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Traditional CMS or headless: which suits your business?

Run traditionally or headless – with WordPress, both are possible. Advantages, drawbacks and questions to help you decide.

20 August 2026 · 2 min read

At a glance

  1. 01

    The question is not whether to use WordPress – but how the system is run.

  2. 02

    Traditional: everything in one system, quick to get started, more maintenance as you add extensions.

  3. 03

    Headless: editing and website kept separate – fast, secure, free in design.

01Two ways to run a CMS

WordPress can do both – traditional and headless.

A content management system (CMS) is the interface in which you manage text and images. What matters is how the website is produced from it: traditionally, within the same system – or “headless”, separately from it.

WordPress, the most widely used CMS in the world, can be used either way. There are also systems designed to be headless from the outset.

02Run traditionally

Editing, design and technology all run in one system: you edit a page and see the result straight away.

  • Advantages: quick to get started, lots of extensions, many providers who know the system.
  • Drawbacks: every extension needs maintaining; lots of plugins make a site slower and more vulnerable.

03Run headless

No database runs on the public server – that makes it fast and secure.

You manage content in the editing interface as usual; the website is built separately and delivered as ready-made pages.

  • Advantages: very short loading times, a smaller attack surface, a great deal of design freedom, content that can also be used in apps.
  • Drawbacks: more development effort at the start; new features need their own implementation rather than a plugin.

Incidentally, this is how boromedia.at works too: WordPress for editing, the website headless.

04Questions to guide your decision

  1. 01

    Maintenance

    How often does content change – and who maintains it?

  2. 02

    Speed and security

    How important are they to your business?

  3. 03

    Features

    Do you need a shop, bookings or a members’ area?

  4. 04

    Channels

    Should content also appear in an app?

  5. 05

    Support

    Who will look after updates in the long term?

Questions about this?

Not sure which technology suits your website? We’ll give you honest advice – even when the simpler solution is the better one.

Let’s talk+43 660 712 90 69servus@boromedia.at

Frequently asked questions.

Can I edit a headless website myself?

Yes. You manage text, images and entries in an editing interface, without any coding knowledge. Only new page types or changes to the layout require development work.

Is a headless website more expensive?

The initial effort is usually higher. In return, there is often less maintenance and fewer problems with extensions. Whether it pays off depends on the individual case.

Can an existing WordPress site be switched to headless?

Often, yes – the content stays in WordPress and only the website is rebuilt. A look at your existing site will show whether it makes sense.

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