How Headless Drupal Would Transform Your Website (Updated)

Over the past twenty years, the magnitude and extent of web development have grown exponentially, resulting in a web development market with 1.8 billion active websites globally. Traditional web development has undergone transformational changes during this period, with a monolithic architecture being the norm. 

Although this architecture has some advantages, it also has significant disadvantages that can negatively impact the success of any enterprise or startup. 

Monolithic web development, which is built on a single block, lacks the scalability and adaptability that modern websites require. Ultimately, the lack of flexibility in this architecture became its downfall, leading to the emergence of headless CMSs.

How Does Decoupled Drupal Work, and What Makes it Different?

In software and web development, and simply put, a contemporary architecture called a headless or decoupled CMS separates the front-end from the back-end. This innovative approach, built on separate platforms, offers possibilities that traditional web development cannot even imagine.

To understand the reasoning behind this; you must know that websites have a crucial responsibility beyond just generating content; they must also ensure that the content is delivered in a user-friendly manner across all devices. To fulfill this obligation, an increasing number of websites are embracing a decoupled approach and relying on Drupal's robust content store. Perhaps that is why you are here. Nevertheless, the most challenging question remains - how to decouple Drupal? In this article, we will explore various methods for implementing decoupled Drupal to gain a deeper understanding.

Among the leading web development platforms, Drupal stands out by providing decoupling alternatives with its hub and spoke model. By consolidating all the delivery channels (spokes) into one hub (Drupal back-end), Drupal seamlessly integrates them.

Fully Decoupled Vs. Progressively Decoupled

When it comes to decoupling Drupal, there are two primary approaches to choose from based on your preferences and requirements.

Progressively Decoupled Drupal

The progressively decoupled Drupal architecture involves adding a JavaScript layer to the front-end that delivers some or all of the webpage components, while the back-end CMS remains on Drupal. By using JavaScript, the front-end renders interactive web experiences that enhance the user's experience.

The amount of page content managed by JavaScript lies on a spectrum, meaning that the less content committed to JavaScript, the more control editors have over the page through Drupal's administrative capabilities. Essentially, the more JavaScript used, the more control developers have over the user experience, while the less used, the more control editors have over the content.

Fully Decoupled Drupal

The fully decoupled approach in Drupal involves completely separating the front-end from the back-end, as the name suggests. In this model, Drupal functions solely as the data layer, providing content to JavaScript or other front-end layers that generate dynamic user experiences.

A fully decoupled Drupal web application involves completely separating the presentation layer (front-end) from all other aspects of the content management system (back-end). This means that the CMS serves solely as a data provider, and a JavaScript application, along with server-side rendering, is responsible for rendering and marking up the content. Communication between Drupal and the front-end is achieved through web service APIs.

While fully decoupled Drupal apps lack key functionality such as in-place editing and layout management, they attract developers who desire greater control over the front-end and who already possess experience building applications in frameworks like Angular, React, Vue.js, and so on.

Since the front-end of the web experience interacts with the back-end via APIs which connect the two in a seamless and flexible manner. This, although leaves the editors of the website at the whims of the developers, gives end-users a captivating and interactive web experience. 

Which Approach Is Best for Your Website?

When deciding which approach is best for your situation, it's important to consider both the editors and content creators, as well as the developers. Ask yourself: Who should have more control?

If you prioritize giving editors more control over the end-user experience, then a monolithic approach is likely the best choice. On the other hand, if you want developers to have more or complete control over the digital experience you offer, then a decoupled approach is the way to go.

However, a progressively decoupled approach may be the best choice if you want to strike a balance between giving both editors and developers control over the user experience. With this approach, both parties can have input and control over different aspects of the website, allowing for a more collaborative process. Ultimately, the decision should be based on the specific needs and goals of your project.

Front End Technologies and Headless Drupal

In software development, there are two main types of technology: front-end and back-end. Front-end technology encompasses the visible elements on a user's screen as well as the underlying processes. Back-end technology refers to the activity that happens behind the scenes and is responsible for delivering data and ensuring speedy performance. 

Developing effective front-end technology is essential for the success and longevity of any digital business. Although a well-structured back-end can bolster an application, it is the front-end that users care most about.

When it comes to creating visually pleasing user experiences on the Drupal back-end, there are several impressive options available. To help you achieve the best results, we have prepared a list of the best front-end technologies that a front end developer can use with Drupal to derive the best outcomes. 

Top Front-End Options to Decouple Drupal With

There are plenty of front-end frameworks to choose from when you want to take the Headless Drupal approach for your website. Choosing the best one is not an easy feat, especially when considering the workforce and scalability of your website. Below are our top recommendations:

React

React is a JavaScript library that facilitates the creation of interactive user interfaces (UIs). As one of the most powerful and widely used front-end technologies, it is backed and maintained by the tech giant Facebook. React enables developers to split codes into components, which enhances code reusability and speeds up debugging. Additionally, it produces SEO-friendly and highly responsive interfaces. Prominent websites and applications such as Airbnb, Reddit, Facebook, New York Times, and BBC use React for their front-end technology.

When combined with Drupal, React can help create exceptional digital experiences. However, leveraging the strengths of both technologies can be challenging. React's one-way data flow is particularly useful in shaping web pages according to data sent from Drupal's RESTful API.

GatsbyJS

GatsbyJS is an excellent tool to create engaging digital experiences when used with Drupal. This open-source framework integrates technologies like GraphQL to create interactive and high-performing front-end experiences. GatsbyJS utilizes pre-configured templates to generate static sites with impressive speed. This framework is cost-effective when it comes to delivering exceptional digital experiences, leveraging the benefits of open-source Drupal and GatsbyJS. GatsbyJS includes all the necessary components to build modern websites, and its pre-configured pages boost performance by reducing loading speeds.

Why should you consider integrating Drupal with Gatsby?

• Gatsby is an exceptional option for creating a free, enterprise-quality CMS that provides a great modern development experience. Additionally, it offers all the advantages of JAMstack, such as scalability, security, and performance. 
• Static site generators like Gatsby pre-generate all the pages of a website, which is unlike dynamic sites that render pages on-demand. This approach reduces the need for live database querying, resulting in enhanced performance and reduced overheads. As a result, the performance of the website is improved, and maintenance costs are lowered.

But is Headless Drupal Good for Your Business?

So the main question here still is to decide if headless Drupal is really a good choice for your website. Committing to such a direction requires you to consider the following situations in which Decoupled Drupal can work wonders for your digital experience:

• If you need to display your content on various platforms.
• If you have a well-defined data structure in your organization and an excellent team to collaborate with.
• If you require multiple websites in various local languages.
• If you have the required resources and can invest in Decoupled Drupal development

In short, when considering whether a Headless Drupal approach is right for your organization, it is essential to evaluate your content management needs and future growth plans. Headless Drupal can be a suitable solution if you need the flexibility to deliver content across various channels and devices. Additionally, if you are looking for a scalable and customizable CMS platform that allows for easy integration with other technologies, headless Drupal may be a good fit. Ultimately, the decision should be based on your specific business requirements and goals.