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Headless Commerce

[ Platform service ]

Headless Commerce — built properly, handed over completely.

Composable commerce storefronts that pair a fast frontend with platform APIs, BigCommerce Catalyst or Hydrogen, edge caching, and flexible content operations.

CATEGORY EcommerceSTACK 3 platform tagsPROOF 2 case studies available

[ What you get ]

4 deliverables. Nothing implicit.

Frontend architecture: A fast frontend — Catalyst, Hydrogen, or custom — designed around your commerce APIs.You own: The frontend repository and an architecture record
Commerce API wiring: Products, cart, and checkout flows wired to the platform API with failure states handled.You own: Working commerce flows with their contracts documented
Content operations: CMS and commerce content unified so merchandising stays editable.You own: A unified content model across CMS and commerce
Deployment & caching: Edge caching and deployment configured so the storefront stays fast and safe to release.You own: The pipeline plus a cache-invalidation strategy doc
Done means: Done means the storefront deploys from your repository, a test order completes end to end through the API layer, and cache invalidation is proven on real product updates.
Not included: Commerce platform and CDN fees are yours; merchandising and content production stay with your team.

$3k–$15k

Typical focused build, fixed price

3–6

Weeks from kickoff to handover, typical

100%

Owned by you at handover

[ How it works ]

The headless commerce engagement, phase by phase.

Discover & scope: We map how headless commerce fits into your current stack, then agree a written scope with the acceptance criteria attached before work begins.
Plan & architect: The implementation plan records the structure, boundaries, and integration points, so build decisions are documented rather than improvised.
Build & integrate: Implementation covers frontend architecture and commerce api wiring in reviewable increments against the agreed plan.
Verify & hand over: We verify the acceptance checks, close the engagement out with deployment & caching, and hand over documentation your team can operate without us.

[ Capabilities ]

The surface area of a headless commerce build.

The platform and discipline surface we work across — what an engagement can cover when the scope calls for it.

Composable architecture

Frontend and commerce services composed along clean contracts.

Catalyst / Hydrogen

The platform reference stacks used where they fit, not cargo-culted.

Cart & checkout flows

API-driven checkout with tax, shipping, and failure states handled.

Edge caching & ISR

Cache strategies that keep product pages fast and fresh.

CMS unification

Content and commerce data modeled so editors do not duplicate work.

Search & discovery

Headless search wired to the catalog and the merchandising rules.

Preview & draft

Editorial preview flows that survive the decoupling.

Observability

API error tracking and performance monitoring on the storefront.

[ Field notes ]

How we think about headless commerce.

Why go headless and composable: Headless commerce decouples the frontend from the commerce engine, so each layer evolves independently. Composable architectures follow MACH principles: Microservices, API-first, Cloud-native, and Headless.
Who this work is for: This is for teams that want a fast, custom frontend backed by platform APIs rather than a template theme. Organizations running multiple channels benefit from API-first storefronts that share one commerce engine.
Deliverables on every engagement: Deliverables span frontend architecture, commerce API wiring, cart and checkout flow, and deployment. Each deliverable is grounded in the chosen commerce platform's API surface.
Discovery: API fit & content operations: Discovery matches the commerce engine's API capabilities to the frontend architecture. Content operations are scoped because flexible content delivery shapes how the storefront is structured.
Frontend architecture & API-first storefronts: Frontend architecture is built around the platform's API-first surface, such as the Shopify Storefront API, commercetools APIs, BigCommerce Catalyst, or Hydrogen for React storefronts. GraphQL queries drive products, cart, and content directly into the frontend.
Cart & checkout flow: Cart and checkout flows are wired through the commerce platform's carts API and order tooling. Draft orders, purchase options like subscriptions and pre-orders, and bundle pricing are supported through the same API layer.
Edge caching & edge deployment: Edge caching and edge deployment push storefront responses close to visitors for fast delivery. The deployment pipeline pairs with previews so content and code changes can be reviewed before they go live.
Content operations & flexible delivery: Flexible content operations let the storefront pull content from the commerce engine and adjacent systems. This keeps merchandising and editorial control outside the frontend codebase.
Quality, performance & architecture review: Performance is engineered at the architecture level through edge caching and efficient GraphQL queries. Quality checks validate API wiring, cart behavior, and deployment readiness together.
Launch & deployment: Launch runs the deployment pipeline and previews through to production. Cart and checkout flow are verified against the commerce engine before go-live.
Handoff & enablement: Handoff documents the frontend architecture, API wiring, and deployment pipeline. The team learns where content is edited and where code changes are required.
Ongoing care & related services: Ongoing care covers API changes, deployment updates, and storefront evolution as the catalog grows. Related services include specific platform builds like Hydrogen or commercetools storefronts.

[ Common questions ]

What does composable commerce mean?

Composable commerce pairs a custom frontend with platform APIs following MACH principles. Microservices, API-first, Cloud-native, and Headless structure keep each layer independent.

How is the storefront connected to the commerce engine?

GraphQL APIs such as the Shopify Storefront API or commercetools APIs feed products and cart into the frontend. The frontend architecture is decoupled from the commerce engine.

How do cart and checkout work headlessly?

Cart and checkout are wired through the carts API and order tooling. Draft orders, purchase options, and bundles are supported through the same API layer.

Why use edge caching and edge deployment?

Edge delivery pushes storefront responses close to visitors for fast performance. The deployment pipeline includes previews so changes are reviewed before going live.

Is headless limited to one platform?

No. Headless works with many commerce engines, including Shopify, commercetools, and Hydrogen builds. The architecture is chosen to fit the team's frontend and content operations.

[ Proof ]

Reference engagements for headless commerce.

Target metrics for discovery and acceptance — the full reference set is 2 projects deep.

Representative example

Ecommerce / Headless Commerce

A subscription-box brand moved to a headless storefront and kept its bundle logic intact

2.4s 0.6sSwap-action response time (p95) in the box customizer, lab-measured across the release, verified against field INP

Representative example

Ecommerce / Headless Commerce

A furniture retailer made 8,000 products findable without making them slow

22% 47%Search-to-product-page progression for non-brand queries, over the 8 weeks after launch

[ Sibling platforms ]

Other ways we build in ecommerce.

Shopify Development

Shopify storefronts using Liquid, custom sections, integrations, and conversion-focused shopping journeys.

LiquidStorefront APICheckout

WooCommerce Development

Flexible WooCommerce stores with block-based cart and checkout, Store API integrations, payment setup, and performance work for growing catalogs.

WordPressStore APIBlock checkout

Wix Ecommerce Development

Wix Ecommerce stores with mobile-first merchandising, catalog-version awareness, payment setup, and connected operations.

Wix StoresCatalog V3Payments

BigCommerce Development

BigCommerce builds for brands that need flexible catalog controls, B2B capability, Catalyst or Stencil storefronts, and connected commerce operations.

B2BCatalystGraphQL

Adobe Commerce Development

Adobe Commerce and Magento work across complex catalogs, custom pricing, GraphQL, integrations, and enterprise operational requirements.

MagentoGraphQLB2B

Squarespace Commerce

Polished Squarespace Commerce stores with hosted checkout, Commerce API awareness, focused product ranges, and a straightforward editor experience.

Store pagesCommerce APIHosted checkout

Webflow Ecommerce

Brand-led Webflow Ecommerce experiences using structured product data, the Data API, and a hosted Stripe-powered checkout journey.

Data APIProduct contentHosted checkout

[ Field guides ]

Go deeper on headless commerce.

Storefront API carts: why custom commerce needs a session plan

The Shopify Storefront API exposes products, cart operations, and checkout URLs, but a headless storefront still needs a deliberate plan for cart IDs, customer state, cache boundaries, and checkout handoff.

4 min read

Headless Commerce: implementation decisions that shape the build