Headless CMS

While traditional CMS architecture has been the standard, companies are now looking for increased flexibility and scalability provided by headless CMS solutions. Learn about the difference between headless CMS versus decoupled CMS architecture and why enterprises embrace content infrastructure.

Deep dive into headless?CMS

Understanding what a headless CMS helps first look at the traditional content management system and its design. Traditional CMSes have been around since the early days of web development. Platforms like WordPress and Sitecore were designed to store and present content elements like text, images and video on websites.

The traditional CMS approach to managing content puts everything in one big bucket — content, images, HTML, CSS. It was impossible to reuse the content because it was commingled with code.

As digital platforms have evolved, the need for more flexible solutions has emerged. Now, enterprises are developing websites, mobile sites, apps, digital displays, conversational interfaces, etc. Meanwhile, the traditional CMS has failed to keep pace. Why? Because a CMS organises content in webpage-oriented frameworks, making it impossible for the same content to adapt to other digital platforms.

What is a headless?CMS?

A headless CMS is a back-end content management system where the content repository “body” is separated or decoupled from the presentation layer “head.” Content housed in a headless CMS is delivered via APIs for seamless display across different devices.

Some traditional CMS platforms offer a “headless API” that allows you to send content to a separate presentation layer. They call this “headless” because the presentation layer is separated from the body.

One way to solve the limitations of a traditional CMS is by implementing a “headless” CMS. If the presentation layer of a website is the “head” of a CMS, then cutting off that presentation layer creates a headless CMS.

While this type of headless CMS enables you to choose an appropriate presentation layer for a digital platform, it doesn’t solve an underlying problem: structuring content so that it can be reused across different platforms and channels.

Headless architecture is a similar concept to a headless CMS, as it is a multichannel solution for effectively publishing dynamic content across a variety of platforms and devices. Content stored in a headless architecture is raw and unformatted, and a front-end system doesn’t limit its final presentation.

What is headless CMS vs decoupled?CMS?

Some platforms offer a “headless” CMS or “decoupled” CMS option through an API that connects the content repository to a separate presentation layer. But the problem of managing the content itself remains. How can content be organised, so it’s easy to reuse across digital platforms? How can it be stored separately from code, so the code doesn’t hinder various digital applications?

CMS and content?infrastructure

Content infrastructure?is a headless content management system, but it doesn’t take the traditional approach of organising content around pages. Instead, it starts with a content model — a framework for managing types of content and defining how each type relates to another.

In this type of headless CMS, a content model is custom-built for each organisation so that content creators aren’t stuck with the preprogrammed models offered by a traditional CMS. The content model breaks down content into individual elements, such as a blog post headline or the copy on a call-to-action button. You can define how each element relates to others, creating a flexible model to fit any digital container.

Why enterprises are embracing structured?content

With the proliferation of digital platforms, enterprises are often crippled by increased CMS instances — dozens or even hundreds. As a result, they have to duplicate content from a website CMS to an app CMS and then to a digital display CMS.

Unifies data into a single headless content hub

Content infrastructure eliminates endless copy and pasting work, enabling organisations to unify all content in a centralised?content hub. This makes editing way easier — change the document or image in one place, and that change applies everywhere the content is located. Unification improves brand consistency and compliance and enables editors to nimbly update content across all channels, making campaigns a breeze.

Enables simultaneous collaboration

Content infrastructure also enables simultaneous collaboration, replacing the slow waterfall approach to development, favouring an agile framework where teams can work parallel. This type of headless CMS offers a competitive advantage for enterprises that need to rapidly spin up new software, landing pages, and microsites.

It makes content resources highly accessible and reusable

Lastly, content infrastructure makes reusability a breeze, a key component for making the most of resources spent on content creation. When all content is accessible on any digital platform, brands can make the most of features like personalisation and localisation.