Headless CMS (API-driven, frontend-agnostic)
- Strapi
- Tech Stack: Node.js, Express, SQLite/PostgreSQL
- Best For: Developers who need a self-hosted, flexible CMS with REST/GraphQL APIs.
- Pros: Open-source, highly customizable, strong role-based access control.
- Cons: Requires manual hosting and maintenance.
- Sanity
- Tech Stack: React, GROQ, GraphQL
- Best For: Real-time structured content and collaboration-heavy projects.
- Pros: Excellent real-time editing experience, scalable, great API design.
- Cons: Free plan has limitations, and learning GROQ (Sanity’s query language) can take time.
- Directus
- Tech Stack: Node.js, Vue.js, REST/GraphQL
- Best For: Database-driven applications that need a visual admin panel.
- Pros: No-code admin panel, real-time API, supports any SQL database.
- Cons: Can be complex to set up for beginners.
- Contentful
- Tech Stack: Cloud-based, API-first
- Best For: Enterprises and SaaS applications needing high scalability.
- Pros: Fast, cloud-hosted, excellent documentation and ecosystem.
- Cons: Expensive for large-scale projects.
Traditional CMS (Includes backend and frontend features)
- Ghost
- Tech Stack: Node.js, Handlebars.js
- Best For: Blogging and publishing-focused websites.
- Pros: SEO-friendly, lightweight, fast performance.
- Cons: Limited extensibility for non-blogging use cases.
- KeystoneJS
- Tech Stack: Node.js, GraphQL
- Best For: Custom applications and backend services for React-based projects.
- Pros: Strong TypeScript support, schema-driven, powerful GraphQL API.
- Cons: Requires coding knowledge, not beginner-friendly.
- ApostropheCMS
- Tech Stack: Node.js, Vue.js
- Best For: Content-heavy websites needing an easy page builder.
- Pros: Good UX, built-in SEO, visual page editor.
- Cons: Smaller community and fewer third-party integrations.
- PayloadCMS
- Tech Stack: Node.js, TypeScript, MongoDB
- Best For: Highly customizable web applications that need both API and admin features.
- Pros: Modern UI, strong TypeScript support, self-hosted.
- Cons: No free cloud hosting, requires backend knowledge.
Which One Should You Choose?
- If you want a free, self-hosted headless CMS, go with Strapi.
- If you need a managed API-first CMS, Sanity or Contentful are great options.
- For a blogging CMS, Ghost is the fastest and most optimized.
- If you’re building a custom backend for a React app, KeystoneJS or PayloadCMS are solid choices.
- If you prefer a visual page builder, ApostropheCMS is a good option.
For any inquiries or assistance with headless CMS development, feel free to get in touch with WeCreate Digital Agency. Our team of experienced developers is ready to help you harness the full potential of headless CMS for your web projects. Happy coding!
