What's the Difference Between Headless, Decoupled and Traditional Content Management Systems?

In choosing a Content Management System (CMS), there is much to consider. Several options exist today, all with technological innovations targeting different functionalities – making choosing the right system no easy task. Knowing the basics of each type can make choosing the right system more straightforward. The three types of CMS are determined by their structure: Traditional, Decoupled, and Headless. Of these systems, Headless CMS is currently in the spotlight for both the simplicity of its design and the heightened security it provides. In a Traditional (also known as a Coupled) CMS, all the pieces are packaged together. The code, customization, and content database are stored in the backend while tightly interlaced with the frontend, where the dashboard and layout options are manipulated to finalize what viewers see on the live site. In this CMS, content is built only for use in predetermined layouts designated for web pages and native mobile applications; it is generally easy to use and set up, but lacks flexibility. Features of a Traditional/Coupled CMS:

• Stores content in a database
• Provides a dashboard to edit content
• Displays published content on frontend HTML pages
• Stores content in a database
• Provides an administrative interface, including applications, for creating and managing content
• Includes a predetermined content-publishing frontend, connected to the backend through an API
• Provides consistent brand messaging and ability to reuse content easily – one voice for an entire organization
• Allows content to be the primary focus
• Increases flexibility by separating content creation and storage from its use
• Shortens time to market, as content can be created simultaneously with all technical systems
• Provides a centralized content repository model, enabling the CMS to handle both receiving and distributing data

For more information on Headless CMS, our whitepaper, Headless CMS: Putting Your Content First , is available for free download.