(1.0)
Keep the CMS your team knows
No retraining, no migration of everyone to a new tool. Editors keep the WordPress admin they are fluent in — we only change what visitors see.
WordPress kept
Headless WordPress
A headless WordPress agency — keep the CMS, replace the front end.
We put a fast Next.js front end on your WordPress content, so editors keep the admin they know and visitors get a site that flies.
Headless WordPress decouples the editor from the delivery. Your team keeps writing in WordPress; we serve it through a bespoke Next.js front end over the WPGraphQL or REST API — statically generated, edge-delivered, 90+ Core Web Vitals. Familiar editing, modern performance.
It is the re-platform we run for clients: WordPress kept, front end rebuilt in Next.js.
- Next.js
- The fast front end we build
- WordPress kept
- Your team keeps the admin
- 90+
- Core Web Vitals scores we build to
Three ways we work with headless WordPress.
Whether you want a fresh headless front end, a re-platform of a classic WordPress site, or a partner to run an existing headless build — this is where we come in.
The best of both: WordPress editing, modern performance.
(2.0)
Front-end performance, unlocked
A static, edge-delivered Next.js front end escapes the weight of a classic theme — 90+ Core Web Vitals from content that still lives in WordPress.
90+ Core Web Vitals
(3.0)
WPGraphQL and REST, done properly
We wire the API layer cleanly — WPGraphQL or REST — with sensible caching and preview, so the front end is fast and editors still see changes in context.
GraphQL · REST
(4.0)
A small, senior team
You work with the people building it. We run this exact re-platform for clients — no hand-off to juniors, no offshoring, senior hands throughout.
Made in Nantwich
A headless build that respects your editors.
The tangible things you keep from every engagement.
A bespoke Next.js front end
Hand-built on the App Router — art-directed, typed React, Tailwind and GSAP, built to 90+ Core Web Vitals.
Your WordPress admin, unchanged
Editors keep writing where they always have. We decouple the front end without disrupting the way your team works.
A clean WPGraphQL or REST layer
The API wired properly, with the right queries and caching — the plumbing that makes headless fast rather than fragile.
Preview and incremental builds
Editors preview changes in context, and content updates rebuild only what changed — fast to publish, fast to load.
SEO and redirects preserved
Metadata, structured data and every URL carried across, so a re-platform reads as an upgrade to search, not a reset.
A clean handover
Documented, typed code and a clear map of how WordPress and the front end talk to each other.
How we work: Audit, Design, Build, Run.
A clear path from a classic WordPress site to a fast headless front end — the same method behind every SmartaStudio build.
Headless WordPress at a glance.
- Category
- Headless WordPress development (decoupled CMS + Next.js front end)
- Best for
- Content teams committed to the WordPress admin who need a faster, modern front end — and classic WordPress sites hitting a performance ceiling.
- Typical work
- WordPress → headless re-platforms, Next.js front ends on WordPress, WPGraphQL/REST integration, performance rescues.
- Stack
- WordPress (headless), WPGraphQL or REST, Next.js (App Router), TypeScript, Tailwind CSS, GSAP, deployed on Vercel.
- Proof
- Our own Awwwards-listed site runs on Next.js; we run WordPress → headless re-platforms and build to 90+ Core Web Vitals.
- Engagement
- Fixed-scope projects (typically 12–16 weeks) or ongoing build & design on retainer. Based in Nantwich, UK; £ GBP.
FAQ
Headless WordPress, answered.
The questions we get asked most about going headless with WordPress. Something else on your mind? Just ask.
The basics
Headless WordPress keeps WordPress as the content management system but replaces its front end. Instead of a PHP theme rendering pages, a separate app — for us, a Next.js front end — pulls content from WordPress via an API and delivers a fast, modern site. Editors keep WordPress; visitors get something quicker.
Yes — that is the whole point. Your team keeps writing and managing content in the WordPress admin they already know. We only change the delivery layer, so there is no retraining.
Both are options; we choose based on your content and needs. WPGraphQL gives precise, efficient queries for complex content; the REST API is simpler for lighter builds. We wire whichever fits, with sensible caching and preview.
Working with us
Yes. We map every URL, set up redirects, and carry across metadata and structured data, so search sees an upgrade rather than a reset. It is the kind of WordPress → headless re-platform we run for clients.
Headless WordPress is ideal when your team is committed to the WordPress admin and you have content and workflows worth keeping — you get modern performance without moving CMS. If you are open to changing CMS, a Next.js + Sanity build can be cleaner. We will tell you honestly which fits.
It depends on the content model and front-end scope. Re-platforms typically run higher than a standard site because of the API and migration work — we scope properly before quoting. All prices in £ GBP.
Start here
Thinking about going headless?
Tell us about your WordPress site and where it is hitting limits. We will tell you whether headless is the right move — and how we would build it.
Based in NantwichUK & EuropeWordPress + Next.js
Summarise inor