Closer Glimpse at Headless CMS will transform the Way You Manage Your Content

Mobile application or web application is the new way to make your business available to the customer 24X7. But without the specific written information, no customer can understand what is going on the application or what the purpose of developing it is. Hence you need to put some static content in the application and must have the strategies to manage that content.

Content has become a new tool for companies who want to improve customer experience. An app contains a sufficient amount of static data. It wouldn’t make sense to every time load the database from the server when the content is requested. In this scenario, the Content Management system (CMS) plays an important role which manages the whole content. It provides a seamless digital experience to customers with amazing customer interaction.

The headless CMS is the new addition in the content management after the traditional CMS. The API-driven environment of a headless CMS provides several benefits. According to the report from ‘Kentico’ “State of Headless CMS Market 2018”, it is widely expected that the adoption of headless CMS will double by mid-2019.

How Headless CMS distinguish from Traditional CMS?

WordPress and Drupal are an example of a traditional CMS. They have front-end presentation layers (You can call it head) that are strongly combined with the back-end that contains all information, files, database, etc. and it commands how the content should be delivered.

On the other hand, headless CMS completely removes the ‘head’ (The front-end) and leaves only back-end, which acts as a warehouse of the whole content. There is no restriction on sharing the content; you can delivered or distribute all the stored data to the mobile app or React app via RESTful API wherever you need it. These applications can then load and display the content in real-time from the CMS and also get displayed offline without loading times. Thus, headless CMS approach does not care about how and where you use the content. It only focuses on storing and delivering the required content.

How Do APIs Work with a Headless CMS?

Headless CMS uses REST API that can be used for various purposes, which are as follows:

• It is a method to gather/ store documents, content, and images.
• It is used to publish content to its final destination: desktop, mobile, or IoT.
• It manages the CMS platform by updating the content and appearance of the website.
• It also manages the back-end administration.

When should you apply Headless CMS…?

• When you required regular or often update in your content.
• When your application has to be available for different devices.
• When you required a unique pattern to display your content.
• When your app contains a large amount of content.
• When you need a high degree of speed, agility, choice, and flexibility in your app.

& when not to………….

• Your content doesn’t require quick updates in the content.
• You do not need to experiment in language; one language is sufficient for you.
• You have a simple application that can easily manageable.
• You don’t care about speed and flexibility.

An Evaluation: Which Headless CMS to use for your Mobile App or React Application?

Once you decided that a Headless CMS is your final choice for your business, then you must consider the following facts that help you to choose right Headless CMS for your Mobile App or React Application.

Check how CMS is managing the content and how flexible is the data structure

The main purpose of using the headless CMS is to better management of the content. We need to select that CMS that has a strong content architecture that allows matching the database. And, if data types are complex and change frequently, we are capable enough to prioritize a user-friendly type of builder.

Check how the data is accessed

In the Headless CMS, the REST APIs is used to access the data, which adds flexibility in the applications. The Headless CMS also offer SDKs or starter projects which can save time by providing CMS specific API connectors out of the box.

Number of records does the CMS allow

Depending on the project, you need to examine well the limitation of the total number of records. Some Headless CMS solutions have limitations on the total number of records that can be stored in the CMS. So, this would be an important point to note while choosing the Headless CMS.

Check a content delivery network (CDN) built into the CMS infrastructure

Having a content delivery network (CDN) into the Headless CMS can save a few seconds in lag time during the displaying and accessing the content in real-time. So, you must check this feature to save time.

Check it provides the status page

Getting the track record will show transparency around the platform. With this, you will be able to review the issues and their solutions well.

Some preferred Headless CMS Solutions in the market

Contentful CMS– It manages a headless CMS infrastructure platform where the focus is content and backend. It uses RESTful API development kits for all popular languages.

Features:

• Supports newcomers so that content creators can do data entries and create/ update/ manage content in the app directly.
• Affordable options for small to medium scale businesses.
• Developers can manage and deliver content via APIs.
• A fault-tolerant system is enabled.

Prismic CMS– It allows a team of developers and marketers that they can launch websites. It also allows the front-end developers to customize the front-end and use any programming language.

Features:

• Supports Multi-language to get a better reach.
• Capable of Integrating with other resources.
• Scheduling and previews are possible.

Directus CMS – It is an open-source CMS and useful for projects that required a customized database. It is powered by PHP and uses REST API.

Features:

• Very simple to manage your content with an interface.
• Required no training for content management.
• Updated and easily provide content, which is required from the database.
• Need not to worry while entering credentials.
• Fully decomposed and extensible.

Headless CMS is getting popular day by day. If you are a developer or business owner and want to make a mobile application or build react applications, then the above information will give you an idea about available solutions.  Also, if you find yourself needing a hand on getting started with your mobile app or React application project or are considering a Headless CMS, feel free to contact such development companies that have well proficient experts and your cost to build an app is reasonable