What is a Headless CMS? A Beginner-Friendly Guide with Real-World Examples

You’re in the market for a new content management system (CMS) and you’ve been seeing the term headless CMS more lately.

So what exactly is a headless CMS? Let’s break it down in plain English.

Traditional CMS vs. Headless CMS

To understand what is a headless CMS, let’s look at a traditional CMS, like Drupal or WordPress. In a traditional CMS:

• The head is the front-end. That’s the part users see, like a web page.
• The body is the back-end. That’s the part where content teams create and store content.

In a traditional CMS platform, the head and the body – just like yours in real life – are tightly connected. The CMS decides how and where content is shown based on its configuration.

For example, a traditional CMS might be great for a web page. But if you want to use your content in an app or smartwatch or display kiosk – theoretically you can, but it’s a very messy process.

What Makes Headless, Headless?

A headless CMS removes the head (front-end/what users see) from the body (back-end/where content is managed).

Which begs the question:

• If the head is detached from the body, how does content get from the back-end (where it’s stored) to the front-end (where it’s seen)?

The answer:

• Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)

Let’s dive into this further.

How It All Works

First, a quick refresher:

• Head: Front-end, where content is displayed.
• Body: Back-end, where content is stored.

OK, now let’s imagine your CMS is a mannequin:

Traditional Version: Body and Head are Stuck Together

• That fixed head works fine for websites. But if you want your content to appear on an app, digital kiosk, or IoT display, you’ll need a new mannequin for each. That quickly gets repetitive and overwhelming.

Headless Version: Body and Head are Detached

• You have one body of content, and you can attach any head – like a website, app, kiosk, or smart device. The API is the neck that connects them, delivering content where it needs to go. It’s flexible, fast, and universal.

So here’s how it goes:

• Head: Front-end, where content is displayed.
• Neck: API that tells the body what type of content (website, app, etc.) the head needs.
• Body: Back-end, where content is stored.

And that’s what a headless CMS is.

Benefits of a Headless CMS

• Omnichannel Publishing: Use your content across many platforms, including websites, apps, kiosks, and more.
• Speed and Performance: Front-ends can be faster and more optimized as their built with modern frameworks.
• Developer Freedom: Front-end developers can use any stack they like.
• Scalability: A headless CMS is easier to scale and maintain as your needs grow.
• Future-Proof: Your content enjoys flexibility for new technologies as they emerge.

Who Should Use a Headless CMS?

• Companies with multiple websites or digital channels like web, mobile, and IoT.
• Development teams looking for full control over design and performance.
• Content teams looking for full autonomy over content without needing developer support.
• Brands planning to scale or adopt emerging tech like voice search, AR, or smart devices.

Look At It This Way…

A headless CMS is like a content hub. It’s your single source of truth. Instead of writing content repeatedly for different platforms, you write it once and serve it anywhere.

A Few Final Thoughts on What Is a Headless CMS

A headless CMS sounds technical, but the concept is simple: separate the content from how it’s displayed.

That’s it, really.

If you’re a developer looking for modern tools or a content creator who wants to publish everywhere, a headless CMS – just like Agility CMS – is the solution you’re looking for.

As Canada’s original headless CMS, Agility has supported noteworthy brands such as:

• Scotiabank.
• Shoppers Drug Mart.
• Hockey Canada.

The Canadian brands you know? The Canadian websites you visit? There’s a good chance they’re powered by Agility CMS.

Want to Know More? Here’s How

• Get a personalized demo and see how Agility CMS powers omnichannel content delivery.
• Try Agility CMS free for 30 days.
• Contact us with any questions you have.