Headless Commerce
Headless commerce is an architectural approach that decouples the frontend presentation layer (the 'head') from the backend commerce functionality (the 'body'), allowing them to operate independently via APIs. This enables businesses to build custom, flexible user interfaces across multiple channels (e.g., web, mobile, IoT) while leveraging a unified commerce backend for core operations like product management, cart, and checkout. It contrasts with traditional monolithic e-commerce platforms where frontend and backend are tightly integrated.
Developers should learn headless commerce when building modern, omnichannel digital experiences that require high flexibility, scalability, and faster time-to-market, such as for progressive web apps (PWAs), mobile apps, voice assistants, or IoT devices. It's particularly useful in scenarios where businesses need to deliver consistent commerce functionality across diverse touchpoints without being constrained by a single platform's frontend limitations, enabling better performance, customization, and integration with other systems.