Business models
What is headless commerce?
Headless commerce separates a store's front end, the pages shoppers see, from its commerce back end, such as cart, checkout and inventory.
Getting headless commerce right
Be clear about why
Headless pays off for speed, custom experiences or many storefronts. If your theme does the job, it adds cost without benefit.
Keep checkout on the platform
Most headless stores still use the platform's checkout, which handles payments, taxes and fraud.
Plan who maintains it
A custom front end needs developers for every change. Budget for that before you start.
Ask Replo: "build a fast site on my domain that checks out on Shopify".
Headless commerce questions
- Is headless commerce faster?
- It can be, because the front end is built only for your pages. But a headless site is only as fast as its build. A well-optimized theme can beat a poorly built headless store.
- What is Shopify Hydrogen?
- Hydrogen is Shopify's framework for building headless storefronts, paired with Oxygen for hosting. It connects a custom front end to Shopify's products, cart and checkout.
- Do I need headless commerce?
- Most stores don't. It suits brands with developers on staff and needs a theme can't meet, such as many storefronts or app-like experiences. Others get further with a good theme and fast landing pages.
Related terms
Browse the glossaryShopify metafields
Shopify metafields are custom fields that store extra information on products, collections or customers, such as ingredients, dimensions or care instructions.
Landing page
A landing page is a page built for one campaign or audience, with one goal, usually where ad or email traffic lands.
Omnichannel
Omnichannel is selling across your own site, retail stores, marketplaces and social as one connected experience, with shared inventory and customer data.
DTC
DTC (direct to consumer) is a brand selling straight to shoppers through its own site instead of through retailers or wholesalers.