What is Headless Architecture? — UK Software Development Guide
Direct Answer
Headless architecture separates the "head" (presentation layer — the user interface) from the "body" (backend — content management, APIs, business logic). The backend exposes content and functionality via APIs; the frontend (web, mobile, digital signage) consumes these APIs independently. Headless architecture enables multiple frontends to consume the same backend data.
Headless-architecture in the UK
Headless architecture is growing in UK software development, particularly in eCommerce and media. UK use cases: headless Shopify (Next.js frontend + Shopify Storefront API backend — faster performance, custom UI), headless CMS (Contentful/Sanity for content + Next.js for rendering — JAMstack), and MACH architecture (Microservices, API-first, Cloud-native, Headless) for enterprise commerce. UK GDPR consideration: personalisation in headless architectures requires server-side processing to avoid exposing personal data decisions in client-side code.
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