Headless CMS

A headless CMS is a content management system that stores and manages structured content without a built-in presentation layer. It delivers that content through APIs to any interface (website, mobile app, kiosk, assistant). The name comes from the image of a body, content management, separated from its head, the display.

Definition and how it works

The benefit is reusing the same content across several channels. In return, building each channel’s front end is a complete project of its own. The article Headless vs traditional CMS: which one to choose compares both approaches.

Headless CMS vs coupled CMS: the differences

A coupled CMS, also called traditional, manages content and renders pages. A headless CMS does only the first part. The headless vs decoupled vs hybrid entry details what is left to build in each case.

CMS architectures compared
Architecture	What characterizes it
Coupled CMS	Renders pages through its templates. Immediate preview, but one main channel.
Hybrid CMS	Renders pages and exposes content through APIs, depending on each project’s needs.
Content as a service	Stresses supplying content as a service. Overlaps heavily with headless.

Headless CMS in practice

Who builds and maintains each channel’s front end? How do contributors preview changes before publication? Who approves a change to the content model? For one main site and a few secondary channels, a hybrid approach avoids the choice. Jahia, for example, can render pages through templates while exposing the same content through a GraphQL API.

Frequently asked questions

Does headless eliminate front-end development?

No, it tends to increase it. A headless CMS provides no display. Every site or app that consumes its content has to be built, hosted and maintained separately. Going headless assumes a front-end team that stays available over the long term.

Does a single website justify a headless CMS?

Not necessarily. Headless makes sense when several channels consume the same content, or when a front-end team wants complete technical freedom. For a main website, a coupled or hybrid CMS avoids funding a separate front end and keeps preview for contributors.