The Contentstack Team

The Contentstack team comprises experienced professionals with expertise in product marketing, customer acquisition and retention, and digital marketing strategy. They have held senior marketing positions at prominent technology companies, spanning Fortune 500, mid-size, and startup sectors. Their diverse backgrounds in technology companies and senior positions give them a deep understanding of the industry and a track record of success. The team members have project management, data, and digital marketing certifications. Their commitment to continuous learning and improvement drives their vision for creating impactful solutions. With a strong focus on customer needs, a forward-thinking approach, and a track record of crafting impactful solutions, the team is committed to making a difference in the industry.

Posts by The Contentstack Team

Sep 06, 2024 | 7 min. read

Headless CMS vs traditional CMS: Discover your best fit

Highlights You’ll learn about the differences between a headless CMS and a traditional CMS: Architecture Traditional: Monolithic, integrates back-end and front-end Headless: Decouples front-end from back-end Flexibility Traditional: Limited by templates Headless: High flexibility, custom designs Content delivery Traditional: Single-layer Headless: API-driven, multi-channel Scalability & performance Traditional: Challenges with scaling Headless: Scalable, enhanced performance Did you know the content management system (CMS) was created in the late 1990s when companies wanted a platform to manage content on their websites? The CMS of the late 1990s was different and comprised fewer features than what we have today. Today, a mere Google search of the word “CMS” will give you many options — traditional CMS and headless content management system. Understanding headless CMS vs traditional CMS helps you choose one that meets your business needs and customer demands. Choosing a CMS for your business depends on the nature of your business, architecture and long-term content management goals. A traditional CMS is ideal for some companies, but a headless CMS is an ideal platform for growth-centric companies. As it’s not every day you shop for a CMS, understanding traditional CMS vs headless CMS is essential. What is a traditional CMS? A traditional CMS is a content management system connecting the back end (content library) and the front end (presentation layer). Any changes made to one layer impact the other. The traditional CMS links content creation and presentation, simplifying your website management. Due to its centralized structure, traditional CMS is called monolithic. However, one notable feature of traditional CMS is the ease with which you can edit. You can even visualize these edits on a website. Editors can make changes without requiring a developer. While these systems are easy to use, they come with unique challenges. Most traditional content management systems need to provide unique and innovative website design. Why? The built-in templates restrict your functionalities as well as your website design. Additionally, third-party integrations and plugins are challenging to manage, resulting in performance issues. How does a traditional CMS work? A traditional CMS creates, manages and delivers digital content in one platform. With such a platform, users can create and edit content through WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editors, which makes a traditional platform appealing to non-technical users. The content is stored in a database that acts as the content center. While publishing and updating content is easy, a traditional CMS reduces your website’s flexibility, especially when you share content across multiple platforms. A traditional CMS is an excellent option for basic content but not for companies planning to meet the customer’s changing content needs. {{nativeAd:5}} Examples of traditional CMSes WordPress WordPress is the most widely used open-source traditional CMS that uses MySQL and MariaDB databases. It offers HTTPS capabilities. With countless themes and plugins, you can customize WordPress to fit anything from personal blogs to business sites. However, WordPress faces performance and security issues because of its all-in-one structure. As WordPress separates the front end from the back end, a headless CMS like Contentstack improves performance and security. A headless platform offers higher flexibility to share content across different platforms. Joomla Joomla is another popular traditional CMS that offers numerous extensions. It’s easy to use, as it was designed to meet the basic and professional needs of creating simple and complicated websites. Joomla has a well-supported community where users can ask questions and access guides. However, the platform has a higher learning curve than a headless CMS. Drupal Drupal is another CMS that manages complicated websites. It’s a popular tool for developers and companies requiring complex content hierarchies and unique workflows. Drupal’s well-developed taxonomy and user permissions make it ideal for large and enterprise-level websites. However, its higher learning curve makes it less attractive than a headless CMS. What is a headless CMS? A headless content management system decouples the front-end from the back-end functions. In the front end, you design, format and deliver content, whereas in the back end, you create, manage and store content. As the headless CMS separates the head, aka the front-end, developers can change content according to the user’s requirements. Compared to conventional CMS platforms linked to the presentation layer, a headless CMS applies an application programming interface (API)-based content management model. This is why you can create, manage and store content. A headless CMS uses RESTful APIs or GraphQL, helping your developers serve content to websites, mobile applications and IoT devices. Headless architecture benefits companies looking to provide a consistent user experience across various channels and touchpoints. How does a headless CMS work? A headless CMS separates content management from its presentation layer, helping your developers deliver flexible content. When you create or adjust content with a headless CMS, your data is stored centrally in a database and accessible through APIs. Content creation typically starts with an intuitive interface featuring structured content types that can be customized to fit specific business needs. Once published, your content is available for retrieval by different platforms through these APIs. Additionally, because the presentation layer isn't linked to the back end, your developers have total control over how your content appears visually. This architecture makes your website scalable, enhances performance and increases security by reducing the vulnerabilities associated with content delivery. Examples of headless CMSes Contentstack The API-first approach is one of Contentstack's key features, enabling developers to create rich digital experiences. Because of its simple and easy-to-use interface, Contentstack is suitable for all types of businesses, especially those needing a fast, effective and reliable way of getting their content across. {{nativeAd:8}} Strapi As an open-source headless CMS, Strapi customizes your website and its content. Developers love its flexibility because they can change the platform to fit specific projects. Unlike Strapi, Contentstack provides enterprise-grade features that are right out of the box and cater to complex project requirements. Sanity Sanity offers real-time collaboration and flexible content modeling. With Strapi, your content creators and developers work together to manage and deliver content across different platforms and devices. However, Contentstack offers a set of APIs and enterprise-level support, making it an ideal choice for businesses that need scalable content management solutions. Key differences between a headless CMS and traditional CMS Feature Traditional CMS Headless CMS Architecture Monolithic; backend and frontend integrated Decoupled; backend separate from frontend Flexibility Limited flexibility due to predefined templates High flexibility for custom frontend designs Content delivery Content tied to a single presentation layer API-driven; can deliver content to any device User interface WYSIWYG editors for user-friendly content management The interface focuses on content management; developers handle the presentation ROI Often lower due to maintenance and scalability issues Higher potential ROI due to flexibility and scalability Easy-to-use User-friendly for non-technical users It doesn’t require technical knowledge and many platforms are extremely easy to use Scalability May struggle with scaling for multiple platforms Easily scalable across various channels Performance Potential performance issues with tight integration Improved performance by separating concerns Security Higher risk due to integrated architecture Enhanced security by reducing the attack surface Use cases Best for simpler, single-layer web projects Ideal for complex applications requiring agility and consistency Examples WordPress, Joomla, Drupal Contentstack Who benefits the most from a headless CMS? Large enterprises, tech-savvy users and developers looking for flexibility and scalability in content distribution prefer a headless CMS. Here's why they work so well: Widespread, consistent content delivery A headless CMS platform is your best bet for providing strategic, relevant and captivating content through multiple channels, including websites, mobile apps and IoT devices. These platforms integrate with your content approach and engage your customers wherever they are. Tech-friendly for developers Developers with technical backgrounds in APIs and custom front-end technologies prefer a headless CMS over a traditional CMS. A headless CMS allows your development team to create unique and custom user experiences. Adaptable and future-ready If your business is future-ready, you need a headless CMS. These platforms allow your business to grow and adapt, keeping up with new technologies and shifting market needs. Case study: How did Contentstack help Burberry enable speed and agility? Burberry adopted Contentstack's headless CMS to improve its digital and user experiences. With Contentstack, Burberry can create, manage and publish content across various languages and platforms. The new system made translating content efficient, reducing developer support requests from 40 to just one per week and increasing publishing speed by 80%. This digital transformation allows Burberry to enhance productivity and seize market opportunities. After using Contentstack, Sonia Latoracca, Digital Commerce Content Manager at Burberry, said: “Creating content is quicker and easier with Contentstack. It’s a user-friendly tool making training and onboarding simpler. The integration with our translation and media systems means content can be created and published much quicker than before. The flexible, reusable components allow us to complete new designs briefs without the need for constant development.” Read the complete case study here. Who benefits the most from a traditional CMS? Small to medium-sized businesses use a traditional CMS because of these reasons: Small to medium-sized websites A traditional CMS is ideal for small businesses with basic content requirements. The platform helps users edit and maintain websites without programming knowledge. Other features, like template-based designs, basic SEO tools and an intuitive dashboard, increase your online presence. Non-technical users A traditional CMS platform offers an all-in-one package for creating, editing and publishing content using a WYSIWYG editor. As a result, you focus on creativity without technical complexities or knowledge. Quick setup If you want to publish your website quickly, you need a traditional CMS. These platforms offer pre-designed templates and require little to no coding, allowing faster deployment. FAQs What are the benefits of traditional CMS? User-friendly interface Integrated system for managing and delivering content Quick setup with minimal technical knowledge required What is the disadvantage of using CMS? Limited flexibility and scalability in handling complex projects Potential security vulnerabilities due to the monolithic architecture Performance issues with increased traffic and content volume What are the advantages of traditional CMS? Simplified content management for non-technical users Integrated templates for quick content publishing Suitable for small to medium-sized websites What are the benefits of a traditional system? Easier content management with pre-built templates and themes All-in-one solution for content creation, management and delivery Cost-effective for small businesses with basic content needs Learn more Although the choice between a headless CMS and a traditional CMS depends on your business needs because of the changing customer demands and a focus on digital experiences, headless is the future. When you migrate from a traditional CMS to a headless CMS, do you risk losing all the data? Talk to us to get answers to these questions and to understand why headless is the future.

Sep 05, 2024 | 5 min. read

Define composability: Building adaptable digital ecosystems

Highlights You’ll learn about the importance of composability: Flexibility: Helps you adapt to changing market needs with reusable components Efficiency: Optimizes resource allocation and reduces development costs Innovation: Encourages creativity by allowing the reuse of modular systems Agility: Enhances agile development and offers updates and integration with various apps There’s a scene in Iron Man where Tony Stark uses various parts and scraps to create the first version of his Iron Man suit. He combines different components to design a suit that helps him escape and create many more suits in the future. That’s composability. The problem with buying software is that you pay for the entire software but may use only 10-20% of it. Composability addresses this issue by building systems from interchangeable components for specific business requirements. Composability is driving how businesses approach system architecture and software development. To understand more, it’s essential to define composability and explore its benefits and potential pitfalls when going composable. What is composability? Composability is an architectural approach to designing software systems with interchangeable components. In simple terms, you assemble different components to build a complete system. A composable system is like a LEGO block, where each component connects in many ways. You can create a complex software system based on your business requirements by taking two or three LEGO blocks. You build systems from small independent parts that you can replace or reconfigure. Delivering new customer experiences doesn't require building a system from scratch. To accelerate the development process and promote agility, ensure the reuse of existing assets and software components. Let’s understand composability with an example: Imagine an e-commerce platform with separate parts like inventory management and payment processing. Each part can be developed, launched and scaled. This allows for quick updates and easy adaptation to customers’ needs. This setup makes your system more reliable and easy to work with other services. Principles of composability Interoperability Interoperability is critical to a composable architecture, allowing different parts to work together. Various systems, apps or services share and understand information without hassle. You can link different technologies using standardized protocols and APIs, making data flow and integration easier. You create flexible ecosystems that encourage innovation and collaboration, increasing efficiency. Discoverability Discoverability is finding and accessing the necessary components and services in composable systems. This helps developers and system architects locate and incorporate the right modules into their projects. Good strategies, like thorough documentation, rich metadata and search tools, make your components discoverable. Development speeds up when components are easy to find, encouraging innovation. Reusability Reusability is essential to an excellent composable architecture. By reusing components, you can use them in different projects, which saves money and ensures quality. Instead of creating everything from scratch, you use existing components. This increases productivity and helps you focus on new ideas and innovations. Modularity Modularity is a design approach that divides complex systems into smaller, manageable units. Within a composable architecture, each module functions independently and connects with others. This discovery process ensures your systems remain unified while enabling component development, testing and deployment. Benefits of composability Makes your systems flexible When you use a composable infrastructure, you can mix, match and rearrange components to fit your business needs. Adapting to changing market needs and providing the latest technologies makes your system more flexible. Enhances resource allocation and efficiency Composable systems divide your resources based on real-time market and customer demands. This flexibility improves your workplace efficiency, ensuring you can use resources, which saves costs and improves performance. Helps you adapt to changing business requirements Composable systems help your IT team reconfigure resources, ensuring all your applications have the necessary resources to perform. When a new solution appears in the market, your tech department can use it to stay ahead of the competition. Offers personalized user experience Composable infrastructure connects different digital experience platforms, helping you create custom, personalized experiences. You can engage your customers using data and insights from various components, increasing customer satisfaction and loyalty. Reduces development cost With composable systems, your development team only works on the front end. The modular system takes care of the back-end functions. As a result, you ensure faster development cycles. Also, you can reuse existing components instead of developing everything from scratch and save costs. Improves collaboration Composability increases teamwork within and across your company. When you remove barriers and let your teams work on smaller parts, you build a culture of innovation and shared goals. Such a composable approach leads to smoother workflows and better results. How does composability drive agile software development? Composability is essential for agile software development, making your systems more flexible and adaptable. With modular components, your development teams can change parts of an app without disrupting the entire system. This setup allows different teams to work in parallel, creating and launching new features. Application programming interfaces (APIs) and microservices help you incorporate feedback and updates, supporting a continuous delivery process that aligns with agile methods. The ability to change components encourages innovation, allowing your team to explore new technologies. To drive agile software development, companies use a composable architecture like Contentstack. Contentstack provides a headless CMS platform for developers to build and manage content. Its API-first approach helps your team build and connect applications, allowing you to adjust to changing market needs. Case study: How did Air France-KLM streamline its content creation with Contentstack's composable architecture? Air France-KLM struggled with multiple content management systems and a complex setup, making content creation difficult. Using Contentstack's flexible system, they improved operations, created one content database and set up a Center of Excellence. With this change, Air France-KLM achieved its Truly Reusable User-centered Content (TRUC) goal. It also improved customer experiences in many areas. The shift improved content management. Contentstack reduced development costs by 50% and made your process more efficient. After using Contentstack, Ralf Schipper, Product Owner CMS at Air France-KLM, said: “With Contentstack, we are changing the way we distribute content, and paving the way for personalization. We’re defining the solution to master content distribution and optimize content creation and management.” Read the complete case study here. {{nativeAd:10}} Challenges in composability While composability offers many benefits, it also brings challenges that you must manage: Handling multiple modular parts One key challenge is handling multiple modular parts. As systems become more intricate, ensuring all parts work well together can be challenging. Solution: When systems become more complex, you require strong orchestration tools and skilled staff. Additionally, you can overcome this challenge by investing in advanced management software and training your teams to use these parts. Interoperability issues Ensuring seamless communication and data exchange between various modules is essential. Undefined APIs and interfaces lead to inefficient systems. Solution: Create clear APIs and follow industry standards for smooth integration and a unified system design. Security issues Security is a concern in a composable environment. The decentralized nature of composable systems can create security issues. Strong security measures can protect data integrity and prevent unauthorized access across components. Solution: Integrate security measures like encryption and access controls for data integrity and to prevent unauthorized access. The role of composability in digital transformation and application development Composability is necessary for building flexible and creative apps that fit new business needs. By using modular components, you can add new digital tools. This helps you keep up with changes in the market and what customers want. A modular approach speeds up app development. You can react to the market's needs without spending too much money. Plus, composability lets your team update and add new features. When you embrace composability, you innovate and stay ahead of your competitors. FAQs What does composable mean? Composable means assembling and reassembling components in various ways to meet your business’s needs. What is composable in programming? Composable in programming refers to the design principle that allows you to code modules, which you can reuse and combine to build complex applications. What is the composability of software? Composability of software refers to the capability of software components to be combined and recombined to create new functionalities. What is composable technology? Composable technology uses modular components you can integrate and configure to build flexible and scalable systems. Learn more Composability provides a modular approach for creating differentiated solutions that meet your customers' fast-moving and specific needs—without having to start everything from scratch or overhaul your entire system.As more and more companies adapt and embrace a composable architecture, this trend will likely stay. If you want to know how implementing composable systems changes your software development and presents an opportunity for your business to stay ahead, talk to us.

Sep 02, 2024 | 6 min. read

Define composable: Flexible systems for future growth

Highlights You’ll learn about the benefits of composability: Makes your business agile: Quickly adapt to market changes and integrate new technologies Helps you become modular: Independent components enhance flexibility and speed up development Offers resilience: Maintain operations smoothly during disruptions Improves efficiency: Reuse components to reduce costs and streamline workflows Embrace composability to future-proof your business and stay ahead in the digital landscape. Customer needs and market demands are frequently changing. This means that speed and flexibility are crucial to success. Traditional software development approaches fail to keep pace with such dynamic activities. These systems cannot meet the market’s demands and evolving business requirements. As a result, many businesses are turning to composable systems to overcome the limitations of a traditional platform. These systems break down larger projects into smaller and more modular components, each focusing on a specific problem or use case. To understand the concept better, let's first define composable and learn about the business case for composable components and how these systems interact with other technologies like application programming interfaces (APIs) and digital experience platforms (DXPs). What is composability? Composability is a system design approach that increases business agility and accelerates application development. A composable system reuses existing components and assets and assembles them differently to meet specific customer needs. Each component addresses a specific business case or problem. You can put together different parts in various ways. This lets you create new experiences. You don’t need to build the system or software from the beginning. This approach speeds up development while helping you update or replace each component separately. It provides ongoing enhancements and innovations without disrupting your other functionalities. For example, a retail company can use a composable system, which helps them add new payment methods or chatbot services to meet customer needs and enhance the shopping experience. Principles of composability To build flexible, scalable systems that can adapt to changing market demands and technological advancements, understanding the principles of composability is essential: Modularity Modularity creates systems as self-sufficient components that operate. This approach facilitates parallel teamwork, improves collaboration and accelerates development, making your business resilient and adaptable. Interoperability Interoperability enables diverse systems to work together through standardized interfaces, enhancing business integration and functionality. Reusability Reusable components speed up the development processes and reduce costs by sharing components across projects. Discoverability Discoverability refers to the ease with which developers can find and use existing components within a system. {{nativeAd:4}} How does a composable system drive business agility and resilience? Composable systems can make your business more agile and resilient. By following a composable approach, you can adapt to changing market conditions and customer needs. The modular design means you can integrate new technologies and features without expensive overhauls or prolonged downtime. With such flexibility, your business can update or add new offerings in real time as customer preferences change. Companies can keep things running even during disruptions by separating individual components. Composable systems like Contentstack make your business processes more efficient and encourage innovation. For example, a retail company using a composable system can implement a new payment gateway to accommodate a trending payment method, meeting customer demands without interrupting business operations. Here are a few other reasons how composable systems make your business agile and resilient: Rapid deployment and personalization Composable systems deliver and deploy systems. They give you the power to roll out and tweak solutions, helping you stay ahead of market trends and meet customer demands. Think of it as building with Lego blocks—using modular and interchangeable pieces, you can adapt your systems to fit specific needs. Reduces downtime and risk Composable systems are like a well-oiled machine. Each part does its job without tripping up the others. This setup is excellent for reducing downtime and keeping risks in check. Imagine changing or fixing one part without overhauling the entire system. If something goes wrong with one piece, it doesn't mean the whole system falls apart. Strengthens business continuity Composable systems ensure your business is ready for anything. They're built tough, helping you mix new tech and processes. A flexible and dependable system is a necessity. When you use composable systems, you keep everything running and increase customer confidence. Your customers know they can rely on your consistent service. Case study: How did Contenstack help Lepaya increase growth? Lepaya switched from its old CMS to Contentstack's composable architecture. This move helped Lepaya grow while improving its ability to customize and localize content. They turbocharged their development speed by a whopping 250% and expanded their language support from 2 to 8. Lepaya streamlined its workflow and improved planning by reusing content in different modules. The result? Content entries increased from 300 to 7,500. After using Contentstack, Darya Meinecke, Content Manager at Lepaya, said: “Contentstack reduced our workload significantly. Internal clients and learning designers even say, ‘If I build things in WordPress it takes me ages, but if I use Contentstack, it takes minutes!’ We can copy modules, tag them, search and filter to find the entries we need. With WordPress, that wasn’t an option.” Read the complete case study here. Composability in different contexts Composability in software development In software development, composability focuses on microservices and APIs. Developers can craft applications as a collection of independent services, each interacting over defined interfaces. This encourages agile development and supports continuous integration and delivery, helping your team to roll out updates with minimal hiccups. Consequently, you can respond to user feedback and introduce new features, ensuring they stay competitive. Composability in business processes Composable systems aren't about technology; they impact your business processes. When you use composability, you simplify workflows by integrating different tools and platforms tailored to specific tasks. This flexibility allows teams to combine the best resources to tackle different business challenges, improving efficiency and productivity. Plus, being able to adjust and change processes means you stay responsive to demand shifts or market conditions. Composability in infrastructure Composable infrastructure reconfigures hardware and software resources, allowing your businesses to tailor their systems to meet specific business needs. Adaptability benefits cloud computing, where companies can adjust resources based on demand, ensuring cost-effectiveness and increasing efficiency. Moreover, composable infrastructure speeds up the deployment of applications and services as you can allocate resources without changing your entire system. Composability in digital systems Digital systems using composable architecture provide tailored user experiences by offering flexibility and personalization. This approach lets you connect different digital experience platforms (DXPs) via APIs. Your content creation is smooth and you provide omnichannel customer journeys that cater to unique needs and user preferences. Emphasizing integration and adaptability keeps your digital services relevant and engaging. {{nativeAd:10}} How to implement composability Use these steps for implementing composable systems: Assess your current systems and capabilities Start by reviewing your current systems. Identify areas for improvement, such as resource optimization and system flexibility. Adopt a flexible mindset Cultivate an environment that welcomes change and encourages your team to try new things. Ensure everyone understands what composable means so they’re eager to build modular systems and see the benefits. Choose the right technology Pick technologies that fit a composable setup. This means using microservices and APIs that builds flexible components and make them work well together. Establish governance frameworks Create clear rules for building, documenting and reusing components. Strong guidelines make it easier to manage everything and find and use components. Encourage cross-functional collaboration Encourage open communication between different teams, such as development, operations and business. Teamwork brings diverse ideas that enhance your composable solutions. Iterate and improve Set up a plan for ongoing improvements. Regularly check how well your systems adapt to new business needs and market changes and adjust your approach. Monitor performance and outcomes Set up key performance indicators (KPIs) to track the performance of your composable systems. Monitor these metrics to ensure you see the expected benefits and make changes as needed. FAQs What does composable mean? Composable means mixing and matching system components in different ways to fit specific needs. What is the composability of software? Composability of software helps you combine and recombine software components to create new functionalities. What is composable technology? Composable technology uses modular components you can integrate and configure to build flexible and scalable systems. Learn more Switching to a composable architecture ensures you adapt to the changing market demands and customer expectations. It increases collaboration among your team and makes your business more agile. As you work through the challenges of digital transformation, embracing a composable approach can future-proof your operations and keep you competitive. Are you curious about how composable systems can transform your business? Talk to us today.

Aug 29, 2024 | 5 min. read

Driving personalization at scale with a composable DXP

Highlights You’ll learn about personalization at scale with composable DXP Composable DXP allows you to deliver personalized experiences to your customers Benefits include enhanced user engagement, improved customer journey, and streamlined interactions Transform your digital strategy with personalization at scale. Opt for a DXP that allows you to deliver tailored experiences. A recent Google report states that 90% of top marketers identify personalization as essential for profitability, while 61% of consumers expect tailored experiences from brands. With the adoption of emerging technologies, brands are seeking to establish stronger bonds with customers. A composable DXP offers the tools to personalize every aspect of a customer’s journey. Here is a look at how composable DXPs work and why they are crucial for personalization at scale. What is a composable DXP? A composable DXP is a modular SaaS platform that allows you to tailor digital solutions to your unique business needs. In essence, you can integrate tools and services from multiple vendors. It differs from traditional DXPs, where you are locked into a single vendor's solutions. Do you trust that one singular vendor will always be at the forefront of digital solutions? Using APIs and best-of-breed technology allows you to ‘compose’ a platform that better fits your goals. In this context, you focus on tools that enable you to personalize customer experiences. Its core features include; Headless CMS Microservices API-based integrations Out-of-the-box, composable DXPs offer solutions that enable you to deliver tailored and custom experiences. The role of personalization in business growth When brands personalize customer experience, it leads to higher engagements. It also means that they can acquire more qualified leads and move them through the funnel much faster. You can also enhance customer relationships by delivering personalized content and offers. For instance, you can collect customer data and use that to inform email campaigns. Doing so enables you to customize email content, which improves open rates and conversions. According to research, 80% of consumers are more likely to purchase a product when a business offers tailored experiences. Personalization also increases relevance, which reduces churn and keeps users engaged. For instance, SaaS companies can provide customizable dashboards that allow users to personalize the interface to their workflow needs. This keeps them engaged and drives retention. Key features of composable DXPs for personalization A composable DXP offers several features that enable you to personalize customer experiences. They include: Modular design: Since a composable DXP is modular, you can add or swap out modules. That enables you to adapt your platform to customers' needs, even as those needs continue to change. Seamless integration: Composable DXPs easily connect with existing systems via APIs. For instance, a FinTech brand can integrate a DXP with financial analytics and planning tools. So, when a customer interacts via a mobile app, the platform pulls their data from the analytics module to offer loan or investment options based on their recent spending patterns. Real-time data processing: Access to real-time customer data allows you to create dynamic personalization strategies. You can adjust content and offers based on user behavior and preferences. {{nativeAd:4}} Case study GetYourGuide GetYourGuide provides content for its customers about travel opportunities. With over 500,000 daily visitors, it employs multiple content creators and brand influencers. However, its website's bandwidth was limited, creating a bottleneck within its workflow. As a result, it could not adapt to new travel trends. They needed a solution to those problems and reached out to Contentstack. GetYourGuide switched to Contentstac’s DXP with a headless CMS. They also used the APIs, connectors, accelerators, and other marketplace services for seamless content delivery. These enabled them to deliver personalized content to over 500,000 unique website visitors. They also deployed content faster by 90%, and content support and approval times were reduced by 75%. Hear from Pedro Torres, the product manager. "With Contentstack, we can deliver on -- and exceed -- what customers are expecting, regardless of device, and consistently deliver those experiences as soon as new travel opportunities become available." Read more about how GetYourGuide used Contentstack to personalize and enrich travel experiences. How to implement personalization at scale with composable DXPs There are multiple micro processes required when implementing personalization with a composable DXP, but we can summarize them in three steps, as follows; Build and deploy: Outline your business goals. Then, design scalable APIs to leverage an API-first approach. Finally, select a composable DXP solution that aligns with your business goals. Select the right modules: Select modules, such as customer data platforms and CRM systems, that allow you to personalize your digital experience solution. Then, tailor and integrate them with your digital experience platform. Integrate relevant technologies: Implement APIs and middleware to ensure your personalization tools can interact and share data without any disruptions. Also, they should be integrated with other systems within the DXP. Using customer data and analytics lets you extract actionable insights that inform your personalization strategies. You can also take things further by integrating AI systems for more precise customer behavior predictions. The role of a customer data platform (CDP) A CDP is mainly a tool for marketers. It collects first data from multiple sources. It then unifies it, ensuring you get a single and complete view of each customer. With that data, you can personalize content and offers for your customers. When should you integrate a CDP? Integrating a customer data platform into a CDP would be logical when focusing on growth through customer retention. Tailoring customers' experiences can generate repeat engagement and customer loyalty. Overcoming challenges in scalable personalization Despite the obvious benefits of composable, you may encounter challenges during installation or usage. Here are common issues and how you can overcome them. Data silos: Having isolated data can hurt your ability to deliver unified and cohesive customer experiences. To manage that, create a centralized data strategy consolidating customer information from multiple sources. Integration challenges: It is common to encounter integration issues as some personalization tools may not be compatible with your DXP. Use APIs and middleware to ensure seamless integration. Inconsistency: Integrating multiple systems can make it hard to maintain consistent brand messaging. To address that, develop guidelines for a cohesive brand voice and synergize your organization’s business units. {{nativeAd:9}} Future trends in composable DXPs and personalization The rapid adoption of AI, IoT, and voice assistants will enhance the functionality of composable DXPs. Over the next few years, we can anticipate; More businesses will go composable as they recognize the value of modular systems. With better access to real-time data, brands will focus on hyper-personalized content and offer. This will improve customer support and allow them to respond faster to customer needs. By Q2 2024, cyberattacks on organizations increased by 30% year-over-year, with around 1,636 cases. These incidents ensure that security remains at the core of tech discussions, even as the GDPR continues to implement stringent guidelines. Composable DXP solutions will increase security features to improve data safety. FAQ section What is a composable DXP? A composable DXP is a SaaS platform that allows brands to build digital solutions out of small, modular components. What is the difference between monolithic DXP and composable DXP? Monolithic DXPs are all-in-one systems that provide a suite of business solutions, while composable DXPs are modular, allowing you to integrate solutions from multiple vendors. What is the difference between personalization and hyper-personalization? Personalization relies on historical data, while hyper-personalization relies on real-time data to tailor user experiences. Learn more Composable DXPs empower businesses to tailor customer experiences at every point of their journey. That increases customer retention and ROI. Given it is API-first and modular, you can easily integrate personalization tools. As you look to drive growth and enhance customer satisfaction, a composable DXP is the way to go. Contentstack offers the leading digital experience platform with personalization solutions. Talk to us today to learn more.

Aug 28, 2024

Seamless DXP integration for innovation and digital growth

Highlights You’ll learn about the benefit of seamless DXP integration for digital transformation. Flexibility: Cloud-native, modular, API-first design Real-time insights: Access up-to-date data across all channels Centralized management: All customer and business data in one platform Vendor independence: Choose the digital solutions you need from any vendor With the adoption of new technologies, customer needs are changing constantly. They are also interacting with businesses on more platforms than ever. Brands need to be agile and flexible to keep up. Traditional DXPs struggle to do that. They are tightly coupled and rigid. So, you are locked into a vendor solution with little to no flexibility. Also, making changes requires extensive development work. A composable DXP has no such issues. It is cloud-native, modular and API-first. You can plug into the latest technology and scale when required. Introduction to DXP integration DXP integration is the process of connecting a DXP with third-party systems and solutions. Think of connecting your existing tech stack to a larger, unified platform. It is done with the help of APIs and middleware, to facilitate seamless data flow. It also improves collaboration between your work team and future-proofs your digital strategy. Importance of integrating DXPs with existing tech stacks There are many reasons for organizations to integrate DXP with its current stack, for instance, for business continuity. Here are other benefits of DXP integration. Creates a streamlined workflow: With DXP integration, you can automate routine tasks and centralize content management. You can also combine plugins, extensions, and APIs to easily integrate multiple systems. This simplifies work and speeds up time to market. Get real-time insights: Integrating DXP gives your organization access to the most up-to-date across every channel. This allows you to respond quickly to customers' needs. For instance, real-time data from a chatbot interaction can help a business quickly respond to a customer's request, improving customer support. Centralized management platform: Integrating DXP with existing technology stacks gives your business a platform with all customer and business data in one place. This platform allows you to make better and more informed decisions and tailor digital experiences to your customers' needs. Leverages existing investment: DXP integration supports business continuity because you do not need to overhaul your tech stack or digital strategy. You only need to connect compatible systems, and your business will continue without disruption. Easy adoption: Integrating DXP makes it easy to adopt new technologies through APIs. APIs allow you to integrate IoT, AR/VR, and voice-assisted systems to extend the functionality of your tech stack. {{nativeAd:4}} Benefits of composable DXPs A composable DXP is an improvement on traditional DXPs. With a separate back end and front end, you can build a front-end component of your choice. Here are other benefits of composable DXP: Increased flexibility: You can customize a composable DXP to your business's needs. At any point, you can also replace or update DXP components, allowing you to adapt quickly to market and tech shifts. Enhanced user and customer experiences: You can integrate analytics and marketing tools to improve customer experience. For example, by integrating data platforms, your brand learns what its customers need, which will help you tailor your services to resonate with them. Improved data management and insights: Composable DXPs allow for the easy integration of various data sources. Giving a unified view of customer data, which provides actionable insights Reduced vendor lock-in: A composable DXP allows you to select digital solutions from any vendor. That way, you do not miss out on new market opportunities when locked in with one vendor. Key components of a successful DXP integration There are quite a few technologies and strategies that you need to integrate a DXP successfully. Some of them are: API-first: APIs-first is the design of digital solutions with APIs as the main component. It makes APIs the backbone of the integration, providing a flexible framework for seamless data sharing. Using this approach, your business can integrate new tools without experiencing compatibility issues. Microservices: This approach breaks down DXP into smaller, independent systems with specific business functions. It makes it easy to update or replace modules without disruption. Headless CMS: By separating its back end from the front end, a headless CMS offers flexibility. APIs help achieve this separation by delivering content seamlessly across different digital channels. Personalization engines: According to Epsilon research, 80% of customers are likely to buy when a brand gives them a personalized experience. DXP comes with personalization engines that gather customers’ data so your business can tailor content, offers, and interactions to their needs. A step-by-step guide for integrating a DXP with your tech stack Integrating a DXP involves many tasks that can be grouped into five main stages. They are: Assess current tech stack: Start by evaluating your current tech stack. You want to understand its capabilities, limitations, and integration points. That way, you identify gaps and determine which parts of your stacks need an upgrade or replacement. Identify integration needs: Look for the tools in your stack that are compatible with a DXP. Examine their ability to work with APIs, middleware, plugins, or other integration methods. Choose the right DXP solution: Select a DXP that can integrate with your current tech stack. Consider features like API-first, cloud-native, security and personalization. Also, consider pricing and go for features that align with your business goals. Implement composable DXP strategies: Identify the core systems your business needs. Develop well-documented APIs and use a microservice architecture to connect these systems. Regularly access and update systems to ensure an adaptable system that can grow to meet increased demands. {{nativeAd:9}} Case studies Technical Safety BC Technical Safety BC was handling massive traffic. Their old website had over 3000 pages, many of which were orphaned. The CMS use was also siloed to a single person, and brand messaging was inconsistent. They knew the situation was no longer tenable, so they reached out to Contentstack. The turnaround came after they opted for Contentstack's composable DXP with a headless CMS. The website speed increased by 150 times, the page count was reduced by 60%, and web traffic grew by 73%. Aside from the customer experience improvements, its content creators also have a structured framework, allowing them to create and deliver consistent brand messaging. “The new structure and consistency across the site has enabled our teams to easily find what they need when they are helping clients locate information on our site,” Ian Colvin, Leader of Communications and Digital Experience, said. Read the case study here. Ebner Media Group Ebner Media Group was looking to digitize its publications to reach a wider audience. They also wanted to reduce development time and resources. Many of their websites were powered by WordPress, which was difficult to update and maintain as these interventions usually took hours, days, and even weeks sometimes. To power the digital transformation, they chose Contentstack's DXP with a headless CMS. By doing digital, they reduced developer resources and scaled effortlessly. The change also enabled them to localize content and improve their reach, creating license-driven content at a global scale. Hear from Álvaro Ruiz, the Head of Technology. “Partners pay for the license, and we can easily translate content with AI, allowing people to access the digital magazine globally. We’ve launched in Europe and Germany, and the plan is to expand into America, then Mexico, and keep going from there.” Read more about how Ebner Media scaled digital publishing with Contentstack. Challenges in DXP integration DXP integration comes with challenges that can affect the success of your digital transformation. Here are a few common ones. Technical complexities of legacy systems: Legacy systems often have inflexible monolithic designs and may also have data quality issues, such as inconsistent data formats. Thus, data cleaning and transformation must fit the DXP structure. Data silos: Data silos are another issue. Monolithic DXPs may also store data in isolated systems incompatible with the new DXP. Ensuring seamless integration: Most traditional systems have complex dependencies that make it difficult to integrate new systems via APIs. It is essential to check the system’s compatibility before DXP integration. Issues with team adaptation: As you implement a new system, your team may struggle to use a DXP. To enable quick adaptation, it is important to provide training and document new operating procedures. Future trends in DXP integration AI and machine learning can also make predictions about future outcomes. They can recognize and predict patterns in customers' behaviors. They can also help in decision-making. Predictions for DXP evolution and digital transformation The following are predictions for DXP evolution and digital transformation: Enhanced data privacy: From 2021 to 2023, data breaches increased by 72%, according to a recent report. That has prompted GDPR and data privacy bodies to implement more stringent laws. This will prompt DXP solutions to focus on data security and privacy going forward. Integration with emerging tech: The AR and VR market will reach $62bn by 2029 due to rising user demand. Hence, businesses are exploring how these technologies can engage their customers. As more people use such technologies, DXPs will integrate them to improve user experience. FAQ section What are the core capabilities of DXP? The core capabilities of DXP are content management, personalization, analytics, data integration, and multi-channel delivery. What are DXP platforms? Digital experience platforms (DXP) are tools that work together to create and optimize digital experience across multiple channels. What is the integration of digital platforms? Integration of digital platforms is connecting various systems to ensure there is a stable flow of data across your business. How does DXP work? A DXP relies on APIs and middleware to combine different digital solutions to improve customer journeys. Learn more DXP integration is essential for business continuity and customer experience improvements. By integrating a DXP, you can extend the functionality of your tech stack, making it more relevant and consistent with what customers expect. Contentstack is an industry-leading composable DXP. It is MACH-enabled, offers enterprise-grade security, and comes with robust APIs that ease DXP integration. Talk to us today to get started.

Aug 28, 2024 | 5 min. read

Streamlining content management with Angular and headless CMS

Highlights You’ll learn about working with headless CMS and Angular. Seamless integration: Use Angular with a headless CMS for dynamic content delivery Flexibility: Build your user interface with Angular and connect with content via APIs Developer-friendly: The use of APIs eases integration and content retrieval Discover the power of Angular and headless cms integration. Developers use headless CMSes to connect securely to web application backends via Restful APIs. Angular provides a component-based framework with prebuilt patterns for developers to build dynamic, scalable web apps. When combined, a headless CMS and Angular allow you to simplify content management. Importance of combining Angular with a headless CMS A headless CMS provides a flexible way to manage and deliver content, while Angular enables the creation of fast, interactive apps and user interfaces. Combined, you can address the demands of users who expect dynamic, content-rich experiences across various devices and platforms. Benefits of using a headless CMS with Angular Using headless CMS with Angular enhances web application dynamics and user-friendliness, streamlining content management significantly. Flexibility and scalability: When integrated, you can separate content while you tweak the UI to leverage Angular’s strengths. Performance-driven architecture for speed: A headless CMS offers efficient caching methods that optimize content delivery. Angular’s light compilation speeds up app startup and only loads necessary components. Developer-friendly: Merging Angular and headless CMS streamlines the development process. It gives developers access to a platform they can customize to suit their content needs. Since Angular is open-source, developers can also extend its capabilities. Better content management: APIs make it easy to integrate a headless CMS with Angular. This gives developers the flexibility to build frontend interfaces that support real-time updates and fast, consistent content delivery. {{nativeAd:5}} Understanding Angular integration with headless CMS Integrating Angular with a headless CMS involves leveraging APIs to fetch and display data. First, you set up HTTP client services to make API requests and use SDKs specific to the headless CMS. Configure your environment to manage APIs and endpoints, and you can then implement data fetching in Angular. API-based content management Integrating Angular with headless CMS improves efficiency. A headless CMS uses APIs to deliver content, so it is easy for developers to integrate Angular-built user interfaces. With Angular’s scalable architecture, developers can quickly fetch and surface content, enabling them to scale content management and publishing. Setting up Angular with a headless CMS Follow these steps to set up an Angular and headless CMS environment successfully: Set up your Angular Project: Install Angular CLI and create a new Angular project using the simple code [ng new my-angular-app]. Next, navigate to your project directory [cd my-angular-app]. Install packages: Install relevant packages such as an HTTP client module, specific CMS SDKs or API client, and a GraphQL client, if applicable. Set up API and environments: Create a service file in your Angular project to manage API calls. Configure the service to collect data from your CMS API endpoint. Also, environment files can be set up to securely store API keys and endpoints. Fetch and display content: Using the Angular CLI, generate a service to fetch data. To implement the logic, the HTTP client or SDK is used to fetch data. Then, create a component to display data, use the service in the component, and update the template. Run your application: Start the Angular development server and run your Angular application. You can also use Angular’s two-way binding to verify that CMS content is correctly fetched and displayed on your site. Best headless CMS options for Angular Choosing the right headless CMS for Angular can be exhausting, as many options are available. Here are some available options: ButterCMS: ButterCMS boasts an intuitive interface and robust API for seamless content management. However, its limited customization options can be a drawback for complex projects. Contentstack addresses these issues. It is MACH-certified and offers extensive customization for enterprise needs. It also comes with advanced features like automation and omnichannel content delivery. Hygraph: Hygraph excels with its flexible schema builder and GraphQL support, but its learning curve can be steep, making it difficult to onboard quickly. Contentstack simplifies integration with its user-friendly interface and comprehensive documentation. It also offers customization and adequate support for quick onboarding. Storyblok: Storyblok's drag-and-drop interface is appealing, yet its setup can be complex and time-consuming. Contentstack, with its MACH-certified architecture, offers a streamlined setup process, enabling quick deployment and efficient content management without sacrificing flexibility. {{nativeAd:7}} Case study Elastic Using the WordPress CMS came with its challenges, as Elastic found out. It was slow, clumsy, and prone to crashes. Hence, the organization needed to overhaul its WordPress CMS and merge its .com and .org domains. Choosing Contentstack offered them the right infrastructure for the job. The headless CMS deployment and onboarding were fast. It enabled them to increase development speed by 500%, reduce cost by 78%, and save time on staff training. Hear from the Webmaster, Sylvie Shimizu. "Our company had a very aggressive timeline to both redesign and migrate our website. With Contentstack, we were able to make those changes in no time." Follow the story of how Elastic sped up development by 500% with the help of a headless CMS. Advanced techniques for optimizing Angular applications with headless CMS Some advanced techniques can be used to enhance performance and scalability and ensure seamless content delivery. These approaches include server-side rendering (SSR), using GraphQL API, developing dynamic content management strategies, and implementing efficient state management. Server-side rendering (SSR) with Angular Universal SSR optimizes performance for Angular websites on headless CMS by delivering pre-rendered HTML, which speeds up the initial load. This improves SEO as search engines can index content better. Users also benefit from quick content loading as it improves their experience. Server-side rendering also reduces the workload on the client's browser since the server does the initial rendering. This efficient use of resources minimizes the need for client-side rendering, saving bandwidth. Also, it ensures dynamic content is accessible to bots, making it easily crawlable. Using GraphQL API for efficient data fetching With GraphQL, your front end only requests the data it needs, no more, no less. This reduces the need for extra data and results in quicker load times. It is clutch for mobile apps and any frontend where every millisecond counts and bandwidth is precious. Dynamic content management strategies Dynamic content management ensures real-time and efficient content delivery. This approach leverages user behavior analytics and adaptive content delivery to create a more engaging user experience, ensuring each visitor receives content tailored to their interests and needs. This results in faster, more responsive websites that also improve user experience. Common challenges and solutions There are common challenges in integrating Angular with headless CMS. Developers must note these potential issues and make relevant plans to manage them. Handling API rate limits: Frequent API calls can hit rate limits, causing disruptions or delays. To solve this, caching strategies should be implemented on the client side with services like localStorage or IndexedDB, and server-side caching should be used for more robust solutions. Ensuring content security: Content fetched from a CMS can introduce security risks, leading to XSS attacks or unauthorized data exposure. Always sanitize and validate user input data before rendering or processing it. Maintaining SEO best practices: Dynamic content can be difficult for search engines to index, potentially affecting SEO. Use server-side rendering (SSR) with Angular Universal and structured data markup to improve search engine indexing and rankings. FAQ section What is the best headless CMS for Angular? Contentstack’s headless API-based CMS is the best for Angular. Its MACH architecture provides scalable and seamless API integration. These features optimize Angular applications, ensuring robust performance and efficient content management. How to create SDK in Angular? Create an SDK by defining services with reusable functions, then package them into a library using Angular CLI. How to work with headless CMS? Configure CMS API, fetch data with HttpClient, and dynamically render content in Angular. Is a headless CMS just an API? No, a headless CMS is not just an API. However, it uses APIs to connect the presentation layer with the content, allowing for custom front-end development. Learn more Integrating Angular components with headless CMS allows developers to build dynamic, responsive web applications. It also offers flexibility, allowing you to manage growth, complex workflows, and multichannel experiences. Contentstack’s headless CMS is the best CMS for Angular. It is MACH-compliant and offers enterprise-grade security and support for easy onboarding. Switch to an Angular-friendly headless CMS with Contentstack. Talk to us today.

Aug 27, 2024 | 5 min. read

Build faster: React and headless CMS integration guide

Highlights You’ll learn about integrating React with a headless CMS. Greater efficiency: Streamlines data management and content updates Enhanced performance: Faster content rendering, load times, and publishing Dynamic solutions: Offers flexibility and adaptability in application design Integrating React with a headless CMS enables you to build faster user interfaces and render content faster, enabling you to create optimized, modern applications that meet today's dynamic needs. A headless CMS manages the backend of web applications so developers can concentrate on the frontend presentation layer. Its API-first design allows for seamless content delivery across multiple channels. It also enables developers to work with any front-end framework. With React, developers can create user interfaces (UI) that enhance the speed of programs. Why integrate headless CMS with React? A headless CMS offers APIs and content management features that complement the component-based architecture of React. That allows you to handle and render data with ease. Here are other reasons to integrate a headless CMS with React. Scalability: React apps are designed to expand. As you add new features, a headless CMS offers content delivery networks (CDN) that ensure your app remains responsive even when it scales. Enhanced performance: Integrating React with a headless CMS allows you to enjoy server-side rendering (SSR). That leads to faster load times, better SEO performance and a better user experience. Developer friendly: Developers prefer CMSes that integrate well with other software. A headless CMS offers well-documented APIs that allow you to retrieve and manipulate data easily. This allows developers to get started quickly on new projects. Dynamic content rendering: React’s virtual DOM updates only necessary UI parts, resulting in fast rendering and smooth user experiences. Integrating React with headless CMS is perfect for apps that need real-time content updates or reloads. {{nativeAd:5}} Setting up your development environment You need the development environment up and running before configuring your headless CMS and React app. Here are essential steps to follow. Prerequisites Install Node.js and npm on your server. This requires a basic understanding of React and JavaScript. After installing Node.js, open a terminal or command prompt and run the ‘npm install -g npm’ command to install npm: Creating a new React project You can create a React project, ‘my-app,’ by running the below command in your terminal. npx create-react-app my-app cd my-app npm start Choosing the right headless CMS A headless CMS offers a decoupled architecture that allows you to work with any front-end framework. It is API-driven, making it a suitable choice for pairing with React. Here are popular headless CMS options; Contentful: Contentful offers robust content modeling and APIs, which can be complex and challenging for small businesses. Contentstack simplifies content management with user-friendly features, making it a better choice for dynamic projects. Strapi: Strapi is a flexible, open-source CMS with easy customization and multi-language support. However, it requires development expertise and has a smaller community. Contentstack offers a larger community, user-friendly advanced features, and robust support, making it a superior choice for comprehensive content management. Sanity: Sanity CMS offers flexibility and real-time collaboration but has drawbacks like hosting responsibilities and API limits. Contentstack provides comprehensive hosting, robust API capabilities, and advanced SEO tools, making it a superior choice for efficient content management. Butter CMS: ButterCMS offers easy integration and a user-friendly dashboard but lacks autosave and advanced text filters. Contentstack excels with autosave, rich text editing, and content management, making it ideal for agile enterprises. Factors to consider when choosing a headless CMS When choosing your headless CMS, there are some important factors to look out for: Ease of integration: If you want a powerful headless CMS that can work with React, you should check if integrating it with React is straightforward. Features and customizability: Look at the features supported by the headless CMS. Some features, such as content models, CDNs, and enterprise-grade security, might be non-negotiable to you. Cost: Almost all headless CMS solutions have tiered pricing. Choose a headless CMS that offers the right price for the features you need. Case studies RSA Insurance Creating and launching content was taking too many resources as it was outsourced. RSA Insurance wanted the benefit of reusable content types to streamline content delivery and reduce potential human error. They also wanted to be able to control the content management process. After they opted for Contentstack's headless CMS, they improved their website performance and publishing speed. This allowed them to deliver consistent brand messaging, leading to better customer engagement. Kerri Thomas, the Content Workflow Manager, said. "The ability to make quick changes to quote and buy is huge. It's all now within our control to make changes, which was what we were looking for - to release on our own timeline. All in all, it’s a much more efficient way of working." Read more about the transformation at RSA Insurance. 1-800-Flowers 1-800-Flowers relied on an inefficient CMS that needed a different approach for each channel. B2C desktop experiences needed full HTML, while mobile web needed proxied traffic to override the HTML. 1-800-FLOWERS chose Contentstack's headless CMS to act as a single centralized hub to power its digital platforms. That resulted in better platform stability and unified management of 15 brands. Hear from Matt McHale, Senior Vice President, Application Development. "Contentstack helps provide the foundation we need to scale efficiently, enabling us to manage multiple brands effectively and continue delivering high-quality experiences to our customers as we grow. It was a big shift for everyone, but we haven’t looked back." Read more about 1-800-Flowers e-commerce success with Contentstack headless CMS. {{nativeAd:7}} Integrating headless CMS with React After setting up the React project and picking the right headless CMS, you should combine these two powerful technologies. Step-by-step integration guide Integrating React with a headless CMS requires a few essential steps, as we will see below; Select and set up the CMS: Choose a headless CMS like Contentstack. Then, create your project by defining content models and populating initial content. Create React app: Set up a new React application in Contentstack. To do that, set your region, log into your account, import content, create delivery tokens, build and configure the website, and deploy the website. Install and configure API client: Install Contentstack’s SDKs to fetch data from the content management system. Next, configure relevant API access with keys or tokens. Fetch and render content: Use the API client to fetch content from the CMS and dynamically render it in your React components. Test, deploy, and maintain: Test the integration and deploy your application. After going live, continue to track the system’s performance and update it when required. That way, you can maintain optimal performance and security. Using GraphQL with React and headless CMS Integrating GraphQL with React and Contentstack enhances data handling and content delivery. Set up your React environment with Node.js, install Contentstack CLI, and configure your account. Use Apollo Client for GraphQL queries and Contentstack JavaScript Utils SDK for JSON RTE content management. Create a .env file for configuration, implement renderOption for display, test locally, and deploy with tools like Vercel. Enhancing user experience Due to its component-based architecture, developers can create immersive user interfaces with React. To achieve the best user experience, separate your material into reusable parts, enabling a dynamic and interactive experience. Manage the state within each component for interactive elements. Advanced techniques You can implement advanced techniques for your web applications for optimal performance and security. Handling authentication and authorization Authentication and authorization restrict access to specific resources. Token-based authentication verifies credentials and issues a token for subsequent requests. Role-based access control uses user roles to determine content availability. Performance optimization Speed and scalability are crucial. Caching mechanisms reduce the load on your CMS and speed up your application. Client-side caching libraries help cache and revalidate API requests. Many headless CMS providers offer CDN integration, ensuring fast content access worldwide. Common challenges and solutions Use browser developer tools to inspect API responses for errors. Refer to the documentation and online forums. With a clear workflow and content modeling in your CMS, preview content changes before publishing. Validate data on client and server sides. Use HTTPS for communications. Be cautious about API data exposure. Regular security audits prevent system vulnerabilities. FAQ section How to set up a headless CMS? To set up a headless CMS, choose the Right CMS Platform, like Contentstack and set up APIs. Next, define your content model, create content, and build your front-end application. Is a headless CMS just an API? No. A headless CMS is a content management system. It separates content creation and storage (backend) from its delivery (front end). However, it relies on APIs to deliver content to all platforms. Is a headless CMS a backend? A headless CMS is a backend-only CMS that relies on APIs to surface content on any device. It is built without a dedicated front-end layer, making it flexible. Learn more By integrating React with a headless CMS, you can build responsive user interfaces, render content, and publish faster. You can also speed up content updates. Contentstack offers the best headless CMS for React, with SDKs and well-documented APIs to ease your integration. Opt for a developer-friendly technology to streamline your content management. Talk to us today to get started.

Aug 27, 2024 | 5 min. read

Service composability: Your path to cost-efficient operations

Highlights You’ll learn about why your business needs service composability: Agility: Adapt quickly to market changes with modular components Scalability: Grow effortlessly by adjusting individual services Cost efficiency: Reduce redundancy and save resources with reusable components Future-proofing: Stay ahead by integrating new technologies seamlessly Transform your business operations with service composability and bring innovation into your company! Have you ever tried putting together furniture when the parts don’t fit? This happens when your furniture is designed without considering composability. Whether it's your tech stack or furniture, composability is the key to building your company. Service composability improves your company’s agility, makes it more scalable and ensures cost efficiency. It breaks complex systems into reusable and modular components, helping you respond to changing market requirements. But what exactly is composability, why do businesses need it, and what challenges might you face? Scroll down to explore more. What is service composability? Service composability is all about designing software services you can mix and match to adapt to changing business requirements. For instance, you create modular services that perform specific functionality, making it easy to connect and use these functionalities across multiple software solutions. With a composable approach, you can assemble and disassemble services to keep up with market changes. A composable approach scales your systems while creating an agile and collaborative workplace. You can launch new features or products to market. Principles of composability The service composability principles are: Modularity Modularity involves breaking down applications into smaller and manageable components or modules. Using the modular principle, you can develop, test and deploy these components independently. This design principle achieves higher flexibility and efficiency in your development and business processes and allows easier updates and maintenance. Reusability Reusability is another service composability principle that lets you reuse the services within your application. One strategy is to reuse the software components of another, reducing the time required for new projects. Using a composable services architecture, you maximize the use of resources while reducing cost. Discoverability When your services are discoverable, you ensure higher collaboration and innovation at the workplace. It allows team members to: Use or reuse documents Share their findings and knowledge Build upon other’s work without duplicating the effort This helps you develop more innovative but valuable services. Autonomy Autonomy ensures each service or component functions independently and can evolve as technology changes without disrupting the entire architecture. This principle keeps your system stable, as changes to one service won't disrupt anything. When your team can choose independent components, they develop new and innovative products and services. {{nativeAd:4}} Benefits of service composability Enhances agility and responsiveness You respond to market changes and customer demands using modular components, making your operations more agile. Modular components allow you to change your business operations without changing your entire system. This flexibility ensures rapid prototyping and deployment of new features. Adapting to changes increases customer satisfaction, and you're better equipped to deliver innovative solutions. Makes your system more scalable One of the biggest perks of service composability is the ability to scale your services. When you grow and service demands shift, composable architectures let you adjust individual components as needed. For instance, if a service starts getting busier, you can spread it across different servers to run everything without affecting your entire system. Case study: How did Contentstack make Lepaya more scalable and efficient? Lepaya faced scalability issues with its traditional CMS as it wanted to grow its business and expand into different markets. By using Contentstack's composable architecture, Lepaya increased development speed by 250% and improved content creation and localization processes. This upgrade enabled efficient localization in 8 languages, streamlined workflows and enhanced content reuse, freeing customer success managers to focus on clients. Lepaya grew from 300 to 7,500 entries, with faster translations and a scalable system. After using Contentstack, Darya Meinecke, Content Manager at Lepaya, said: “Contentstack reduced our workload significantly. Internal clients and learning designers even say, ‘If I build things in WordPress it takes me ages, but if I use Contentstack, it takes minutes!’ We can copy modules, tag them, search and filter to find the entries we need. With WordPress, that wasn’t an option.” Read the case study here. Minimizes cost through efficient use of resources Reusable components or services reduce the need for redundant development efforts by allowing many projects to share the same functionalities. This makes your development process easier and saves time and cost. You can reuse independently existing components rather than starting everything from scratch, leading to more efficient and innovative solutions. Future-proofs your business operations Composable architecture's modular nature integrates with new technologies, keeping your business current with industry advancements. Such a flexible approach adapts to new trends and innovations, future-proofing your business operations. Using a composable architecture, you respond to changing market demands and customer expectations while implementing updates or changes with minimal disruption to existing systems. Reduces wastage With composability, you build a central library of components. Making these components discoverable by other teams reduces the risk of wasting resources. You no longer build something other teams are already using, achieving greater efficiency for your business. Service composability in a microservice architecture Service composability is the foundation of microservice architecture that lets you build apps as a collection of independently deployable services. Think of it like assembling a Lego set, where each piece (or microservice) has a specific function. The composable nature offers more flexibility and makes your system more scalable. Because these services are composable, you can join and rearrange them together. Your team can try new things and update the system. For example, if a company wants to add a new payment option, they can change the payment microservice and use it without affecting the rest of the system. Service composability strengthens your ability to adapt to technological or market changes. Your teams can roll out updates and new features by mixing and matching different microservices, all while keeping the system stable. A composable approach supports continuous delivery and deployment practices, streamlining the software development. For instance, an e-commerce site can scale its inventory management microservice during holiday sales, ensuring it meets the surge in demand without facing any glitches. Using service composability within a microservice architecture, your company aligns your tech capabilities with business goals. {{nativeAd:9}} Challenges in service composability Complexity of integrations Integrating services can get tricky as you add more services, reducing communications and increasing delays. Solution: Use application programming interface (API) management and service discovery tools for smooth interaction. Set clear contracts and document each API to simplify integration and ensure each component communicates with the other. Data consistency When different services handle different parts of your data, keeping everything consistent can be tough, creating data inconsistency. Solution: To maintain data integrity, use consistency models and techniques for managing distributed transactions. Centralized logging and monitoring tools can track data flow and spot potential issues. Performance overhead Many service calls can cause latency issues, slowing down performance. Solution: A microservices framework that supports performance optimization can boost responsiveness and efficiency. Organizational silos Switching to a composable architecture might reveal or worsen existing silos, reducing teamwork. Solution: Encourage collaboration by forming cross-functional teams with shared ownership of services. Regular communication improves transparency and promotes a unified approach to solving problems. FAQs What is meant by service composability? Service composability means designing services that are modular, reusable and combined to make new applications. What is a composable service? A composable service is like a building block you can use across various applications. It helps your systems become more adaptable and grow. What is the service composition? Service composition combines multiple service-oriented solutions to create a new application or functionality. What is the meaning of composability? Composability means designing composable systems with parts you can assemble and reuse in different ways. Learn more Don’t consider service composability a marketing gimmick. It’s a long-term strategy for making your systems flexible, scalable and adaptable. It drives additional value across your tech stack, delivering a consistent experience across multiple touchpoints and channels. To understand how the right composable architecture enables rapid innovation and lowers maintenance costs, talk to us today.

Aug 26, 2024 | 5 min. read

Composable architecture: Core principles for building scalable systems

Highlights You’ll learn about the core principles of composable architecture. Modularity: Break systems into independent units for flexibility and scalability Reusability: Use components across multiple applications to save time and resources Flexibility: Update or replace modules at will and plug into the latest tech trends Explore how composable architecture can enhance your digital strategy. Businesses face increasing pressure to adapt and innovate to stay competitive. Traditional systems often fail to meet this demand. This leads to inefficiency and missed opportunities. A composable architecture addresses that gap, allowing you to build software from modular, reusable components. Composable architecture supports faster innovation, and new technology can be added without overhauling the system. We explore the core principles of composable architecture, its benefits, and how it compares with monolithic systems. What is composable architecture? Composable architecture is a design approach that allows you to build adaptive applications. It treats the front-end and back-end code as separate entities, which makes development easier. Typically, it is built into a DXP that comes with a headless CMS. A composable architecture is built on three main concepts: Modularity: This principle decomposes a system into small independent parts. Every module has its specific function, making it easier to manage tasks, collaborate on projects, and scale up. Reusability: Components are built once and used in multiple applications. This approach saves time and resources. Flexibility: A composable architecture enables you to substitute or update components without interfering with the whole system, leading to faster updates and product releases. {{nativeAd:4}} Composable vs. monolithic architecture Choosing the right architecture can impact the performance of your tech stack. You can go composable if you face issues with scaling your current system. Here is a comparison of both approaches: Aspect Composable Monolithic systems Structure Uses modular parts that function without dependence on each other. A single, integrated unit with all parts connected. Scalability Scale individual units based on demand. Requires scaling the entire application, which is complex. Flexibility Update or replace modules without affecting the whole. Changes often require changes across the system. Development speed Allows faster updates and feature additions. Slower because the modules depend on each other. Fault tolerance Issues in one part of the system do not affect others Problems in one part can impact the whole system Core principles of composable architecture These core principles are the building blocks that help create resilient, flexible, and modular applications. Modular design A composable architecture offers flexibility by breaking systems into smaller, independent units. It allows you to manage DXP components more effectively. This method allows teams to focus on specific modules to get work done simultaneously. A modular design also makes it easier to repurpose existing system units instead of rebuilding features from scratch, saving both time and resources. Microservices Microservices enable an application to be structured into smaller services. Each service handles a specific business function and is managed by a separate team. They are loosely coupled, and each service can be deployed independently. For instance, if you need extra resources for user management, you can scale this service without touching other modules related to order processing. API-first Building composable architecture requires APIs to connect the different modules and microservices. An API-first approach emphasizes integration and seamless interaction. It extends your system's capabilities without complications. Cloud-native Cloud-native solutions are designed to leverage the scalability of cloud infrastructure. They enhance resilience and flexibility within the cloud environment. They also support agile practices like DevOps and serverless. With cloud-native solutions, organizations can build resilient and scalable applications. Headless CMS A headless CMS is more flexible than traditional content management systems (CMS). It is not tied to a specific front-end framework. Hence, you can deliver content to multiple platforms via APIs. This setup allows for tailored content delivery. You can engage with your customers on their preferred digital channel. Case studies MongoDB MongoDB struggled with managing five core websites and multiple content management systems. They could not align their IT systems and the business side. They quickly transformed their digital strategy by opting for Contentstack’s composable DXP. That led to faster publishing, robust support for seven languages, and over 250 pages migrated quickly. Hear from Subi Babu, the Engineering Lead at MongoDB. "Coming from an in-house CMS, our background for several years was focused on developing CMS features. Now, we can use the marketplace and get plug-and-play integrations, which is exciting." Read more about how MongoDB powered digital modernization via a composable DXP. Waltz Health Waltz needed a platform to merge product data, pricing and branded asset templates. Contentstack’s composable DXP offered that. It also allowed Waltz to integrate third-party services to improve patient care. Hear from Sunil Kripalani, the CTO. "The flexibility that's baked into Contentstack isn't just enabling our staff to work more efficiently, it's a true business enabler that's helping us consider new service offerings. Using APIs, we can pull in new data streams and create unique experiences for our provider partners, as well as within niche markets." Read about Waltz Health's DXP integration success. Benefits of composable architecture Systems that need regular updating or scaling can be complex and hard to manage. Going composable allows you to manage such issues and provides benefits as follows; Scalability: You can scale single modules as per demand. For instance, you can scale your payments module during peak sales. You don’t need to upscale other parts of the system. Flexibility: A composable architecture allows you to adapt to changing business needs. For example, if you need to add a new CRM system, you can do so as an extension rather than rebuilding the entire platform. Reusable components: Composable architecture supports component reuse. For instance, you can use a customer feedback module on your website and integrate it with your mobile app and internal tools. This will save time and promote consistency. Improved load balancing: It allows for effective load distribution across modules. This balance prevents any single part from becoming a bottleneck, improving overall system performance and reliability. Steps to implement a composable architecture Here are the steps to transition from monolithic to composable architecture Evaluate the current systems: Assess your infrastructure to identify parts that could be replaced or upgraded. Define modular components: Identify specific functions and services that will become independent modules. For instance, you can have separate modules to manage user data and inventory or to process orders. Choose the right technology: If your goal is to manage and publish content projects, opt for a headless CMS. However, if you focus on optimizing entire customer journeys, a composable DXP is the better choice. Implement APIs: Design and run reliable APIs to allow modules to share data. This ensures that different parts of your system can collaborate and share information. Testing and improvement: Test the system to ensure it works. Make changes if needed. {{nativeAd:9}} Composable architecture in e-commerce Composable architecture offers a component-based solution that enables businesses to build unique customer experiences. You can plug best-of-breed building blocks like checkout, carts, and payments. It uses packaged business capabilities (PBCs), which are connected via APIs. Traditional e-commerce platforms often struggle with scaling and integration, making it difficult for retailers to meet modern e-commerce demands. A composable model fixes this issue by allowing you to build your platform from independent, interchangeable parts. Benefits of composable architecture for e-commerce platforms Composable system offers significant advantages for your e-commerce business: Personalization: You can integrate AI-driven recommendation engines. This allows you to tailor shopping experiences across different customer segments. Omnichannel experiences: Maintain content, transactions, and customer interactions across multiple platforms and devices to ensure a consistent brand experience for your customers. Rapid feature deployment: Launch new features or promotions without rebuilding your entire system. That way, you can quickly respond to market trends or seasonal demands. Improved performance: Scale individual segments like search or checkout as needed. This speeds up the site during busy times, like sales events. Easy third-party integrations: Combine best-of-breed solutions for payments, shipping, or analytics to keep your platform flexible and future-proof. FAQ section What is composable architecture? Composable architecture is a design pattern that allows you to build software from separate, reusable parts. These parts connect via APIs to create flexible, scalable systems. What is a composable architecture standard? It is a set of rules and methods to build software parts that work together and can be swapped out. It ensures that different systems can interact and stay consistent. What is the difference between microservices and composable architecture? The main difference is in the separation of concerns. Microservices are small, independent units serving specific business functions, while a composable architecture consists of components that can be interchanged or reused. What is the difference between modular and composable architecture? Modular architecture focuses on separating components. Each component has a defined interface. Composable, however, emphasizes reusable and interchangeable parts. Learn more A composable architecture enables you to create resilient, flexible, and scalable applications. It supports modularity and improves time-to-market. As the basis of a composable DXP, it gives you the tools to manage and optimize entire customer journeys. Contentstack offers the best-in-class composable DXP built on MACH principles, with enterprise-grade security and support for easy onboarding. Talk to us today to see how it works.

Aug 26, 2024 | 6 min. read

SEO-rich text meaning: Key to higher Google rankings

Highlights You’ll learn about why you need SEO-rich text: Increases search rankings: SEO-rich text aligns with search algorithms, improving your site's visibility Improves user experience: Structured content with keywords, headers and multimedia increases readability, user engagement and user experience Stays competitive: Rich snippets set your content apart from others, increasing the clicks Adapts to trends: Use AI and algorithm changes to stay ahead Understand the power of SEO-rich text and transform your digital presence today. So, your content team has worked day in and night out to create compelling content that answers your customer's most pressing questions and portrays you as a leader in your niche. Yet search engines remain aloof and are not ready to give your content the attention it deserves. You need something else to transform your content from “okay” to “magnificent” in Google's eyes. Enter search engine optimization (SEO) rich text. SEO-rich text is your window to online visibility, especially with Google updating its search algorithm every other week. Today, it’s likely to become your best friend because it gives you the necessary visibility. Before proceeding, let’s understand the meaning of SEO-rich text, its key components, benefits and strategies for implementing it. What is SEO-rich text? SEO-rich text refers to the content creation optimized for Google’s search engine. Creating content that aligns with the search engine algorithms makes it easier for search engines to rank your pages on top of the result pages. The rich text incorporates relevant keywords, additional information and phrases to increase the likelihood of getting discovered by your customers. Using headings, subheadings, bullet points and multimedia, SEO-rich text improves user experience and increases your chances of ranking higher in search results. Good SEO-rich content is critical for attracting organic traffic because it meets the needs of search engines and real people. Some types of SEO-rich text or rich snippets are: Reviews and ratings FAQs Featured snippet Products Events Articles Let’s say you want to rank on Google by showing user ratings. Incorporating review schema markup into your website lets you provide Google with detailed information about your product or service reviews. This structured data lets Google display rich snippets in search results, showcasing elements like star ratings, reviewer names and concise review summaries. A rich snippet aims to provide informative, detailed and relevant content that search engines rank. Ranking as a featured snippet drives more targeted organic traffic and improves your click-through rate. You can implement SEO-rich text using schema.org vocabulary and embed it into web pages using formats like Schema Microdata, JSON-LD and RDFa. {{nativeAd:3}} Key components of SEO-rich text Keyword research Using Google Keyword Planner or SEMrush, identify keywords with high search volume. Ideally, such keywords should be integrated into your content to rank on search engines. Meta tags Crafting optimized metadata, meta titles and descriptions gives search engines a glimpse into your content while influencing click-through rates. Keep them concise and compelling, with primary keywords to attract users. Header Tags (H1, H2, H3) Structuring your content with a header improves content readability and SEO. The H1 highlights the main keyword and topic, while the H2 and H3 tags break down content, enhancing user experience and search engine readability. Structured Data Structured data organizes information in a standard format. This makes it easier for search engines to understand your content, leading to rich snippets in the search results. Internal and external links Linking to other relevant pages on your site and reputable external sources builds credibility and provides a richer context. This helps users navigate and signals search engines about the connections within your content. Multimedia elements Adding images, videos and infographics improves the user experience. Optimize these elements with relevant alt text and descriptive file names to support your SEO efforts. Benefits of SEO-rich text Improves search engine rankings Companies value SEO-rich text because it improves search engine rankings and organic traffic. Meta tags, keyword inclusion and backlinks enhance website authority and relevance in search results. Rich snippets and structured data differentiate your content from others on SERPs. This differentiation draws more clicks and engagement, which signals search engines the quality and relevance of your site. Case study: How did Contentstack improve Reckitt search engine rankings and traffic? Reckitt wanted to unify its content across 700 websites for 84 brands in the health, nutrition, and hygiene markets using Contentstack’s headless CMS. This move streamlined internal processes, improved digital experiences and increased website performance scores by 40%. The shift to a headless CMS reduced costs and expedited website delivery and brand identity. With Contentstack, Reckitt improved flexibility, scalability and performance. The company witnessed reduced delivery times, lower maintenance costs and enhanced SEO performance. Using Contentstack, Reckitt continues to optimize its content for SEO and create SEO-rich text. After using Contentstack, Paweł Płoneczka, IT&D Senior Manager Websites at Reckittm said: “With Contentstack’s global governance and control over the content model, we can make sure that all sites are compliant, have full accessibility and work as they should, out-of-the-box.” Read the case study here. Increases user experience Don’t confuse SEO-rich content with keyword stuffing. Aside from strategically including keywords, creating valuable, user-friendly content that fulfills your customer requirements is essential. Before publishing your content, check its readability, clarity and engagement to encourage repeat purchases. Boosts click-through rate Crafting engaging meta descriptions and rich snippets enhances your click-through rates. Only when your search results stand out do you witness an increase in click-through rate. When people read something, they're more likely to click and explore further. So, put extra effort into those meta descriptions to witness a positive change in your organic visibility. Enhances conversion rates Organic traffic comprises prospects who are actively searching for products or services. SEO-rich text increases conversion rates by making the user experience more engaging and persuasive. When you place visible and relevant calls-to-action (CTAs), it guides your users to buy your products. The SEO-rich text brings more visitors by improving visibility. It also meets their needs, building trust and credibility. When your content is timely and informative, then your customers will subscribe to a newsletter, request a quote or make a purchase. If you want to enhance the effectiveness of SEO, develop content that convinces users and establishes loyalty. Gives you a competitive edge SEO is highly competitive because it helps you rank for a keyword. But a rich snippet gives you a competitive edge. How? Not all your competitors use SEO-rich text, helping you leverage the gap. Furthermore, high-quality, informative content establishes your authority in your niche, building trust with your audience. Users who perceive your brand as a reliable source engage with your products or services, leading to higher conversion rates. The role of SEO-rich text in search ranking SEO-rich text improves your search rankings. Why? Search engines like Google prefer user-friendly, relevant and well-organized content. Structured data and rich snippets show crawlers that your content answers a particular search query. So, you attract more clicks and engagement. Incorporating keywords within a well-organized structure, like headers and bullet points, makes your content more accessible to users and search engines. This clear layout ensures your pages are indexed, increasing your rankings. The combined benefits of better visibility, improved user experience and relevance push your content higher in search results. That's why having SEO-rich text is important for every business. {{nativeAd:11}}The future of SEO-rich text As Google and other search engines evolve, rich snippets will become more important. Here’s what the future holds for SEO-rich snippets: Adapting to changing SERP features Search engines constantly update their features to improve the Search Engine Results Page (SERP). They introduce new tools and formats that offer fresh visibility to every search query. This includes featured snippets, local packs and knowledge graphs, all of which impact click-through rates and user engagement. Keeping up with Google algorithm changes Regular updates to Google's algorithms affect your website's rankings and visibility. It's crucial to stay informed about these changes by following reliable SEO news sources and industry experts. You can adjust your strategies to keep your content relevant and competitive by comprehending how these updates influence your user’s search behavior. AI and machine learning's role in SEO Artificial intelligence and machine learning allow content analysis, helping search engines understand context and search intent. Optimizing for search now means improving high-quality content that meets user needs alongside using tools that analyze data and predict trends. FAQs What is a rich text for SEO? Rich text for SEO consists of structured data markup, rich snippets and relevant keywords. These elements improve your website’s visibility and user engagement. What are SEO-rich results? SEO-rich results have better search listings, which offer information like images, ratings or reviews, making these results visually appealing and informative. What is the meaning of rich text? Rich text adds content and formatting elements, making your content more presentable. Unlike plain text, which includes characters without any formatting, rich text includes images, links, colors, fonts and styles like bold or italics. What is Google rich text? Google rich text is optimized content that appears in Google's rich results, which include featured snippets and star ratings. Learn more Today, when businesses are fighting over every keyword and looking to rank higher on search engine results pages (SERPs), SEO-rich text is essential for marketing success. When you embrace and implement structured data, you set yourself up for success. Rich snippet not only makes your content visually appealing but also drive more qualified visitors to your website. If you want users to start seeing relevant details about your business, it’s time to dive into the world of rich snippets and structured data. To know how Contentstack can help you with SEO-rich text, talk to us today.

Aug 21, 2024 | 7 min. read

Future-proof your content strategy: Headless CMS vs traditional CMS

Highlights You’ll learn about why you should choose a headless CMS over a traditional CMS: A headless CMS has a decoupled architecture, which splits the front and back end The API-driven approach ensures seamless integration with third-party apps Handles high traffic and large content volumes effortlessly Delivers consistent content across the web, mobile and IoT platforms Provides a personalized experience on various channels Unlock your brand's potential—move to a headless CMS today. What’s the key thing your customers crave from your brand? A seamless user experience. Although integrated user experience seems simple, achieving it is complex if you don’t know where to begin. Enters a content management system (CMS). There are different types of content management systems, but which one will serve your business needs? A traditional CMS offers front-end template and back-end content management solutions, but it feels restrictive for companies looking for a flexible and scalable solution. As a result, companies are moving to a powerful and versatile headless CMS option. In this blog, we explore headless CMS vs traditional, their pros and cons and learn which platform is best for your business. What is a traditional CMS? A traditional CMS uses a monolithic architecture in which the front end, the presentation layer, depends on the back end, the content library. This means changes to the front end affect the back end. WordPress and Drupal are traditional platforms that offer a simple website-based experience. These platforms provide user-friendly dashboards, allowing all your users to publish, organize and manage content. But, the tightly coupled structure makes the platform less scalable and flexible. Features of traditional CMS Monolithic architecture Traditional CMS works on a monolithic structure. In a traditional platform, the front and back end are coupled, creating and displaying content in the same system. WYSIWYG editors These content management tools and systems use a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor, helping you create and update content. Integrated templates and themes WordPress is a traditional platform for building websites and blogs. It provides a library of templates and themes filled with ready-to-use designs. What is a headless CMS? A headless CMS is a content management repository where content is served via an application programming interface (API) to any device. The major characteristic of a headless CMS is that any changes in one layer, the presentation or the front end, are independent of changes in the other layer, the content or the back end layer. A headless CMS platform is API-first, helping developers connect the CMS with other systems. A headless CMS like Contentstack delivers content to any channel or device, allowing your developers to create experiences no longer constrained by a CMS's functionalities. {{nativeAd:5}} Features of a headless CMS API-first approach An API-first approach means your content is available via APIs to be delivered to your site, app and other digital platforms. As a result, your digital content presentation becomes flexible and you provide a consistent user experience. Decoupled architecture A headless CMS uses a decoupled architecture. It allows developers to use desired technologies for the front end and provides a personalized user experience across various platforms. Omnichannel publishing A headless CMS manages your content delivery across device and digital touchpoints, increasing the impact of your messaging. Content versioning and collaboration tools Headless CMS offers content versioning, one of its significant strengths. Your teams can manage and build better and more accurate content. Case study: How Contentstack improved Burberry’s content creation and e-commerce efficiency? Burberry, a global fashion brand, wanted to enhance its content creation and e-commerce competencies. They adopted Contentstack’s headless CMS for improved speed, flexibility and effectiveness in delivering its content across different touchpoints and languages. The company reduced developer support requests and increased the publishing speed by 80%. Now, Burberry can publish and edit content while respecting creativity and innovation. After using Burberry, Sonia Latoracca, Digital Commerce Content Manager at Burberry, said: “Creating content is quicker and easier with Contentstack. It’s a user-friendly tool making training and onboarding simpler. The integration with our translation and media systems means content can be created and published much quicker than before. The flexible, reuseable components allow us to complete new designs briefs without the need for constant development.” Read the case study here. Key differences between a headless CMS vs traditional CMS Feature/Aspect Traditional CMS Headless CMS Architecture Monolithic Decoupled (API-driven) Content Delivery Integrated with the frontend Via APIs to any frontend Flexibility Limited customization High flexibility and customization Scalability Less scalable Highly scalable Ease of use User-friendly, especially for non-tech users Requires more technical expertise Cost Generally more cost-effective Potentially higher costs due to complexity Security Can have more security vulnerabilities Enhanced security with API-driven approach Omnichannel support Limited Excellent User experience Consistent, but limited to web-based platforms Provides consistent user experience for various platforms Integration capabilities Standard integrations available out-of-the-box Requires custom integrations Development speed Faster initial setup because of pre-built templates Slower initial development but faster iteration and scaling Maintenance requirements Lower maintenance due to an integrated environment Higher maintenance because you have to manage multiple components Let’s understand these differences in depth: Content delivery While traditional CMS delivers content directly through its built-in front end, Headless CMS sends content via an application programming interface to any frontend framework. This makes it adaptable for web, mobile devices and IoT platforms. Flexibility A traditional CMS offers limited flexibility, whereas a headless CMS is flexible because the front and back end are decoupled. Scalability Traditional CMS cannot scale because of its monolithic design. Headless CMS, however, is built to scale quickly and effortlessly handle lots of content and high traffic. Cost Traditional CMS is more economical due to its all-in-one nature. Headless CMS can be pricier due to its complexity and additional development needs. Security Traditional CMSs can be more prone to security issues because their front and back end are linked. Headless CMS increases security by separating these layers, minimizing risk. Omnichannel support Traditional CMSes have limited omnichannel delivery and focus mainly on web development. Headless CMSes distribute content across various channels and devices. User experience Traditional CMS offers consistent web-based user experiences. Headless CMS provides a versatile user experience optimized for various platforms and ensures consistency everywhere. Integration capabilities Traditional CMS lacks personalization. A headless CMS requires custom integrations, making your website more adaptable. Development speed Traditional CMS has a quick initial setup with pre-made templates. Meanwhile, Headless CMS takes longer to set up because its flexible architecture enables faster updates and scaling. {{nativeAd:8}} Pros and cons of a traditional CMS Pros: Easy to manage your content and website architecture with a user-friendly interface Helps you manage your website and content without any technical knowledge or expertise A vast community of developers helping you overcome potential challenges of using the platform Offers a library of plugins and themes to choose from More affordable than their headless counterparts Cons Cannot deliver content on multiple digital platforms like mobile, social media, IoT and smart devices Doesn’t align with the growing customer demands because of its monolithic architecture Limited or no integration with third-party tools, making it less future-proof Prone to security issues and vulnerabilities Changes in the design or functionality require adjustments in the back end Requires time and effort for regular maintenance Pros and cons of a headless CMS Pros: The separation of the back end and the front end provides flexibility in editing content The API-driven approach ensures omnichannel content delivery Easily integrates with third-party applications Easier to edit and update content for non-technical users Offers a higher degree of personalization Easily integrates with the latest technologies, future-proofing your business Delivers consistent content across multiple channels and devices Cons: High level of expertise to set up and maintain the system Not ideal for companies that resist changes When to use each CMS? Traditional CMS Best for: Small businesses, non-profits, individuals Ideal scenarios: Limited budget Quick setup Minimal technical resources Real-world examples Blogs If you’re running a personal blog or a company blog, traditional CMSs are perfect. They let you publish posts, manage media and organize your content without hassle. Small business sites Traditional platforms are ideal for small businesses requiring a simple website to showcase their services and products. They’re quick to set up and affordable. Non-profits Traditional CMSs are efficient and budget-friendly for non-profits, requiring a straightforward site to share information, manage events or process donations. Headless CMS Best for: Large enterprises, complex digital ecosystems Ideal scenarios: Omnichannel content delivery High scalability Extensive customization Headless CMS solutions like Contentstack separate the content management part from the front-end presentation layer. This means all your content is maintained in one location and then redistributed across various websites, mobile apps and IoT devices using APIs. Real-world examples E-commerce platforms E-commerce companies use a headless architecture to manage product information, marketing content and customer reviews across their web, mobile apps and in-store displays. Media companies Media outlets that publish content to various channels use a headless CMS to keep their content consistent across multiple platforms. Personalized user experiences A headless CMS lets you integrate with other systems to offer personalized content based on user preferences. Bottom line If you need something simple, quick and budget-friendly, go for a traditional CMS. However, enterprises with complex content needs must choose a headless platform to reach their users. FAQs How is a traditional CMS different from a headless CMS? A traditional CMS combines the back and front end, whereas a headless CMS separates them. It uses APIs to send content to any front end. Is headless CMS better? A headless CMS is preferable because it makes the system more adaptable and flexible. It’s effective for complex and multi-channel marketing communication and content creation. What is the difference between headless and full CMS? A full CMS includes the back end (content management) and the front end (content delivery). A headless CMS manages the back end component, using APIs for front-end delivery. When to use a traditional CMS? You can use a traditional CMS if you have a: Limited budget Need a quick setup Minimal technical resources. A traditional platform is an excellent choice for small businesses and non-profits. Learn more Selecting the appropriate CMS requires some time, but a good CMS has all the necessary options to deliver content on your digital media channels while providing a seamless experience at every stage. If you are still stuck with the traditional monolithic CMS platforms, it's time for you to be a part of a headless CMS. For more information, talk to us today

Aug 21, 2024 | 5 min. read

Understand CORS fundamentals for better web development

Highlights You’ll learn about CORS for web development What is CORS?CORS (cross-origin resource sharing) allows web apps to request resources from different domains securely Why is it important?It facilitates data sharing across domains while maintaining security and integrity How to implement CORS?Use HTTP headers to manage access and permissions Understanding how CORS works can enhance your web development projects. To support your web development, opt for a digital experience platform with a strong CORS policy. Cross-origin resource sharing (CORS) defines how client web applications in one domain can interact with resources in another domain. It is an HTTP mechanism used to integrate applications. CORS balances functionality and security. Before it, browsers had no way to manage cross-origin requests. The same-origin policy was developed to handle that. The same-origin policy The same-origin policy is a browser security feature that restricts how scripts and documents on one origin can interact with resources on another origin. It isolates potentially dangerous documents and reduces possible attack vectors. When a browser makes an HTTP request to another origin, all the associated data is sent as part of the request. If the other origin is malicious, it can access the victim user's information. Hence, the SOP mitigates the risk of data theft and helps maintain the integrity of web interactions. Understanding CORS mechanisms Cross-origin resource sharing (CORS) allows servers to specify which origins are permitted to access resources. A cross-origin request involves browsers sending HTTP requests indicating the requesting domain. HTTP headers control permissions for cross-origin requests. Some of the key headers include: Access-Control-Allow-Origin: This specifies the origins with valid permissions to access resources. Access-Control-Allow-Credentials: This outlines whether you should include credentials in a cross-origin request. Access-Control-Allow-Methods: It outlines the HTTP methods that can access resources. Access-Control-Allow-Headers: It shows the headers that can be used in main requests. Setting up CORS for web applications This method described can be used to enable CORS across a web application. To enable CORS in a WebService application, Identify and configure: Determine allowed domains and modify server settings to include Access-Control-Allow-Origin for these domains. Define methods and headers: Set Access-Control-Allow-Methods and Access-Control-Allow-Headers to specify permitted HTTP methods and headers. Handle preflight requests: Implement OPTIONS request handling for browser preflight checks. Test and monitor: Test the setup with client-side requests and monitor for issues, adjusting configurations as needed. Handing preflight request In typical cross-origin resource sharing (CORS) interactions, browsers send the request and access control headers simultaneously. These interactions are considered low-risk. However, some requests are more complex. In that case, server confirmation is required before the actual request is sent. The pre-approval process is called a preflight request. CORS pre-flight requests should not include credentials. The response to a preflight request should also specify Access-Control-Allow-Credentials: true. This indicates that the actual request can be made with credentials. Importance of preflight requests in CORS Cross-origin requests can be dangerous if not managed properly. So, browsers enforce the same-origin policy to prevent web pages from requesting different domains. A preflight request is a safety mechanism that seeks permission from the server before processing the actual cause. It allows the server to state the necessary CORS headers and whether the request is accessible. This prevents cross-site scripting and protects user data. Examples of preflight request and response headers By design, browsers send an HTTP Options request to a server when they receive a CORS preflight request from a browser. This preflight request includes extra headers such as: Origin (the source of the request), and Access-Control-Request-Method (the actual request method). The server receives the preflight request and responds with the suitable CORS headers. They include; Access-Control-Allow-Origin (specifying the allowed origin). Access-Control-Allow-Methods (listing the permitted HTTP methods). Access-Control-Allow-Headers (defining the allowed request headers). Advanced CORS configurations for APIs The essence of advanced CORS configuration in an API is to control and manage resource sharing between web servers on different domains. Securing API with CORS To secure APIs with CORS, you must configure the server to allow only trusted origins and use secure methods to handle sensitive data. This ensures that only permitted domains can access APIs and resources, preventing unauthorized access. Configuring CORS for complex scenarios This involves handling dynamic origins, multiple environments and intricate request patterns. Handling credentials and methods Doing this with CORS involves configuring headers to manage how your API handles cross-origin requests, including credentials (like cookies or HTTP authentication) and non-standard methods. To handle credentials, set access-contol-allow-credentials to true and specify a single allowed origin in access-control-allow-origin. To handle Methods, list all supported methods in Access-Control-Allow-Methods and allow these in preflight OPTIONS request. {{nativeAd:4}} Cross-domain requests Cross-domain requests are requests made from one domain, protocol, or port to a domain other than the one that served the web page. Implementing secure cross-domain requests Securing cross-domain requests enables you to guarantee the safety of web interactions and data. You can do this in the following ways. Configure CORS on the server Use HTTPS Authenticate requests Case study MongoDB MongoDB struggled with five core websites and multiple content management systems. It was difficult to balance and align its IT systems with the business side. Opting for Contentstack’s composable DXP with a headless CMS allowed them to publish faster, migrate over 250 pages and offer robust support for seven languages. Hear from Subi Babu, the Engineering Lead at MongoDB. "Coming from an in-house CMS, our background for several years was focused on developing CMS features. Now, we can use the marketplace and get plug-and-play integrations, which is exciting." Read more about how MongoDB powered digital modernization via a composable DXP. Troubleshooting CORS errors Troubleshooting CORS errors involves steps to identify and resolve issues. Here are some common CORS errors and how to troubleshoot them. Common CORS errors and their cause No ‘Access-control-Allow-Headers’ header: This error happens when the server response lacks the Access-Control-Allow-Origin header, leading to the request's rejection. No ‘Access-Control-Allow-Origin’ header present: A wrongly configured server triggers this error. It could also happen when using middleware without proper headers. Preflight Request Failure: A preflight failure happens when a server ignores a preflight OPTIONS request. Method GET is not allowed by Access-Control-Allow-Methods: This error occurs when the server rejects specified HTTP methods in an Access-Control-Allow-Methods header. Step-by-step troubleshooting guide for CORS errors The most important step in troubleshooting CORS errors is finding the error message, which reveals what you may be dealing with. Here are the steps to follow. Check the browser console for CORS errors. The console will show the specific error message and any CORS-related errors, including the line of code causing the issue. Inspect the server to be sure it is sending the right CORS headers. It should send the 'Access-Control-Allow-Methods,' 'Access-Control-Allow-Origin,' 'Access-Control-Allow-Headers,' and 'Access-Control-Allow-Credentials' headers. Also, examine your firewall and proxy settings to be sure they are not blocking requests. Check if the request is being made using HTTPS or HTTP. Some servers may not allow CORS requests over HTTP. Configure your server to allow the necessary HTTP headers and methods. The browser will not send the request to the server if the server does not allow it. Best practices for secure CORS implementation There are essential tips and safety measures to ensure a secure web server with CORS. Tips for enhancing web security with CORS To enhance web security with CORS, you can specify allowed origins, limit allowed methods, and state allowed headers. Other security measures include; Handling preflight request Using HTTPS Regularly monitoring and testing Avoid exposing sensitive data Avoiding common pitfalls and vulnerabilities By taking security measures, Limit access to trusted domains only, validate inputs, and audit your CORS configuration regularly. Also, verify requests with server-side checks, such as rate limiting, origin validation, and token authentication, and apply HTTPS. {{nativeAd:9}} FAQ section What is CORS (cross-origin resource sharing)? It is a security feature implemented in web browsers that manages web applications running at one origin (domain) to request resources at another origin. What is CORS easily explained? CORS is a mechanism that defines how two separate domains interact and share resources. What is the difference between cross-origin resource sharing and cross-site scripting? CORS is a mechanism that defines data sharing between two domains, while cross-site scripting (XSS) is a security threat where an attacker injects malicious scripts into web pages. Learn more Proper CORS configuration protects against unauthorized access to your web resources and helps prevent data leaks, which can expose sensitive information and lead to potential data breaches or misuse. Opt for a digital platform that offers a reliable CORS policy for your web development projects. Talk to us today.

Aug 20, 2024 | 6 min. read

The benefits of a content repository for your business

Highlights You’ll learn why you need a content repository: Centralized management: A repository reduces communication barriers and inconsistent messaging by centralizing digital assets Enhanced security: Protect sensitive information with role-based access and data encryption Improved collaboration: Use version control and real-time editing for seamless teamwork Increased efficiency: Automate tasks like metadata management to save time and resources Scalability: Adapt to growing content needs effortlessly To transform your content strategy, choose a content repository wisely! Nothing is more frustrating than searching for digital assets in different locations only to return empty-handed. With employees spending nearly 1.8 hours per day searching for information, assets or content, storing all digital assets in one place is essential. As content remains the king, companies publish in large quantities to capture and retain their audience’s attention. This content can include videos, infographics and blogs. Storing these assets in scattered places decreases their reusability, increasing the need for a centralized storage system. That’s where Contentstack comes in. These repositories store and manage large volumes of content, which is otherwise challenging. Companies looking to stay ahead of the competition must embrace a content repository. But before proceeding, let's first understand what a content repository is and why Contentstack is an excellent repository for storing digital assets. What is a content repository? A content repository is similar to a smart filing system designed to store, manage and organize digital content. Unlike traditional file storage, which keeps files without context, a content repository offers features that improve how users work with their content. For instance, it includes metadata management, which creates categories of information and helps you find what you need. There's also version control to track changes and keep different document versions without hassle. Its powerful search capabilities allow quick access to relevant content based on various criteria. All these features make a content repository an effective tool for managing digital assets, helping you get the most out of your information while keeping it organized and up-to-date. {{nativeAd:5}} Primary functions of content repository Content storage A content repository secures all your digital assets—text, images, videos or documents—ensuring your valuable content is safe from loss or unauthorized access. Multiple content repositories add flexibility, helping you scale your business as and when needed. Content organization A repository organizes content using techniques like metadata and tagging. This makes finding and retrieving files much easier, increasing your team's workflow and collaboration. Content publishing A repository shares your content across various channels, such as websites, social media and email newsletters. This ensures your message reaches your audience on time, increasing engagement while keeping your brand's voice intact. Key benefits of using a content repository Centralizes content management Your content is spread across multiple computers or locations in every company, helping you with content management. Your marketing team may be sitting in Australia to create campaigns, whereas your content team works in India. This leads to several challenges, including: Communication barrier Difficulties in maintaining version control Duplicated efforts Inconsistent messaging Delays in project timelines Enhances security A content repository is more manageable from a security perspective. It offers numerous advanced security features, like intrusion detection, strong access control and firewall protection, to secure your content from criminals. Additionally, a content repository is more secure than content scattered across your company. By implementing access control, you ensure the safety of your content against unauthorized access and content loss. A content repository safeguards intellectual property and sensitive information, increasing your company's security and building stakeholder trust. Improves collaboration A content repository makes collaboration by giving your team members a shared space to create and manage content together. With features like version control and real-time editing, everyone can collaborate on the same document without worrying about messing up each other's work. For example, imagine a content team crafting a blog post. They can use version control to keep track of changes and edit together in real time, which speeds up the process and cuts down on turnaround times. Increases business efficiency Business efficiency helps you thrive, and a content repository increases your efficiency. Companies can save time and resources by automating tasks. This includes creating categories and managing metadata, helping you focus on more critical projects. Your digital marketing team can use automated tagging to organize new content uploads, making it easy to find everything. Provides version control Where content changes frequently, version control is an invaluable tool. With versioning, you can log and trace back all the content changes. When someone changes a document, the previous version remains. Look for a version control feature that tracks changes, helps you revert to the previous version and maintains a content audit trail. Makes your system scalable As your businesses grow, your content needs change and that's where a content repository comes in handy. It provides the flexibility to keep up with rising demands. A good content repository can adapt as your business grows. It can provide more storage when needed. It can also connect with new content management systems. Metadata management Metadata management makes your content repositories more user-friendly and accessible. When you add structured metadata to digital assets, you provide a clear context for each item, making organizing, finding and retrieving information easier. Good metadata management involves using consistent naming conventions, creating content categories based on type and relevance and tagging items to improve search functionality. This allows customers to filter results and find what they need, whether by author, creation date or content type. Plus, effective metadata helps you comply with regulations and manage content throughout its lifecycle. Strong metadata management enhances your content strategy, increases efficiency and extracts more value from your digital assets. Why is Contentstack an excellent content repository? Contentstack is a premier content repository because of its architecture and adaptive features tailored for modern digital environments. Its key strength is its headless CMS functionality, which delivers content across multiple platforms and devices while ensuring a consistent user experience. Your team can create content once and share it everywhere, simplifying workflows and speeding up the launch of new campaigns. Moreover, Contentstack excels in its powerful API-first approach, integrating with other applications and tools. You connect with your existing workflows and systems, enhancing business efficiency and reducing data silos. The security feature of Contentstack is another benefit of using a content repository. With role-based access control and thorough data encryption, it keeps sensitive information safe while meeting industry standards. Contentstack offers a perfect mix of flexibility, security and a design that anyone can navigate. Because of this, Contentstack is a fantastic choice for those who want to improve their content management strategy and strengthen their digital presence. {{nativeAd:8}} How did Contentstack help Extu with content management?’ Extu encountered many problems when managing multilingual content and integrating it with different technologies. When rebuilding Extu, Contentstack was integrated as a headless CMS, and the company used digital asset management (DAM). These improved the translation process and increased campaign delivery rates. Thanks to Contentstack, Extu: Reduced market entry time for translated content by 53% Increased English content delivery by 21% This helped Extu expand the scale of operations and occupy new niches. After using Contentstack, Tara Yukawa, VP of Marketing Solutions, said: “Simply put, Contentstack met all of our requirements. As a headless CMS system, it integrates well with our full stack of technology and services, including a DAM, a translation provider, as well as our through-channel marketing platform, that’s our proprietary technology. We also loved the fact that we could manage user workflows across multiple teams in Contentstack itself without having to have a separate project management tool. And I have to tell you, we made the right choice.” Read the complete case study here. FAQs What is a content repository used for? A content repository holds and organizes your digital content. This makes it easier for your team to find and access information and assets. What is the difference between a CMS and a content repository? A content repository keeps and organizes digital files, helping your team find and access information. Whereas a CMS creates and publishes content on your website. What is a repository example? Contentstack is an example of a content repository. A headless CMS helps you store and publish your digital content. Learn more When centralizing content management, you reduce duplication, improve collaboration and ensure everyone can access the most current information. Every company needs a content repository to streamline content distribution, ensure compliance and provide secure content management. To learn how Contentstack can assist with managing content and how its repository benefits your business, talk to us today.

Aug 19, 2024 | 8 min. read

Headless CMS vs traditional: Discover the best CMS for your business

Highlights You learn about which CMS is right for you: Traditional CMS: Monolithic architecture: Front-end and back-end are coupled with each other Ease of use: User-friendly interfaces but less flexible Scalability issues: Struggles with high traffic and content volume Vendor lock-in: Difficult to switch platforms Headless CMS: Decoupled architecture: Separates front-end and back-end for flexibility API-driven: Delivers content through APIs for better performance Future-proof: Easily integrates with new technologies Enhanced user experience: Personalized and consistent across channels Upgrade to a headless CMS for superior performance and scalability. 73 million websites use a content management system (CMS). Shocking statistics? With so many CMS out there, how do you choose one that suits your needs while meeting your customers' expectations? WordPress was a customer favorite, but its unique challenges made people seek other options. More businesses are showing a growing interest in headless CMS solutions. When there are many options in the market, each promising to give your users something special, how do you determine the CMS that best suits your needs? Let’s discover headless CMS vs traditional CMS and understand why a headless CMS like Contentstack is the best choice. What is a traditional CMS? A traditional CMS is a content management system that helps you create, manage and modify website content. These CMSs are monolithic because the front end couples with the back end. This means content creation, management and presentation layers are different and handled within a single system. Coupling the front-end and back-end layers provides a content management environment where non-technical users can see how their content appears. Some popular traditional CMSs include WordPress, Joomla and Drupal. What is a headless CMS? A headless content management system (CMS) is a CMS with a separate front end and back end. It delivers content through application programming interfaces (APIs). As the front end is separate from the back end, developers can use any technology to present the content to their customers. Due to APIs' central and critical role, a headless CMS is called an API-first CMS. A headless CMS is the first choice for any company that wants to deploy content to numerous digital channels. Contentstack is the most popular headless CMS. It allows developers to present your content in whatever way your audience requires using a preferred technology and framework. The tool makes your website more flexible and scalable, providing omnichannel experiences and delivery to websites, digital apps and internet-connected (IoT) devices. {{nativeAd:5}} Case study: How ICE Mortgage Technology enhanced efficiency with Contentstack? ICE Mortgage Technology faced challenges with its traditional CMS, Kirby CMS, which required developer intervention for minor content updates. This led to developers spending excessive time managing content and resolving tickets. As ICE Mortgage Technology wanted an independent solution, ICE chose Contentstack, an API-based, headless CMS that allowed stakeholders to make updates without developer assistance. Key benefits included version control for easy rollback, an intuitive user interface for seamless onboarding, flexibility in development environments and the ability to schedule content publishing. As a result, content editing time was reduced from 30 minutes to just 30 seconds, freeing developers from content updates and cutting developer tickets by 40%. After using Contentstack, Kevin Yang, Senior Manager of digital experience at ICE, said: “We cut out 40% of our tickets by having a CMS where other users can make updates to the website. That 40% is so valuable for us, so we can focus on revenue-driving initiatives and find new ways to get users to engage with our web properties to get more leads in the pipeline for sales. It is a huge advantage for us!” Read the complete case study here. Key features of headless CMS and traditional CMS Before digging deep into the headless CMS vs traditional, let’s explore the key features of both: Features of traditional CMS Content management A traditional CMS makes content creation and management easy. They help you publish, edit and maintain digital content through WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editors. Monolithic architecture Most traditional CMS platforms run on a monolithic architecture, where the front end (what users see) tightly links to the back end (where the data lives). While this can make development smoother, it makes your website less flexible and scalable. Integration of back-end and front-end Traditional CMS platforms provide a unified approach for managing your content and how it’s presented. This seamless connection helps you update content and maintain consistency. However, adopting new technologies or making design changes independently is challenging. Features of headless CMS Decoupled architecture In a headless CMS, the content management and presentation layers are separate. The headless architecture creates, manages and displays your content as you like. Plus, your developers can tailor digital experiences without the constraints of traditional CMS platforms. API-driven content delivery A headless CMS delivers content through APIs, helping you integrate with different front-end technologies. APIs increase performance and allow developers to connect their applications to other services. Flexibility in development Developers can select any front-end framework or programming language when using a headless CMS. They can apply the latest trends and tools to create interfaces to attract your customers and meet the project objectives. Limitations of traditional CMS Scalability challenges When your business grows, your content volume is bound to increase, crippling the monolithic architecture of a traditional CMS. But why does a traditional CMS face these issues? The built-in user interface elements and plugins might not be ideal for high traffic and handling large content volumes. As a result, you witness slower loading of websites, which eventually impacts your user experience. Lacks modularity A traditional CMS like WordPress lacks modularity, making it challenging or impossible to reuse and maintain application code. Because of this, application usage issues occur and it becomes challenging to embrace new features. Vendor lock-in Your developers must learn the programming language or framework tied to the CMS platform. Switching from one vendor to another consumes much time and is costly. For instance, Drupal uses PHP and Shopify uses Liquid programming language. Traditional CMS solutions work with proprietary plugins, themes and additional services exclusive to the platform, challenging the shift to another platform. Inflexible architecture Components like add-ons, templates, and workflows are rigid and hard to customize. Because traditional CMS lacks RESTful APIs, you cannot integrate your existing systems with others. While plug-ins are a great option, they fail to provide flexibility. Benefits of headless CMS Higher performance and faster load time A headless CMS overcomes the shortfall of a traditional CMS by giving you control over your HTML pages. How? The headless architecture serves content via the APIs, helping your developers create lightweight and optimized websites that are easy to load and offer superior performance. Better user experience When you provide personalized and consistent experiences at every interaction, you keep your users engaged. Tailoring your communications to match individual preferences and behaviors creates a smoother journey that improves satisfaction and builds loyalty. This approach meets your users' expectations, strengthens your relationship and encourages repeat visits and lasting engagement. Future-proofing A headless CMS adapts to future technologies and user behavior. Because of this, you can integrate it with new platforms without a complete overhaul of your existing CMS infrastructure. Such an adaptable nature allows you to stay ahead of trends and ensure you use the latest technologies to deliver content. Enhanced omnichannel content delivery APIs make content distribution smoother and more efficient. How? They share information across various channels from one source, helping you offer a consistent and engaging experience. Using APIs simplifies your workflows, saves time in content management and ensures your messages reach the right people at the right moment. {{nativeAd:8}}Differences between a headless and traditional CMS Architectural differences Traditional CMSes have a single, unified architecture, while headless CMSes employ a more versatile approach. A standard CMS couples back and front ends, while a headless CMS optimizes them as independent systems. Content management and delivery A monolithic platform manages and delivers content through a unified platform, which can limit flexibility. On the other hand, a headless CMS centralizes your content management and delivers it through APIs to any front end, helping you customize and scale your operations. Flexibility and customization With headless CMS, you can design user interfaces and showcase content. It also offers extensive customization possibilities, while a traditional CMS can feel more restricted. Suitability Small to medium-sized companies prefer a traditional CMS, whereas large enterprises prefer a headless CMS for numerous reasons. How to choose the right CMS for your needs Know your business requirements Evaluate how you are going to use your CMS. Find answers to these questions: Do you want your existing technology dependencies to persist, or will they evolve with a new CMS? Will your new CMS work or integrate with your company’s existing tech stack? Are you planning to scale your operations or website? What features do you require in the future? Can your CMS adapt to the latest technologies or upcoming trends? Are you looking for omni-channel publishing? When you know the answer to these questions, comparing different CMS options available in the market becomes easier. Assess your technical resources When choosing the right CMS, assess your technical resources to ensure everything goes smoothly. Start by checking out your team's skills and expertise. If your team has experience in certain programming languages or frameworks, a headless CMS might be a great fit to use those skills. Next, consider your company’s infrastructure. Take stock of the hardware and software you’re currently using and the bandwidth and server capacity you need to support your chosen CMS. A headless CMS typically demands a stronger infrastructure for managing API interactions effectively, while traditional CMS platforms can run on simpler systems thanks to their integrated design. Ease of use What’s the point of using a CMS that requires developers' help to create, update and publish content? Choose a CMS non-technical users can use without any coding knowledge. Most modern-day CMSes prioritize user experience by providing an intuitive interface and an easy-to-use platform. Cost of the CMS You need to know the cost of the CMS. Factor in licensing costs, updates, upgrades, implementation costs and optimization costs. The CMS you choose becomes the backbone of your business. Avoiding some cost-cutting may hamper your business. So, never make pricing your only criterion when making a selection. CMS pricing ranges from free to six figures in annual licensing. Weigh all your options, but remember that higher costs are not always worth it. You need to know your business requirements before selecting the right CMS. FAQs What is the difference between traditional CMS and headless CMS? A traditional CMS tightly binds the front-end and back-end together, while a headless CMS separates them. This makes a headless architecture more scalable and flexible. What is the difference between headless and Full CMS? A full CMS or a traditional CMS couples the front-end and back-end. However, a headless CMS focuses on content management, leaving front-end development to other technologies. Why is headless CMS better? Headless CMS makes your website more scalable and flexible and helps you deliver omnichannel content, making it ideal for businesses with complex content needs. When to use a traditional CMS? Traditional CMS is suitable for small to medium-sized websites with straightforward content management requirements and limited need for customization. Learn more Choosing and implementing the right CMS is no longer a matter of just an operational overhaul. It’s a strategic initiative that delivers consistent customer experiences for years. That’s why embracing a headless CMS like Contentstack is transformative. Apart from making life easier for your customers, a headless CMS improves your developer experiences. To change your content management and front-end development process, it’s time to switch to a headless platform. Talk to us today to learn more.

Aug 19, 2024 | 6 min. read

Rich text editor: Best practices for seamless integration

Highlights You’ll learn about the best practices for integrating rich text editors Choose the right editor: Opt for a RTE with a WYSIWYG interface Security measures: Implement security protocols to protect data Performance optimization: Ensure the editor runs smoothly on all devices User experience: Use the WYSIWYG interface for a more user-friendly experience Opt for an efficient rich text editor and pair it with our headless CMS for smooth content creation and user experience. Talk to us today. A rich text editor is a vital component of web applications that allow users to create and format content. Their design is user-friendly and similar to a word processor. That eases content creation. Rich text editors provide intuitive interfaces that allow users to edit content without needing technical knowledge. They also offer formatting options and built-in tools to streamline content creation. What is a rich text editor? A rich text editor (RTE) is an interface or input field for editing text. Most RTEs usually come with a WYSIWYG editor—meaning, What You See Is What You Get. RTEs usually include advanced styling options like; Bold and Italic Heading levels Bullet points Font typefaces Text size A rich text editor also allows you to embed images, hyperlinks, and other rich media. It enhances standard text fields, turning them into powerful content-creation engines. RTEs allow users to format the text without using HTML. The structure tools also include features to create lists, tables, and headings. Most editors have features for source code editing, enabling you to toggle between the visual and HTML rich text editors. This feature is suited to more experienced users. Popular rich text editors include JSON RTE, TipTap, Froala, and TinyMCE. {{nativeAd:5}} Key features and APIs for rich text editors (RTEs) When choosing a rich text editor, consider your needs and focus on editors with the features you require, be it an open-source or commercial editor. Here are features to consider. Ease of integration: Consider the ease of setup and prioritize editors that can work on different platforms. Customization options: Select an editor that enables you to define the look and feel of the application. It should be possible to set up new styles, add plugins and define toolbars according to your needs. Security features: Choose an editor with built-in security features, such as data sanitization and content filtering, to protect against vulnerabilities like cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks. Cross-browser compatibility: Ensure the editor features on all browsers. Stable performance on these browsers is crucial to offering a smooth experience. Important APIs for rich text editors APIs allow developers to enhance the core features of a rich text editor. Here are the basic criteria to consider for APIs. Formatting and styling: Formatting and styling APIs offer extensive content support that enables you to create rich, dynamic content. These APIs allow you to manipulate, bold, italicize, and underline text. Media management: These APIs deal with image and video insertion and offer operations like resizing, cropping and image alignment. Consider APIs that can handle different formats and file sizes. Content management: These APIs allow you to save, retrieve, and modify editor content. Search for the APIs allowing undo/redo operations and content versioning functions. Best practices for integrating rich text editors To integrate a rich text editor, you need to consider several factors. Here are some guidelines that will help to avoid the possible issues: Choose the right editor: Ensure the editor suits your needs and supports your current tech stack. Check for pre-built integrations and APIs. Verify accessibility features, plugins, and custom extensions and ensure adequate community support. Set up the editor: Editor installation is usually straightforward, as most follow instructions. Install relevant libraries and set up the default font styles, toolbar layout, and initial content. Finally, review the API documentation to understand how it works. Customize the editor: Use existing plugins to add features or develop custom plugins if required. Apply custom CSS to match the editor with your application's design. Ensure security: Implement measures to sanitize data and user input. That allows you to prevent XSS attacks. Also, set up a responsive design and ensure the editor works across different devices and screen sizes. Ensure you keep plugins up-to-date. Enhancing user experience Once you have chosen and installed your rich text editor, the next step is to improve the user’s experience. These steps allow the team to achieve the maximum value that the editor brings. Implement user-friendly features: Certain features, like the auto-save and customizable toolbar, make the editor easy to use. Also, implement the WYSIWYG interface so that users can view formatted content as it will appear in the final output. Leverage community-driven feedback: Collect feedback from users through surveys and discussion forums. With such feedback, you can fix bugs, add extra features, and improve overall user experience. Provide interactive tutorials: Provide users with tips, how-to guides, and walk-throughs to help them understand and use the editor’s functionalities best. Enable customization: The editor should allow users to customize its appearance and operations. This flexibility can be useful in increasing engagement and satisfaction. Optimize performance: Ensure the editor will not only be fast but will not freeze or lag even if the content is large. Performance optimization is important and relates to the user experience in a positive way. Standards-compliant basics Compliance with standards is essential when embedding a rich text editor. Proper compliance allows you to deliver consistent and accessible content. Here are some compliance areas to consider. HTML standards compliance: Prioritize a rich text editor that generates valid HTML code and uses HTML validation tools to catch errors. Taking these steps improves the content quality and ensures you prevent rendering issues. SEO impact: Well-formatted HTML elements improve search engine performance, making your site more visible. Thus, it is recommended that HTML code be often checked for correctness. Tips for maintaining compatibility It is also essential that the editor is versatile and works across devices and browsers. Here are a few tips to follow. Cross-browser support: Your editor should also function well across different browsers. Use tools like Sauce Labs to automate testing across various browser versions. This will help you prevent display issues and ensure consistent performance. Device compatibility: Ensure the editor is interactive and compatible with various screen resolutions and devices. Use CSS media queries to adjust the layout and styling for various devices. Also, optimize for mobile devices, ensure UI elements adapt to different screen sizes, and test the RTE on real devices. {{nativeAd:7}} Case studies RSA Insurance Creating and launching content was taking too many resources as it was outsourced. RSA Insurance wanted the benefit of reusable content types to streamline content delivery and reduce potential human error. They also wanted to be able to control the content management process. Switching to Contentstack's headless CMS allowed them to publish faster, improve website performance and deliver more consistent brand messaging. Kerri Thomas, the Content Workflow Manager, said. "The ability to make quick changes to quote and buy is huge. It's all now within our control to make changes, which was what we were looking for - to release on our own timeline. All in all, it’s a much more efficient way of working." Read more about the transformation at RSA Insurance. 1-800-Flowers 1-800-Flowers relied on an inefficient CMS that needed a different approach for each channel. B2C desktop experiences needed full HTML, while mobile web needed proxied traffic to override the HTML. 1-800-FLOWERS chose Contentstack's headless CMS as a single centralized hub to power its digital platforms. The headless CMS offers a JSON rich text editor for easy editing. Switching to Contentstack resulted in better platform stability and unified management of 15 brands. Hear from Matt McHale, Senior Vice President, Application Development. "Contentstack helps provide the foundation we need to scale efficiently, enabling us to manage multiple brands effectively and continue delivering high-quality experiences to our customers as we grow. It was a big shift for everyone, but we haven’t looked back." Read more about 1-800-Flowers e-commerce success with Contentstack headless CMS. FAQ section What are the best open-source rich text editors? Quill, Froala, TinyMCE, and CKEditor are some of the best open-source WYSIWYG text editors. They are feature-rich, user-friendly, and offer adequate community support. How do you integrate a rich text editor into a web application? Start by choosing one that fits your needs, follow the installation instructions, and configure it to your requirements. Ensure it is compatible with your existing systems and test it with real devices. What features should I look for in a rich text editor? Essential features include basic formatting, media handling, a spell checker, embedding, and customization options. Also, consider the WYSIWYG user interface, collaboration tools, and accessibility. How can I customize my rich text editor? Customize your rich text editor by adding plugins, adjusting styles, configuring toolbars, and using available APIs. Most editors offer extensive documentation to guide you through the customization process. Learn more Using a rich text editor increases the utility and interactivity of your web application and improves user experience. Thus, choosing the right one, configuring it properly, and adjusting it to your enterprise needs is essential. A rich text editor supports seamless content creation and is compatible with APIs. Integrate it with a headless CMS for a peerless content creation experience. Contentstack offers an efficient online rich text editor, the JSON rich text editor, to enrich your digital strategy. Talk to us today to get started.

Aug 14, 2024 | 6 min. read

Webhook payloads 101: Components, integration tips and best practices

Highlights You’ll learn about the components, integrations and best practices for webhook payloads Components: Headers contain metadata like content type and authorization. The body carries the actual data, often in JSON format. Integrations: Seamlessly connect apps to automate notifications. Ensure proper URL endpoints and security tokens. Best practices: Validate payloads for security, log and monitor webhook events, and use retries for failed deliveries. Master webhook payloads to streamline data flow in your composable DXP. Webhooks automate real-time communication between systems. They allow lightweight, event-driven communication between two APIs. Many applications use webhooks to receive small amounts of data from other apps, but you can also use them to trigger automation workflows in GitOps environments. Understanding how to decode and manage them will ensure your application processes data as expected. Keep reading to understand webhook payloads, why they matter, and how to use them to automate your workflows. What are webhook payloads? A webhook payload is the actual data sent by a webhook. They are data packages that systems send to each other when specific events occur. Webhook payloads provide information about the event that triggered the webhook, such as user actions, system updates, or transactions. They are often formatted in JSON. How webhook payload works When an event occurs in a source application, the webhook is triggered. The source application sends data to a preconfigured URL on the receiving application, which processes it to execute specific actions. For example, when a new user signs up on your website, a webhook payload sends data to your CRM or marketing automation system. The data would contain details like name, email, signup date, etc. This would enable your system to update the new user data without requiring manual data entry or syncing. The structure and content of a webhook payload varies depending on the integrating systems or event that triggered it. Here are a few easy examples of webhook payloads; Notifying your social media followers about newly released content. New content published on a blog or website. The flow of canceling a subscription in a SaaS application. Notifications for payments completed through a payment gateway. {{nativeAd:4}} Components of webhook payloads The elements of a webhook payload are also important as they determine the proper transfer of data within the system. JSON format Webhook payloads are in JSON format because of its easy-to-read format and compatibility with all platforms. JSON's structural features make it convenient for parsing and manipulating data compared to other formats. Event type Event types tell the specific type of event that will raise the webhook. The structure of the payload must adhere to a certain standard for each event type. For example, “user. created” could be associated with a new user sign-up. Data payload The data payload holds useful information about the event that has been triggered, such as user, transaction, or system information. The receiving system needs this information to deal with the event object. Unique identifier Every webhook payload has an identifier that enables the event to be tracked. This identifier is used for operations that can be performed one or more times without changing their overall effect. Payload object The payload object contains all the necessary information about the event. It includes the event type, data linked to the event, and any other details that would help understand the event. Setting up webhook With webhooks, there are generally three steps, as follows: Get the webhook URL from the application you want to send data to. Register the URL through the application that will send the webhooks, in this case, on Contentstack. Choose the type of events you want to be notified about. Steps to receive webhooks After creating your webhook, here are extra steps to complete the setup to start receiving data. Set up the endpoint: Develop a server endpoint to handle requests. This endpoint must process incoming data and respond as expected. Register the URL: In the webhook provider's settings, input the URL of your endpoint. This tells the provider where to send the webhook payloads. Handle incoming requests: Implement logic to manage different kinds of events and ensure your server can parse incoming webhook requests. Contentstack supports webhooks. So, you can create and send real-time data to any third-party application or service when specific events occur. Here is a complete guide on creating webhooks in Contentstack. {{nativeAd:9}} Handling HTTP requests A webhook HTTP request usually consists of a start line, header(s), and the body. To handle HTTP requests, a server receives incoming POST requests from a specified endpoint. Next, it processes the payload, which could be in JSON or XML formats. It checks the authenticity of the payload, parses the JSON or XML data, and triggers the appropriate action. Webhook events and triggers Webhook events are specific activities that trigger a webhook payload to be sent. They occur in real-time, ensuring there is always the potential for communication between systems. Webhooks are event-driven in that they send data only when predefined events occur. Booking lifecycle events For example, in a travel booking platform, you may receive webhook payloads for creating a new booking, changing the booking details, and canceling a booking. These lifecycle events will have a different webhook payload with unique booking details. Post requests and pull requests An event may include new pull requests, code commits, or merge requests for developers working with code repositories. These webhook payloads would contain information about the code changes, the developer making them, and the associated metadata. Real-time event notifications Businesses can use webhook payloads to deliver notifications in real time. For instance, webhooks can notify your email subscribers when you publish new content through Contentstack’s headless CMS. Best practices with webhook payloads To ensure that webhook payloads are consumed effectively, apply these best practices: Ensure data security: Ensure webhook endpoints are secured with HTTPS and validate payloads. Implement secret tokens to verify the authenticity of incoming requests. Optimize payload formats: Keep the payload short and include only the necessary information. This will reduce bandwidth usage and processing time. API Integration best practices: Follow uniform event types and payload structures and design your webhooks for seamless integration with your APIs. Handling errors and failures: Implement error handling, which uses the retry mechanism to manage failed payloads. Common uses of webhook payloads Webhook payloads power a broad spectrum of industries by making data transfer from one application to another easy. Applications sending data: Webhooks let applications push real-time data updates to other systems. For example, an online shopping site might send order information to a shipping service during a sale. Sharing data between systems: Webhooks assist systems with data sharing, like CRM software updating the status of a customer in marketing software, to ensure all the tools are on the same page. Real-time data updates: Webhook enables real-time data updates, keeping your applications responsive and updated. It can trigger notifications of instant payment confirmations in real time. Event notifications: Webhooks trigger notifications across various financial and logistical events, such as alerting customers to changes in their accounts or shipment status. Troubleshooting Webhook issues can disrupt your data flow and impact your business operations. Here are some common problems you might encounter and their solutions: Failed deliveries: Webhooks may fail due to network issues or server downtime. Implement retry mechanisms with exponential backoff to ensure payloads reach their destination. Malformed payloads: If payloads are not formatted well, the receiving system might reject them. Validate payloads against your schema to ensure proper formatting. Authentication failures: Webhooks can fail if authentication tokens are missing or incorrect. Always verify token integrity to ensure secure communication. Case study Emma Emma struggled to cope with their growth phase, as the system did not have the right integrations. Contentstack’s composable DXP and headless CMS solved the problems. It allowed them to implement DXP integration, which boosted integration with online stores and over 3,500 physical ones. Andreas Westendörpf said this about the digital transformation. "The beauty of headless commerce is that it not only delivers short-term results but also that it opens an elegant, logical long-term set of options for the future. This is what we have found with Contentstack and MACH-based technologies." Read more about Emma's omnichannel success via an API-first DXP. FAQ section What is a webhook payload? A webhook payload contains data sent from one application to another when an event occurs. How do webhook payloads work? Webhook payloads transmit real-time data to a designated URL after an event triggers. What format do webhook payloads use? Webhook payloads use JSON format for easy parsing and integration. How do you set up a webhook? Set up a webhook by creating an endpoint in your app, configure it to receive data, and register the URL with the sending system. What is an example of a webhook payload? An example is when a new customer signs up on your CRM. A webhook sends a payload with the customer's name, email, and business details to your marketing automation tool for lead nurturing. Learn more Webhook payloads are the core of enabling real-time communication between systems. Keeping that process efficient and effective assures responsive and connected applications. Whether you are sending data between applications or triggering real-time notifications, webhook payloads provide flexibility and reliability. Contentstack offers webhook integrations that allow you to deliver notifications to any endpoint. Talk to us today.

Contentstack
basics

Quickstart
in 5 mins

Starter
apps

Content Delivery
APIs

Content
Management APIs

How-to
guides

Contentstack
basics

Quickstart
in 5 mins

Starter
apps

Content Delivery
APIs

Content
Management APIs

How-to
guides

The Contentstack Team

Posts by The Contentstack Team

Headless CMS vs traditional CMS: Discover your best fit

Define composability: Building adaptable digital ecosystems

Define composable: Flexible systems for future growth

Driving personalization at scale with a composable DXP

Seamless DXP integration for innovation and digital growth

Streamlining content management with Angular and headless CMS

Build faster: React and headless CMS integration guide

Service composability: Your path to cost-efficient operations

Composable architecture: Core principles for building scalable systems

SEO-rich text meaning: Key to higher Google rankings

Future-proof your content strategy: Headless CMS vs traditional CMS

Understand CORS fundamentals for better web development

The benefits of a content repository for your business

Headless CMS vs traditional: Discover the best CMS for your business

Rich text editor: Best practices for seamless integration

Webhook payloads 101: Components, integration tips and best practices

Contentstack basics

Quickstart in 5 mins

Starter apps

Content Delivery APIs

Content Management APIs

How-to guides

Contentstack basics

Quickstart in 5 mins

Starter apps

Content Delivery APIs

Content Management APIs

How-to guides

The Contentstack Team

Posts by The Contentstack Team

Headless CMS vs traditional CMS: Discover your best fit

Define composability: Building adaptable digital ecosystems

Define composable: Flexible systems for future growth

Driving personalization at scale with a composable DXP

Seamless DXP integration for innovation and digital growth

Streamlining content management with Angular and headless CMS

Build faster: React and headless CMS integration guide

Service composability: Your path to cost-efficient operations

Composable architecture: Core principles for building scalable systems

SEO-rich text meaning: Key to higher Google rankings

Future-proof your content strategy: Headless CMS vs traditional CMS

Understand CORS fundamentals for better web development

The benefits of a content repository for your business

Headless CMS vs traditional: Discover the best CMS for your business

Rich text editor: Best practices for seamless integration

Webhook payloads 101: Components, integration tips and best practices

Contentstack
basics

Quickstart
in 5 mins

Starter
apps

Content Delivery
APIs

Content
Management APIs

How-to
guides

Contentstack
basics

Quickstart
in 5 mins

Starter
apps

Content Delivery
APIs

Content
Management APIs

How-to
guides