Headless (or decoupled) architecture separates the Drupal back-end from the front-end. This approach offers unmatched flexibility for multi-channel experiences while retaining Drupal's power as a content management system.
Why Choose Drupal Headless?
Drupal headless combines the best of both worlds: Drupal's robustness for content management and total freedom on the front-end. Benefits include:
- Optimal performance with SSR/SSG (Next.js, Gatsby)
- Modern user experience without theme constraints
- Native multi-channel (web, mobile, IoT, apps)
- Decoupled tech stack (independent front/back teams)
- Horizontal front-end scalability
Architecture and Patterns
A typical headless architecture includes:
- Drupal back-end: content management, workflows, permissions, taxonomies
- API layer: JSON:API (native Drupal), GraphQL (via contrib), or REST
- Decoupled front-end: React, Next.js, Vue, Angular or native mobile apps
- CDN/Cache: Varnish, Cloudflare for distribution
JSON:API vs GraphQL vs REST
Drupal offers three approaches to expose your data:
JSON:API (recommended)
Built natively into Drupal core since v8.7. Advantages:
- Strict standard, exhaustive documentation
- Support for includes, filters, sorting, pagination
- Performance with sparse fieldsets
- No contrib module required
GraphQL
Mature contrib module. Ideal if:
- You have complex nested query needs
- You want to minimize over-fetching
- Your front-end team masters GraphQL
REST
Historical, flexible but less standardized. To favor for migrations or specific needs.
Authentication and Security
Secure your APIs with:
- OAuth 2.0 with Simple OAuth module for third-party access
- JWT (JSON Web Tokens) for front-end sessions
- Cookie-based auth for same-origin apps
- CORS configured strictly on authorized domains
- Rate limiting to prevent abuse
Performance and Caching
One of the major advantages of headless is performance. Optimize with:
- SSG (Static Site Generation): pre-generate HTML pages at build time
- ISR (Incremental Static Regeneration): incremental rebuild with Next.js
- API cache on Drupal side: respect Drupal cache headers (Cache-Tags)
- CDN: distribute your front-end across multiple edge locations
- Webhooks: invalidate front-end cache on every Drupal publication
Content Management and Preview
Editors must be able to preview content before publication. Solutions:
- Next.js Preview Mode with Drupal authentication
- Iframe embedded in Drupal interface
- Drupal contrib modules like Decoupled Preview
Drupal Headless Use Cases
Headless architecture shines in these scenarios:
- Editorial sites: media, blogs, portals with lots of content
- Multi-channel platforms: same content on web, iOS/Android apps, kiosks
- High-performance sites: e-commerce, landing pages with high traffic
- Modern intranets: React/Vue for UI, Drupal for permissions and workflows
When to Avoid Headless?
Headless isn't always the right solution:
- Projects with tight budget/deadlines (initial overhead)
- Teams without advanced front-end expertise
- Simple sites where monolithic Drupal suffices
- Complex SEO needs without SSR/SSG
Conclusion
Drupal Headless is a powerful choice for ambitious projects. It requires solid expertise in API architecture and modern front-end. Our team masters these technologies and can support you from architecture to production.
Need Drupal Headless Expertise?
Our VOID team can help you design and implement your headless architecture. We work on:
- Technical architecture and API design
- Drupal configuration (JSON:API, GraphQL, permissions)
- Front-end development (Next.js, React, Vue)
- Performance and caching optimization
Additional Resources
- Drupal Expertise Morocco: our Drupal development services
- React Agency Casablanca: modern front-end development
- All our publications: tech guides and news
Article published on September 27, 2025. Drupal headless architecture guide for technical teams and decision-makers.