consistent and accurate.
Syncing your CMS and APIs in headless commerce is crucial for providing a seamless and consistent customer experience. It ensures that the data displayed on the front end is always up-to-date and accurate, and it makes it easy for your business to manage and update your content. With proper syncing in place, your e-commerce platform will function smoothly and efficiently.
5 headless commerce platforms
Headless commerce platforms are e-commerce systems that are built using a headless architecture, where the front-end or “head” (the user interface) is separated from the back-end or “body” (the database and the server-side application).
This allows for greater flexibility and scalability in the development and design of the user interface, as well as the ability to integrate the platform with a wide variety of other systems and technologies.
1. Shopify Plus
Shopify Plus is a powerful e-commerce platform that is becoming increasingly popular among businesses looking to implement a headless commerce approach. The platform offers a wide range of features and tools for creating and managing an e-commerce store, and its headless capabilities make it an ideal choice for businesses looking for greater flexibility and scalability in the development and design of their user interface.
One of the key features of Shopify Plus is its headless capabilities, which are made possible through its APIs and webhooks. These capabilities allow businesses to separate the front end of their e-commerce store from the back end, giving them greater control over the design and functionality of their store. This allows businesses to use any front-end framework they choose, such as React or Angular, to display the content and create a unique user experience.
In addition to its headless capabilities, Shopify Plus also offers a wide range of features for creating and managing an e-commerce store, such as inventory management, order management, payment gateway integration, and more. It also offers a number of pre-built apps that can be used to add additional functionality to your e-commerce store, such as email marketing and analytics.
Shopify Plus is also a cloud-based platform that is easy to set up and use, making it a popular choice for businesses of all sizes, from small businesses to large enterprises. It also offers a variety of customization options, including the ability to create custom themes and templates.
In conclusion, Shopify Plus is a powerful e-commerce platform that offers a wide range of features and tools for creating and managing an e-commerce store, and its headless capabilities make it an ideal choice for businesses looking for greater flexibility and scalability in the development and design of their user interface.
Brands utilizing Shopify Plus for their headless commerce stores: Allbirds, Kotn, Babylist, ILIA
2. Adobe Commerce
Adobe Commerce is a powerful e-commerce platform that offers businesses the ability to implement a headless commerce approach. This approach separates the front-end or “head” (the user interface) from the back-end or “body” (the database and the server-side application). This allows for greater flexibility and scalability in the development and design of the user interface, as well as the ability to integrate the platform with a wide variety of other systems and technologies.
One of the key features of Adobe Commerce is its headless capabilities, which are made possible through its APIs and webhooks. These capabilities allow businesses to separate the front-end of their e-commerce store from the back-end, giving them greater control over the design and functionality of their store. This allows businesses to use any front-end framework they choose, such as React or Angular, to display the content and create a unique user experience.
Adobe Commerce also offers a wide range of features for creating and managing an e-commerce store, such as inventory management, order management, payment gateway integration, and more. It also offers a number of pre-built apps that can be used to add additional functionality to your e-commerce store, such as email marketing and analytics.
Adobe Commerce is also a cloud-based platform that is easy to set up and use, making it a popular choice for businesses of all sizes, from small businesses to large enterprises.
3. BigCommerce
BigCommerce is a cloud-based e-commerce platform that offers businesses the ability to implement a headless commerce approach. This approach separates the front-end or “head” (the user interface) from the back-end or “body” (the database and the server-side application). This allows for greater flexibility and scalability in the development and design of the user interface, as well as the ability to integrate the platform with a wide variety of other systems and technologies.
One of the key features of BigCommerce is its headless capabilities, which are made possible through its APIs and webhooks. These capabilities allow businesses to separate the front-end of their e-commerce store from the back-end, giving them greater control over the design and functionality of their store. Businesses can use any front-end framework they choose, such as React or Angular, to display the content and create a unique user experience. This also allows businesses to easily make changes to the front-end without affecting the back-end, and vice versa, which can save time and effort in the development process.
BigCommerce also offers a wide range of features for creating and managing an e-commerce store, such as inventory management, order management, payment gateway integration, and more. It also offers a number of pre-built apps that can be used to add additional functionality to your e-commerce store, such as email marketing and analytics.
BigCommerce also has built-in SEO features, which are designed to help businesses improve their search engine ranking and visibility. This can be beneficial for businesses looking to increase their online presence and drive more traffic to their store.
BigCommerce is also a cloud-based platform that is easy to set up and use, making it a popular choice for businesses of all sizes, from small businesses to large enterprises. With its headless capabilities, businesses can easily customize the user interface and integrate the platform with other systems, which can help to provide a unique and personalized experience for customers.
4. Fabric
Fabric is a headless commerce platform that provides businesses with the ability to implement a headless commerce approach. This approach separates the front-end or “head” (the user interface) from the back-end or “body” (the database and the server-side application). This allows for greater flexibility and scalability in the development and design of the user interface, as well as the ability to integrate the platform with a wide variety of other systems and technologies.
One of the key features of Fabric is its ability to provide businesses with a unified commerce platform that can be integrated with other systems, such as a headless CMS, ERP, and CRM. This allows businesses to manage their entire commerce ecosystem from one central platform, which can save time and effort in the development process. With the unified platform, businesses can easily manage their products, orders, inventory, and customer data, and also can easily integrate with other systems.
The fabric also offers a wide range of features for creating and managing an e-commerce store, such as inventory management, order management, payment gateway integration, and more. It also offers a number of pre-built apps that can be used to add additional functionality to your e-commerce store, such as email marketing and analytics. These features can help businesses to streamline their operations, increase productivity and improve the customer experience.
Fabric also provides businesses with the ability to easily customize the user interface and integrate the platform with other systems, which can help to provide a unique and personalized experience for customers. Additionally, Fabric offers a flexible and robust API that allows developers to build custom functionality and integrations, this can be beneficial for businesses that have specific requirements or needs.
5. Foxy
Foxy is a headless e-commerce platform that allows businesses to implement a headless commerce approach. This approach separates the front-end or “head” (the user interface) from the back-end or “body” (the database and the server-side application). This allows for greater flexibility and scalability in the development and design of the user interface, as well as the ability to integrate the platform with a wide variety of other systems and technologies.
One of the key features of Foxy is its ability to provide businesses with a flexible and customizable platform that can be integrated with other systems such as a headless CMS, CRM, and ERP. This allows businesses to manage their entire commerce ecosystem from one central platform, which can save time and effort in the development process. Foxy also allows businesses to easily manage their products, orders, inventory, and customer data.
Foxy also offers a wide range of features for creating and managing an e-commerce store, such as inventory management, order management, payment gateway integration, and more. It also offers a number of pre-built apps that can be used to add additional functionality to your e-commerce store, such as email marketing and analytics. These features can help businesses to streamline their operations, increase productivity, and improve the customer experience.
Foxy also provides businesses with the ability to easily customize the user interface and integrate the platform with other systems, which can help to provide a unique and personalized experience for customers. Additionally, Foxy offers a flexible and robust API that allows developers to build custom functionality and integrations, this can be beneficial for businesses that have specific requirements or needs.
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