HEADLESS WEBSITE WITH NEXT.JS: FOR WHOM, AND WHY
Separating content (WordPress, an e-commerce back office) from display (Next.js) gives very fast, free websites. But it is not for everyone. The cases where it is worth it.
By Arnaud Poirier, freelance web & software developer, Antibes
- Headless = site built separately with Next.js, content in a back office: very fast, free, secure.
- For brands that sell online and high-traffic sites.
- Not for a six-page brochure site or a team that wants to edit everything in a visual editor.
“Headless” means the site your customers see is built separately, with a modern tool (Next.js), and fetches content or products from a back office (WordPress, Medusa, Shopify). Result: a site as fast as an app, with total design freedom.
What it brings
- Speed. Pages are pre-built and served instantly. Maximum Google mobile score with no effort.
- Freedom. No theme to work around: every page is designed for your brand, with the animations and interactions you want.
- Security. The public site has no exposed database, so far less attack surface.
- Longevity. We change the back office without rebuilding the site, and vice versa.
For whom
A brand that sells online and for whom the experience matters (cosmetics, fashion, premium products). A company with several content sources to bring together. A high-traffic site where every tenth of a second shows in sales. I built a store of this type: modern e-commerce back office, Next.js site, payment and carriers integrated, described in Headless store.
Who it is not for
A six-page brochure site, a fifty-product store with a team that wants to edit everything itself in a visual editor: classic WordPress or Shopify do the job for less. Headless needs a developer for every new page type.
What it costs
More than a classic site at the start, less to run (static hosting, little security maintenance). Count a store from €6,000 and serious scoping first. We decide in a thirty-minute call depending on your catalogue and your team.
Frequently asked questions
What is a headless website?+
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How is your website doing? Answer in 30 seconds.
Loading, SEO, security, calls to action: more than forty criteria, a score out of 100, your strengths, your weaknesses and an explained action plan. Brochure site or store. Completely free.
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