Jamstack

An easy way to understand what Jamstack/decoupled architecture is to understand what it is not.

Most websites combine their key elements into one piece of software - often referred to as a Content Management System.

Decoupled websites ‘decouple’ these from each other. They consist of two main elements:

1. The front end - the bit users see on the screen. In traditional websites, this is normally built mostly using CSS/HTML. In JAMstack sites, this is built using Javascript.
2. The content management system - the bit of software where you actually load and edit content, and decide who can do that.

Jamstack sites rely on third party services to perform some of the more complex functionality, such as shopping, customer relationship management, and so on. Jamstack sites connect all the components using APIs.

Headless and Jamstack explained

A key advantage of Jamstack (and headless) sites is less reliance on templates, and a greater overall design freedom. The front end (the bit people see) of the site uses Javascript and can be custom coded based on designs. This is true for traditional CMSs too, but it is a lot easier and more efficient when using a Jamstack site.

From an architectural point of view, Jamstack sites are just a lot more simple. This means that owning and managing them requires less investment of time and money.

The most obvious example is that Jamstack sites typically don't require ongoing version updates to the Content Management System, add ons, modules etc. This is something that has become a real shortcoming of more traditional CMSs like Drupal and Silverstripe.

Using Jamstack won't ensure that your site is secure. That said, Jamstack sites are inherently more secure. A key reason for this is that the part of the site that is "live" on the internet is a static Javascript application. It presents a much smaller target for the most common and harmful security vulnerabilities.

The services used for managing content are more user-friendly and powerful than what you’ll find in traditional CMSs.

Of course it is vitally important how audiences view and use your website. But it also really matters what the site is like to manage - to source, load and manage content, manager user permissions, and create and publish new pages.

A key feature of most Jamstack sites is the use of content blocks and pages that are designed in a modular way. This means that it is easy to create new page types by assembling content blocks that exist in other parts of your website.

Most traditional CMSs have retrofitted this functionality now, but Jamstack sites operate with this as the default and, as a result, it is really nice to use.

Jamstack sites are more futureproofed than traditional CMSs because:

• They are built using components. If one part of the website breaks, becomes obsolete, or needs a complex upgrade, it doesn't require a rebuild of the whole site. In theory Jamstack sites never need a complete rebuild.
• Jamstack sites are built to support modern SaSS services. The web is trending strongly toward adding (often core) functionality using third party services, connected via API. While traditional CMSs can often do this, it's not what they were created to do, which can result in some key shortcomings including issues around interoperability.

Owning a Jamstack site supports a more agile, iterative approach where you can update and change aspects of your site more cheaply and easily than with a traditional CMS.