Headless WordPress with a Next.js front end
Your team already knows WordPress. Going headless lets them keep it for writing and editing, while the public site runs on Next.js and loads far faster than a typical theme.
How it works
WordPress stays where it is, but only as the place content gets written. The site visitors see is a separate Next.js app that pulls posts, pages and custom fields through the WordPress REST API and turns them into fast pages.
This is my day-to-day work at Nanolix Digital, so the setup, the edge cases and the editor complaints are all familiar ground.
Is it right for you?
It’s a good fit if speed and SEO matter, if you want a custom design without fighting a theme, or if your WordPress site has slowed down under too many plugins. For a five-page brochure site that rarely changes it’s probably overkill, and a simple theme or static site may be the better call.
The details I take care of
Previews, so editors can check drafts before publishing. Pages that refresh when content changes, without redeploying the whole site. Menus, SEO fields and forms carried over from WordPress so nothing gets lost. Sensible image handling, so a huge upload doesn’t slow down the front end.
(→) Process
How a project runs
- 01
A short call or message
You tell me what you need and send whatever you have: a design, a link, a rough idea. I ask questions until I understand what the page or app is for.
- 02
Scope and estimate
I write down what I’ll build, what I won’t, and how long I expect it to take. You know what you’re getting before any work starts.
- 03
Build with previews
You get a preview link early and see progress as it happens, so feedback comes in while it’s still cheap to act on.
- 04
Launch and handover
I help get it live, then hand over the code with short notes on how the pieces fit together, so the next person isn’t left guessing.
(?) FAQ
Questions people ask
Will my editors need to learn something new?
Hardly anything. They keep using the WordPress dashboard they already know.
What happens to my plugins?
Plugins that change what visitors see, like page builders and sliders, won’t carry over by themselves. Plugins that manage content or SEO fields usually keep working through the API.
REST API or GraphQL?
I mostly use the REST API because it ships with WordPress. WPGraphQL is fine too if your project already uses it.