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The problem with traditional CMSes is that they offer a lot of restrictions for designing and performance.
These solutions include frontend and backend aspects into one place that increases difficulties to make changes and reuse content.
But publishing valuable content consistently is needed if you want to increase your presence.
It will help you reach more people, convert them into customers, and grow your business more.
Headless CMS can help you meet this demand with more flexibility, performance, and scalability.
This is why this technology is trending, and businesses are now switching to it.
According to a report, the global headless CMS market reached US$ 328.5 million in 2019.
This is expected to reach US$ 1,628.6 million by 2027.
Now, you could find many service providers offering headless CMS solutions, including both paid and open-source solutions.
But before that, lets understand what headless CMS solutions are and how using them makes total sense.
What is Headless CMS?
It has no frontend system, hence the name headless.
It allows you to easily create, store, manage, and modify your content.
How does Headless CMS work?
Lets understand this by taking WordPress as an example.
Its frontend is restricted.
It also limits content operations, design, optimization, and performance.
Headless CMS helps here by removing the head or frontend entirely.
It purely runs on an apps backend and attaches the frontend through API.
This way, developers have the full flexibility to deliver content anywhere.
What are the benefits of Headless CMS for modern businesses?
This offers many advantages to the developers and publishers.
Unlike traditional CMSs with plenty of limitations, headless CMSs are more flexible.
you’re able to also design your own frontend however you like and spend time creating more content.
In addition, using the cloud-based architecture will also let you scale up and down easily without any hassles.
it’s possible for you to even customize your site without allowing downtime.
Headless CMS systems are compatible across devices, platforms, and technologies of modern times.
So, you’re free to easily publish your content anywhere you like with consistent performance.
This offers better security than traditional systems where both parts are combined.
Removing the frontend will make it easier for your team during maintenance.
And if you are looking for it, you will find plenty, each with excellent features.
However, many of them are paid for advanced features, which everyone might not require.
So, here are some of the best open-source headless CMS systems that you might check out.
Strapi
Get the leading open-source headless CMS for your next applications byStrapi.
Strapi is an open-source platform as its complete codebase is available publically and maintained on GitHub by many contributors.
Maintain your data privacy with self-hosted content and take control of all the data and costs.
Define different models easily and add relations to design a rich layout for the content you need.
you’re able to write, edit, and manage the content types seamlessly with Strapi.
It gives you the flexibility of choosing the hosting platforms for your websites.
Enjoy the free service with limited features.
Get more benefits with the paid plan starting at $9/admin/month.
Apostrophe empowers editors with a drag-and-drop editor to make changes in real-time.
You will also find easy-to-use visual design tools that allow dynamic styling without disturbing brand guidelines.
Hence, your market speed will increase by 10x.
you could also integrate with Jamstack to create robust custom solutions.
Book a demo and see how headless CMS can change your way of building websites.
Webiny
Webiny serverless CMSprovides a flexible, scalable, and agile solution for your content needs.
Webinys headless CMS is based on GraphQL with powerful modeling features.
It offers powerful GraphQL and fine-grain permission control to build landing pages in minutes.
you might manage content in various languages and multiple websites with built-in multi-tenancy.
It also provides filter operations and query search for fast performance.
it’s possible for you to even make changes to any content at any time through the powerful API.
Create full-stack serverless web for free with serverless CMS, utility framework, and community support.
Allow Webiny to provide custom pricing according to your business needs.
It powers your project with modern solutions and is specially designed for developers.
The modular codebase is completely JavaScript.
Directus uses the power of Vue.js 3 and Node.js for ultra-fast performance and simple extensibility.
Directus is a flexible platform that provides endless solutions, fromsoftware-as-a-serviceto data management and analytics.
Furthermore, it provides a dynamic GraphQL and REST API through introspection based on your database schema.
Start creating a project in its self-service cloud dashboard and learn in deep.
Power your projects with Directus at $25/month and impeccable benefits.
you could get Directus running with one click ontheKamatera platform.
It offers a single place with structured, centralized, and seamless integrations to other systems.
you’re free to also roll back to the previous one at any time.
Additionally, seamless integration with other systems allows your content to react when changes are made.
you’re able to also post your blog to Medium and create tweets.
Squidex makes your path simple by eliminating complicated rules to review or publish content.
you’re free to implement your rules with Squidexs compelling workflow system.
It is open-source software, made especially for developers with a best-in-class codebase.
Signup for free and start creating projects today.
Ghost
it’s possible for you to design templates of your own using the same guide.
By understanding Ghosts configuration and architecture, you will never lack inbuilding new websites, applications, etc.
With the open-source theme starter framework, you might take a faster track of developing custom themes.
Build your creative business with a 14-day trial option and dig deeper for the benefits.
Netlify CMS
Start making flexible and faster web projects by usingNetlify CMSalong with the static site generator.
Netlify CMS stores your content in the Git repository for easier and simpler versioning.
It also helps in multi-channel publishing and handling content updates inside Git.
In addition, your editors will get an intuitive workflow and UI that meets content management requirements.
It also includes real-time previewing, drag-drop media uploads, and rich text-editing options.
This single-page utility can help you install plugins or build them independently.
Experience the freedom of reorganizing navigation or rendering analytics data next to the editing.
Do not miss your editing comforts while working on reusable content.
Instead, you might expect session-level document rollback, modern features, and real-time collaboration from Sanity Studio.
Moreover, use plain JavaScript objects and quickly configure the user interfaces and content schemas.
you’ve got the option to also install UIs for data models and enhance your workflows.
Get it started for free or pay $99/project/month and start building websites and applications.
Plone has stunning customizability and functionality out of the box.
Plone combines advanced features and security with powerful and easy-to-use frontend web technologies.
It comes with Dexterity content types and Diazo theming along with Python 3.
In addition, it offers REST API that works as a headless CMS and powers various JavaScript frontends.
It provides self-guided learning resources so that it’s possible for you to learn fast.
And it’s possible for you to also join the community for discussions and communications.
Flextype
GetFlextypeto experience the flexibility, speed, and productivity to build content and manage them effectively.
Due to its built-in smart cache and elegant architecture, it is known as the ultra-fast content management system.
While building CMS, Flextype focuses on simplicity and flexibility to produce a simple yet powerful API.
Its stunning control panel allows you to use any content editor to write your content.
Flextype offers flat-file nature to define unlimited fields or dynamic content.
Get the open-source platform now and grow your business.
Keystone
Build faster and scalable content with theKeystoneHeadless CMS platform.
Just describe your schema and get awesome Management UI and robust GraphQL API for data and content.
Ship the code with elegant APIs without compromising the flexibility of a bespoke backend.
Keystones admin UI is intuitive and flexible to understand your needs and shape your content accordingly.
Additionally, it offers next-generation rich text WYSIWYG BYO custom React.
Keystone can fit your git-based building workflow and offer automation and CI tooling.
Build dynamic applications, status sites, mobile and web applications, and commerce solutions efficiently with Keystone.
Empower your team with this tool and grow your business.
Start building today with 5-minute starters, zero lock-ins, and an example project for free.
If you are looking for cloud-based options, you might check out the list ofHeadless CMS.