Three years ago, I delved into the world of GraphQL in WordPress with the comparison between two leading GraphQL servers: WPGraphQL and Gato GraphQL. My goal was to highlight the ideal use cases for each.
Full disclosure: I am the creator of Gato GraphQL, formerly known as GraphQL API for WordPress, as mentioned in the previous article.
Since that time, significant advancements have taken place in this realm. It’s now crucial to explore what has evolved and how it impacts our approach to handling GraphQL data in WordPress today.
This time, we will focus less on the choice between the available servers and more on the recent developments and their effects on both plugins and headless WordPress in general.
Headless WordPress: Shaping the Future of Content Management
It’s no secret that the future of WordPress lies in headless technology. Numerous articles and discussions over the past years have emphasized this transformation. Much like the famous saying about Brazil, it seems that the future of WordPress and headless architecture is both imminent and far-off.
While the adoption of headless WordPress remains relatively low compared to the overall market share, a notable increase has been observed in enterprise settings. According to WPEngine’s “The State of Headless” report, there has been a notable surge in large-scale organizations embracing headless solutions, hinting at the evolving landscape.
Recent informal polls conducted on platforms like Reddit show a growing interest in headless WordPress, albeit with limited adoption in practice. The concept of headless remains more aspirational than practical for most developers.
Despite the hype surrounding headless WordPress, it is more of an approach or niche methodology rather than a complete replacement for traditional WordPress architectures.
WPEngine: Pioneering Headless Evolution in WordPress
WPEngine has emerged as a key player in the headless WordPress arena, actively promoting headless development through initiatives like Faust.js. This framework, built atop WPGraphQL, streamlines the integration of WordPress back-end with Next.js for front-end rendering.
With offerings like Faust.js, WPEngine is well-positioned to support the growing demand for headless solutions. Their acquisition of the Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) plugin further solidifies their commitment to empowering headless WordPress development.
By hosting Node.js and WordPress on a unified platform with Atlas, WPEngine has set the stage for a seamless headless experience. The company’s engagement in community forums like the Headless WordPress Discord signifies its dedication to driving the headless WordPress narrative forward.
As WPEngine continues to deepen its involvement in the headless ecosystem, the future of headless WordPress appears more promising than ever.