Headless architecture became popular in the 2010s and has stayed that way to this day. As it helps businesses enhance their IT solutions without sacrificing their current systems, more companies are embracing it. Headless Magento is a great way to elevate your business. However, it would be a waste if you didn’t pick the correct front-end technology to leverage it.
If you have decided to go for a headless e-commerce system, read this piece. Here, we will discuss how ReactJS can help take your Headless Magento to greater heights.
Why opt for headless software architecture?
The trend of choosing headless software architecture is increasing day by day.
Many big names like Apple, Nike, Netflix, etc., have already adopted headless architecture. Its salient features are the main reasons behind it. Here are some of those features:
- Its decoupled front and back ends aid developers in developing each layer separately. One end doesn’t interfere with the other. So, they can use various technologies, frameworks, etc., that cater to the specific needs of the project.
- Developers can use top-notch JS frontend frameworks like ReactJS, Vue.js, etc., to ensure great performance.
- It integrates with many different tools without much hassle. Be it open-source, third-party, or any other tech, headless architecture has got your back. You can even integrate an entire suit if needed.
- Headless architecture can address the digital needs of various brands. Known as Headless Commerce, it has become popular among retailers and marketplaces alike and is a standalone framework at present.
- Headless architecture is crucial in scaling your operations. It enables businesses to quickly adapt to the ever-changing market conditions.
ReactJS features
While there are several front-end frameworks available for Magento out there, your Magento partner might prefer ReactJS over others. Why? Look at these ReactJS features, and you will understand yourself:
- The presence of JSX or JavaScript Syntax Extension eases up the HTML writing process for React Native development.
- A Magento 2 React Native app has exceptional speed and efficiency.
- One-way data binding is when your data only flows one-way, that is, from the parent to the child component, and not in reverse. React utilizes this technique to minimize mistakes while coding.
- The virtual DOM weighs a lot less than the actual DOM. When you modify anything in your React app, the changes happen to the virtual DOM first. The actual DOM will only be updated if necessary. This increases speed and efficacy.
Here’s how ReactJS compares with other popular front-end frameworks:
| Features | ReactJS | Angular | Vue.js |
| Type of Framework | Library | Full-fledged | Progressive |
| Data binding | One-way | Two-way | One-way |
| Size | Lightweight | Heavy | Lightweight |
| Templating | JSX | HTML-based + Angular directives | HTML-based + Vue.js directives |
| Language | JavaScript | TypeScript | JavaScript |
How can ReactJS leverage Headless Magento?
People expect a seamless experience when they visit any e-commerce platform. A Magento development company can use ReactJS to leverage the Headless Magento platform in various ways:
Reusable UI components
ReactJS can help a Magento development service break down the user interface into reusable parts. Not only does it bring about better handling but also promotes seamless growth in the future.
The reusable libraries and elements work across various software, speeding up the Magento front-end development and maintenance faster. Also, developers can easily use various pre-built open-source elements in their Headless Magento projects.
High performance
As mentioned earlier, ReactJS utilizes a virtual DOM which makes it faster and more efficient. This helps web pages render quicker, as all changes are taking place in the virtual DOM first. Only the essential modifications occur to the real DOM.
This careful calculation of the best way to update the real DOM increases the performance of your Headless Magento. In today’s competitive world, this can go a long way.
SEO advantages
While ReactJS won’t make your SEO better by default, it offers a few methods like SSR and SSG to do so.
During SSR or Server-Side Rendering, the React component rendering happens on the server before the fully rendered HTML goes to the client. This helps search engines crawl and index your content similar to typical webpages.
During SSG or Static Site Generation, static HTML pages for your React elements come into being while building them. These pre-rendered pages can assist search engines index them when needed and improve SEO.
Also, you can use its code-splitting feature to enhance page speeds and improve SERP rankings.
Fewer bugs
Magento 2 React takes a declarative approach to programming. Thus, you can simply define how you want your UI to look, and ReactJS will update the real DOM itself to achieve that. This cuts the time and effort associated with the manual DOM update process.
Besides that, its one-way data flow makes the code and data flow simplified, predictable, and more manageable. It reduces the chances of potential bugs too.
Wrapping up
React can be an ideal framework for your Headless Magento e-commerce systems because of its efficiency. Its reusable components, great performance, SEO advantages, scalability, amazing ecosystem, etc., make any front-end development process a cakewalk.
So, what are you waiting for? Leverage your Magento Headless e-commerce with ReactJS today!
