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Headless WordPress · WordPress · Los Angeles

Headless WordPress development with a Next.js front end

Your editors keep the dashboard they know. Visitors get a front end built like an app.

Headless means WordPress only stores and manages content, and a separate front end (usually Next.js) asks for that content through WPGraphQL or the built-in REST API, then renders the pages. Our Glendale-led team plans the content model, builds both halves, wires up previews and rebuilds, and sends every form on the new front end into Zoho CRM.

  • WPGraphQL or REST, chosen per project
  • Draft previews that editors actually use
  • Form posts land in Zoho CRM
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Sample content. WordPress on one host, Next.js on another, GraphQL in between.

01What headless WordPress is

When does headless WordPress make sense, and when is it overkill?

A normal WordPress site builds every page with PHP and a theme. Headless splits that in two: WordPress becomes a content API, and a JavaScript app owns everything visitors see. You gain freedom on the front end and you pay for it with a second codebase. We’d rather tell you which side of that trade you’re on before anyone writes code.

Usually worth it

  • One content source, several screensThe website, a mobile app and an in-store display all read the same posts and menus.
  • App-style pagesLogged-in dashboards, live filters and calculators that a PHP theme makes clumsy.
  • A React team already on payrollThey will own the front end long after launch, so the framework fits their habits.

Usually overkill

  • A brochure site for a service businessTen to forty pages that change monthly load quickly on a well-made block theme.
  • Marketing builds pages in ElementorPage builders paint the front end themselves, so most of their value disappears once the theme is gone.
  • Plugins that print to the pageSliders, popups, membership gates and many form plugins expect a theme and need rebuilding by hand.

02Headless WordPress services

What our headless WordPress builds cover for US teams

A decoupled site has more moving parts than people expect: two hosts, a schema, a preview path, cache rules and a deploy pipeline. These are the pieces we take responsibility for, split by which half of the stack they live in.

Back end

Content model and schema

Post types, taxonomies and ACF field groups designed around the queries the front end will run, then exposed through WPGraphQL with sensible names.

A lean, locked-down admin

The WordPress install moves to its own subdomain, theme output is switched off, and only the plugins that feed the API stay.

Between

Previews and on-demand rebuilds

Next.js Draft Mode shows unpublished changes behind a secret link, and a publish hook tells the front end exactly which paths to refresh.

SEO fields carried across

Titles, canonicals, Open Graph tags and schema from Yoast or Rank Math travel through the API, plus a sitemap and a 301 map for every old URL.

Front end

Next.js build and hosting

Server rendering where data changes, static pages where it doesn’t, deployed to Vercel, Netlify or your own AWS account.

Care for two codebases

Monthly plugin and package updates on staging, framework upgrades planned ahead, and uptime checks on both the API and the site.

03From Update to live page

What happens in the three seconds after an editor clicks Update?

A sample restaurant group raises its catering price from $24 to $26 per guest. On a headless build nothing is regenerated until something asks for it, so we wire every hop on purpose. Here is the chain, with sample timings from a typical setup.

  1. Editor clicks Update

    The price field changes in the post editor. WordPress saves the revision like any other edit, so nothing new for the editor to learn.

  2. A publish hook fires

    A small plugin we write listens for the save, then sends a signed request with the slug catering-menu to the front end.

  3. Next.js marks pages stale

    The revalidate route checks the secret and flags /menu/catering plus the home page list that shows the same price.

  4. Fresh query, fresh HTML

    The next visitor’s request triggers one GraphQL query to WordPress, and the server renders the page with $26 in it.

  5. Cached at the edge

    The new page is stored on the CDN, so everyone after that visitor gets it without touching WordPress at all.

  6. Sales hears about it

    The same hook reaches Zoho Flow, which posts “Catering price updated” in the sales channel in Zoho Cliq.

Sample timings. Real numbers depend on your host, page weight and cache rules, and we measure them during testing.

04Try it · sample scoring

Should your WordPress site go headless? Flip what applies

Each switch pushes the dial toward a classic theme, a hybrid setup or a full Next.js front end. Underneath, a list grows with everything your team would own if you went that way. The weights are a sample based on projects we’ve scoped.

Pulls toward headless
Pulls toward a theme

Where the dial lands Sample

Classic WordPress theme

What your team would own

    Sample scoring only. It can’t see your plugin list, your traffic or your team, so treat it as a conversation starter for the first call.

    05Headless WordPress + Zoho

    How do forms and chat reach Zoho once the theme is gone?

    Going headless removes the PHP layer where WordPress form plugins normally run, so lead capture moves into the Next.js app. That’s actually a cleaner place for it: the Zoho credentials sit on the server, never in the browser. Three patterns cover most of our builds.

    Next.js formServer actionZoho CRM

    Leads posted from the server

    The form submits to a server action that validates the fields, adds the page and campaign it came from, and creates the lead through the Zoho CRM API with a token that never reaches the visitor.

    WordPress publishZoho FlowCliq or Campaigns

    Content changes that people need to know about

    The publish hook that refreshes the front end can also call a Zoho Flow webhook, which tells a team channel or drafts a newsletter mention for the new post.

    Root layoutSalesIQVisitor record

    Chat that loads after the page

    The Zoho SalesIQ widget goes into the Next.js layout with a deferred script, so chat and visitor tracking work on every route without slowing the first paint.

    06Headless WordPress costs

    What does a headless WordPress site cost to run?

    The software is free: WordPress and WPGraphQL are open source with no license fee. The running costs come from having two things to host and two things to maintain. Hosting plans vary widely by traffic and features, so we price them against your numbers rather than print figures here.

    Content side

    • WordPress core$0
    • WPGraphQL plugin$0
    • WordPress hostPlan-based
    • ACF PRO or SEO plugin licensesIf used

    Front-end side

    • Next.js framework$0
    • Front-end host (Vercel, Netlify or AWS)Plan or usage
    • Bandwidth, builds and server functionsUsage
    • Image optimization at scaleUsage

    Elite Tech Global

    • First callFree
    • Build of both halvesFixed, in BRD
    • Care plan after launchMonthly

    For a decoupled build we write the content model, the page templates, the preview path and every Zoho connection into the BRD, then put one fixed number on it that doesn’t move once both sides sign. If your current site needs a crawl and plugin review before we can scope it, we’ll quote that step separately first.

    07Headless WordPress questions

    Headless WordPress questions from US teams

    GraphQL or REST, previews, SEO, plugins and hosting. If you already have a decoupled site that misbehaves, bring the repo link to the first call.

    Talk through your stackTry the fit scorer →

    What is headless WordPress?

    Headless WordPress uses WordPress only for writing and storing content. A separate front end, often built with Next.js, requests that content through the WordPress REST API or WPGraphQL and renders the pages visitors see. Editors keep the familiar dashboard while developers control the front end completely.

    WPGraphQL or the WordPress REST API: which should a headless site use?

    The REST API is built into WordPress core and is fine for simple reads. WPGraphQL is a free plugin that lets one query ask for exactly the fields a page needs, including related posts and ACF fields, which usually means fewer requests and smaller responses. We pick GraphQL for most Next.js builds and REST when a plugin only exposes REST endpoints.

    Is headless WordPress better for SEO?

    It can match a good theme but rarely beats it on its own. What matters is that pages are rendered on the server, titles, canonicals and schema still come through from Yoast or Rank Math, the sitemap stays accurate and old URLs are redirected. We check all of that in Google Search Console after launch.

    Can editors preview drafts on a headless WordPress site?

    Yes, once it is wired up. We connect the Preview button in WordPress to Next.js Draft Mode, so editors see unpublished changes on the real front end through a private link. Without that step, preview is the first thing editors complain about.

    Do WordPress plugins still work when you go headless?

    Plugins that manage data, such as ACF, SEO plugins and custom post types, keep working through the API. Plugins that print things on the page, such as sliders, popups, page builders and many form plugins, do not, and their features have to be rebuilt in the front end. We list each plugin and its fate before quoting.

    Next.js or Faust.js for headless WordPress?

    Faust.js is a framework built on Next.js specifically for headless WordPress, with helpers for previews and authentication. Plain Next.js gives more control and a larger hiring pool. We usually start from plain Next.js with WPGraphQL and borrow Faust.js only when its preview tooling saves real time.

    Where do you host a headless WordPress site?

    WordPress goes on a managed WordPress host or an AWS server, ideally on a subdomain that visitors never see. The Next.js front end goes on Vercel, Netlify or AWS Amplify, chosen by your team’s skills and traffic pattern. We set up caching so most visits never reach WordPress.

    How do forms on a headless WordPress site send leads to Zoho CRM?

    The form lives in Next.js and submits to a server action or API route, which validates it and creates the lead through the Zoho CRM API. The Zoho token stays on the server. We also record the page, campaign and referrer on the lead so marketing can see what worked.

    Can you turn our existing WordPress site into a headless one?

    Usually yes, without moving the content. The posts, pages, media and fields stay in WordPress, we add WPGraphQL and a publish hook, and the new front end is built and tested on a staging domain before DNS switches. Page builder layouts are the exception, since they must be redesigned as front-end templates.

    How do you price a headless WordPress project?

    The first call costs nothing. After it, the content model, templates, preview setup, hosting and Zoho links go into a signed BRD with one fixed price and a delivery schedule. Sites with many plugins or page builder layouts may need a short paid review first, and we quote that before it begins.

    08How a headless project starts

    First we decide if the theme should go at all

    Four steps take you from “our developers want Next.js” to a signed plan for both halves of the stack. Some teams leave the first call with a block theme recommendation instead, and that’s a fine outcome.

    Headless projects run over video calls and shared repos with teams anywhere in the US, Canada or Latin America; Southern California teams can whiteboard the content model with us in person.

    1. Discovery callWho edits, who codes, which screens read the content and which plugins you can’t lose
    2. Content and query mapPost types and fields matched to the queries each page template needs
    3. Hosting and preview planWhere each half runs, how drafts are previewed and what triggers a rebuild
    4. BRD sign-off Our promiseTemplates, integrations and launch date in writing, at a fixed price

    Once signed, the build follows our usual dated delivery schedule. See how we work →

    09Let’s talk

    Tell us what you’re building. We’ll map the fix.

    Book a free consultation with Elite Tech Global. We review your Zoho, AWS, Shopify or WordPress setup, show where AI / SI agents can save time, and agree the next step. If we work together, every requirement and a fixed price go into a signed BRD before the build starts.

    Real people, one team. Led by co-founders Ikramul Karim and Khris Kakosimidi, and a 40+ member team across Zoho, AWS and AI.

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