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When choosing a content management system, the definite options available are always between headless CMS and traditional CMS. Which one stands out better than the other? Read this headless CMS vs Traditional CMS comparison to find out.
In general, headless CMS like Kontent by Kentico is billed to offer more benefits than its traditional counterpart. It is considered a modern approach to managing your content and is available for use by marketers and developers.
What is a Headless CMS System?
Unlike traditional CMS, a headless CMS gives you complete decoupling between the frontend, or presentation layer, and the backend, or content repository.
Separating the presentation layer “head” from the content repository “body” creates a headless CMS.
What is a Traditional CMS?
CMSs adhere to a rigid back-end-front-end relationship. The back end of the site is where you create, manage, and store all your digital assets, along with all your content.
The back end also contains applications for web design and customization. Back-end content management and database management are bound together within one system to deliver and present content to devices and users (front-end).
The editors of your website write and publish their articles using the same back-end system that visitors view. This can be a bit scary!
The following is a close look at how the two CMSes compare.
Headless CMS vs Traditional CMS
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Speed and flexibility
Speed is one of the most important factors to consider when evaluating the two CMSes. That's because, in the digital world, users have access to a wide variety of content and will easily give up on one that takes forever to load.
Headless CMS stands out against traditional CMS since it works faster. Whether you are a marketer or a developer, you will find the platform convenient to use as actions are immediately reflected on the screen.
Additionally, the platform is flexible because you can use it without following proprietary development constraints.
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Future-proof
Traditional CMS is rigid and often does the same task for which it was developed. It is difficult to interface it with emerging technologies. On the other hand, headless CMS is designed by considering the future and the ever-changing technologies. You can easily integrate it with new innovations and technologies. That is a powerful trait, considering the rapid rate of industry changes.
Using headless CMS gives you the comfort of knowing that you've future-proofed your applications since the presentation layer runs separately from the data and logic layer.
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Scalability
The front-end and back-end in traditional CMS are all in the same system. The front-end is the part that the user sees and is called the head. The back-end is more of the background technology known as the body.
Due to the front-end and back-end being in the same system, it is difficult to scale up a traditional CMS. The same can't be said for headless CMS since the content is accessible via an API. As such, you can easily upgrade the back-end without affecting what the user sees.
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Support for omnichannel architecture
Marketers often find it challenging when dealing with omnichannel since they have to create astounding content that looks great across all touchpoints. Traditional CMS addresses each channel as a separate entity, translating your content not fitting certain scenarios.
A headless CMS harmonizes how it approaches your channels and views them as a single entity. That means you get a seamless experience that cuts across all touchpoints for the much-desired consistency.
As more digital touchpoints emerge, it is vital to leverage what Kontent by Kentico can do for you regarding omnichannel. The platform gets rid of most of the common barriers to ensure the relevance of your content.
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Cost
At face value, traditional CMS may sound cheaper than headless CMS. However, as you look at the intrinsic items, you realize that headless CMS costs less than the latter.
Unlike traditional CMS, where teams may take longer to develop new functionality, headless CMS has a shorter delivery timeline. For instance, your marketing team can immediately begin creating without waiting for developers to release CMS-based templates.
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Learning curve
It is easier to learn and use headless CMS compared to traditional CMS. The platform has straightforward tools and removes any clutter that could be confusing. That makes it possible for users to focus only on the stuff relevant to the business.
So, what's the way forward?
If you are an organization that is concerned about its future and not just the moment, going for a headless CMS makes more sense. Furthermore, you may find this option viable when you want a scalable, cost-effective, and easy-to-learn solution. Kontent by Kentico provides marketers and developers with one of the most empowering headless CMS solutions.
You can develop on a headless CMS more quickly, more easily, and more flexible
As a headless CMS, you can also pick your programming language, and it is also API-driven so you can build your front end from end to end.
You don't have to conform to any proprietary development constraints so your developers can continue developing the way they know-how. Several presentation outputs can be created from a single content item, allowing projects to be completed faster. Webhooks are triggered by an HTTP callback (or a little code snippet linked to a web application) and contain information about specific actions.
The integration of a headless CMS with existing systems is easy and secure. Webhooks can be used to simplify this process. When a user has paid for a subscription on your site, a webhook can send an email to them. This feature also eliminates the need for coding. Developers can therefore build any type of code for any type of integration. Additionally, your developer will appreciate the flexibility from both a resourcing and an integration standpoint.
It's easy to use and learn a headless CMS
Content management is one of the main benefits of a headless CMS. This means the CMS is designed to store content exclusively without cluttering it up with unnecessary resources and “stuff” that isn't relevant to business users.
Thank you for reading!