Content as a service
Content as a Service, or CaaS, is a model in which content is managed in a central service and supplied through APIs to the applications that consume it (website, mobile app, kiosk, assistant, internal tool). Each application decides on presentation. The service makes sure content is current, structured and available.
Definition and how it works
Content as a service imposes rules a single website can ignore. Content has to be independent of layout, so split into fields rather than written as an HTML block. The schema has to evolve without breaking existing applications. Each application receives only what it is allowed to read.
Examples and benefits of the model are presented in our article What is Content as a Service (CaaS)?
Related terms: GraphQL API · Headless CMS · Content management system · Hybrid CMS
Resources that cover this term
- What is Content as a Service (CaaS)?
- IaaS, PaaS, SaaS: understanding the differences to better choose your cloud solution
- Enterprise CMS: Definition, Key Features and Benefits
- Headless CMS personalization: How to deliver truly adaptive experiences
- Headless Java CMS: In depth guide for developers
- How Integrators Can Design the Ultimate Content Author Experience in a CMS? (Integrators Tips Pt.1)
Content as a service vs headless CMS: the differences
CaaS and headless CMS can refer to the same family of products, seen from two angles. Headless describes an architecture with no imposed presentation layer. CaaS describes a supply model, content delivered as a service.
| Notion | What distinguishes it |
|---|---|
| Headless CMS | A CMS with no imposed presentation layer that delivers content through APIs. |
| SaaS | Software operated by the vendor and sold by subscription. A CMS can be SaaS without supplying its content through APIs. |
| GraphQL API | Lets the application request exactly the fields it needs. The Jahia Academy presents it as the recommended approach, especially for client-side applications. |
Frequently asked questions
Does a content API remove the need for a content model?
No, it is the opposite. Consuming applications need predictable fields and relationships, defined for each content type, to display content without reworking it. The more applications there are, the earlier the model has to be designed and the more carefully it has to be changed.
Does content as a service mean the content is hosted by the vendor?
No. The term describes a way of supplying content, not a hosting location. A CMS installed on your own servers is doing CaaS as soon as it delivers content through an API to several applications, with a stable schema and per-application permissions. A vendor-hosted offer belongs to SaaS.