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Composable Commerce
Headless Commerce
API-First Architecture
Modular Commerce
MACH Architecture
ARTICLE #135
Table of contents
Composable Commerce: How does it relate to headless commerce?
Composable Commerce
Headless Commerce
API-First Architecture
Modular Commerce
MACH Architecture
Composable Commerce
Headless Commerce
API-First Architecture
Modular Commerce
MACH Architecture
Written by:
7 min read
Updated on: October 31, 2024
Toni Hukkanen
Head of Design
Creative Direction, Brand Direction
Toni Hukkanen
Head of Design
Creative Direction, Brand Direction
Toni Hukkanen
Head of Design
Creative Direction, Brand Direction
With so many fresh solutions appearing in the e-commerce world, it’s understandable to feel a bit adrift. Should you stick with tried-and-true platforms or experiment with newer models like composable or headless commerce? Both approaches promise freedom and creativity, but each has its own quirks.
Headless commerce decouples your store’s front end from its core services. This separation helps brands launch bold user experiences that keep customers smiling. Yet these solutions can still feel restrictive since you’re tied to a single integrated platform (Shopify Plus, Crystallize, Commerceplayer, etc.).
It’s a bit like renting a big house with endless potential—except the landlord won’t let you renovate the kitchen without changing every other room as well. If you dislike those limits, you can either live with them or rebuild your entire platform elsewhere. This brings us to composable commerce. Research says around 72% of retailers have already started using a composable approach. Let’s explore why composable commerce extends beyond simple headless architecture and how to decide if it’s your next move.
With so many fresh solutions appearing in the e-commerce world, it’s understandable to feel a bit adrift. Should you stick with tried-and-true platforms or experiment with newer models like composable or headless commerce? Both approaches promise freedom and creativity, but each has its own quirks.
Headless commerce decouples your store’s front end from its core services. This separation helps brands launch bold user experiences that keep customers smiling. Yet these solutions can still feel restrictive since you’re tied to a single integrated platform (Shopify Plus, Crystallize, Commerceplayer, etc.).
It’s a bit like renting a big house with endless potential—except the landlord won’t let you renovate the kitchen without changing every other room as well. If you dislike those limits, you can either live with them or rebuild your entire platform elsewhere. This brings us to composable commerce. Research says around 72% of retailers have already started using a composable approach. Let’s explore why composable commerce extends beyond simple headless architecture and how to decide if it’s your next move.
What is composable commerce?
What is composable commerce?
Each business has its own goals, culture, and peculiarities. So why rely on a cookie-cutter e-commerce platform? That’s the logic behind composable commerce.
This method allows you to pick and mix different technologies—or “building blocks”—to create an online store precisely suited to your needs. Some businesses prefer an out-of-the-box system; others need deeper custom work to keep pace with rapid market shifts. According to recent data, roughly 46% of IT teams have already jumped into composable commerce, and another 43% are planning to follow suit.
Instead of relying on a single, monolithic platform, composable commerce breaks everything into manageable modules you can swap, enhance, or retire whenever you see fit. Here are the building blocks that make this possible:
Microservices
Microservices are tiny applications, each handling a specific function—payments, product listings, user accounts, you name it. You can combine several of these independent units into a more extensive system. If one microservice fails, it won’t necessarily sink your entire operation.
Packaged Business Capabilities (PBCs)
PBCs are also software components, but they come pre-bundled with particular capabilities—such as checkout or catalogue management—ready to slot in with minimal fuss. They’re perfect if you want to reduce complexity or cost. Examples include all-in-one modules for storefronts, promotions, carts, and payment.
Application Programming Interface (API)
APIs tell these modular parts how to “chat” with one another. They ensure smooth data exchange across your e-commerce ecosystem. Without APIs, each microservice or PBC would operate in isolation, and your store would feel about as cohesive as a puzzle with missing pieces.
Each business has its own goals, culture, and peculiarities. So why rely on a cookie-cutter e-commerce platform? That’s the logic behind composable commerce.
This method allows you to pick and mix different technologies—or “building blocks”—to create an online store precisely suited to your needs. Some businesses prefer an out-of-the-box system; others need deeper custom work to keep pace with rapid market shifts. According to recent data, roughly 46% of IT teams have already jumped into composable commerce, and another 43% are planning to follow suit.
Instead of relying on a single, monolithic platform, composable commerce breaks everything into manageable modules you can swap, enhance, or retire whenever you see fit. Here are the building blocks that make this possible:
Microservices
Microservices are tiny applications, each handling a specific function—payments, product listings, user accounts, you name it. You can combine several of these independent units into a more extensive system. If one microservice fails, it won’t necessarily sink your entire operation.
Packaged Business Capabilities (PBCs)
PBCs are also software components, but they come pre-bundled with particular capabilities—such as checkout or catalogue management—ready to slot in with minimal fuss. They’re perfect if you want to reduce complexity or cost. Examples include all-in-one modules for storefronts, promotions, carts, and payment.
Application Programming Interface (API)
APIs tell these modular parts how to “chat” with one another. They ensure smooth data exchange across your e-commerce ecosystem. Without APIs, each microservice or PBC would operate in isolation, and your store would feel about as cohesive as a puzzle with missing pieces.
Composable commerce vs. traditional commerce
In traditional e-commerce, you typically use a monolithic platform that packages every function under one roof—payments, inventory, user management, CMS, and more. Yes, it can be straightforward at the start, but it often lacks the agility you need to differentiate your brand or scale efficiently.
Meanwhile, composable commerce follows a modular design. You can bring in best-of-breed tools and services and then integrate them all via APIs. It’s easier to pivot, test new features, and connect with third-party apps. Traditional e-commerce platforms, by contrast, are more rigid, making it harder to share data across multiple systems or experiment with fresh ideas.
In traditional e-commerce, you typically use a monolithic platform that packages every function under one roof—payments, inventory, user management, CMS, and more. Yes, it can be straightforward at the start, but it often lacks the agility you need to differentiate your brand or scale efficiently.
Meanwhile, composable commerce follows a modular design. You can bring in best-of-breed tools and services and then integrate them all via APIs. It’s easier to pivot, test new features, and connect with third-party apps. Traditional e-commerce platforms, by contrast, are more rigid, making it harder to share data across multiple systems or experiment with fresh ideas.
Difference between composable commerce and headless commerce
You’ll often see “headless” and “composable” discussed side by side, but they’re not identical as we already mentioned. A headless approach separates the user interface from the backend. Composable commerce, on the other hand, focuses on a modular structure not just for the frontend and backend but across every service in your ecosystem.
Architecture
Composable Commerce: Modular, letting you combine various microservices or PBCs.
Headless Commerce: Focuses on splitting the presentation layer from the core commerce engine.
Frontend Flexibility
Composable: Freedom in both frontend and backend components.
Headless: Flexible interface choices but typically anchored to a specific commerce engine.
Development Speed
Composable: You can update or swap out individual modules quickly.
Headless: Frontend tweaks might need coordination with backend systems, slowing change.
Customisation
Composable: You can merge best-in-class third-party services to accelerate builds.
Headless: Ideal for highly specific brand experiences that need deeper control.
Ecosystem Integration
Composable: Pick and integrate different tools freely.
Headless: Coupled backend can complicate external integrations.
Vendor Lock-In
Composable: Less risk—swap out individual services without a full overhaul.
Headless: Ties you closer to a commerce engine. Changing providers can mean major rework.
Maintenance
Composable: Update or replace a single piece without wrecking the rest.
Headless: Alterations might affect both sides, making updates trickier.
You’ll often see “headless” and “composable” discussed side by side, but they’re not identical as we already mentioned. A headless approach separates the user interface from the backend. Composable commerce, on the other hand, focuses on a modular structure not just for the frontend and backend but across every service in your ecosystem.
Architecture
Composable Commerce: Modular, letting you combine various microservices or PBCs.
Headless Commerce: Focuses on splitting the presentation layer from the core commerce engine.
Frontend Flexibility
Composable: Freedom in both frontend and backend components.
Headless: Flexible interface choices but typically anchored to a specific commerce engine.
Development Speed
Composable: You can update or swap out individual modules quickly.
Headless: Frontend tweaks might need coordination with backend systems, slowing change.
Customisation
Composable: You can merge best-in-class third-party services to accelerate builds.
Headless: Ideal for highly specific brand experiences that need deeper control.
Ecosystem Integration
Composable: Pick and integrate different tools freely.
Headless: Coupled backend can complicate external integrations.
Vendor Lock-In
Composable: Less risk—swap out individual services without a full overhaul.
Headless: Ties you closer to a commerce engine. Changing providers can mean major rework.
Maintenance
Composable: Update or replace a single piece without wrecking the rest.
Headless: Alterations might affect both sides, making updates trickier.
Why composable commerce appeals to modern businesses
Below are a few reasons companies are keen on composable commerce. Each benefit points to greater flexibility and resilience in an online environment that changes by the hour.
Drives business impact
Instead of plugging every challenge into one system, composable commerce lets you hand-pick the best solutions. That approach increases your capacity to create compelling experiences, reduce delays in data sharing, and boost overall performance. You are effectively making your e-commerce stack more nimble while giving customers novel ways to shop.
Provides flexibility in building a technology stack
With composable commerce, you can opt for whichever payment gateway, CMS, or shipping service suits your immediate objectives. If you outgrow one tool, simply replace it with another. This approach keeps you agile, especially when traffic surges or you target a fresh market segment.
Gives freedom to platform customisation
Composability means no one’s forcing you to accept every feature from a monolithic package. Want a custom front end for a hyper-personalised brand experience? Go for it. Need a time-saving workflow for internal teams? That’s doable too. A well-known example is Starboard, a water sports brand that used a composable Product Information Management (PIM) module combined with headless functionality to streamline collaboration.
Future-proof your business and commerce stack
Traditional “all-in-one” platforms can get outdated fast, and large-scale updates often carry eye-watering costs. By contrast, a modular structure lets you add new tech or retire old components as customer preferences shift. you are less likely to be stuck with outmoded software when you can replace pieces independently.
Delivers innovative experiences for e-commerce platforms
Whether you are integrating augmented reality demos or advanced AI-driven chatbots, composable commerce gives you the runway to experiment. Consider Siemens Healthineers, which used composable components to expand its e-commerce capabilities for medical devices. By taking smaller, specialised pieces, they created a more efficient buying process and improved service quality—without having to tear down everything else.
Below are a few reasons companies are keen on composable commerce. Each benefit points to greater flexibility and resilience in an online environment that changes by the hour.
Drives business impact
Instead of plugging every challenge into one system, composable commerce lets you hand-pick the best solutions. That approach increases your capacity to create compelling experiences, reduce delays in data sharing, and boost overall performance. You are effectively making your e-commerce stack more nimble while giving customers novel ways to shop.
Provides flexibility in building a technology stack
With composable commerce, you can opt for whichever payment gateway, CMS, or shipping service suits your immediate objectives. If you outgrow one tool, simply replace it with another. This approach keeps you agile, especially when traffic surges or you target a fresh market segment.
Gives freedom to platform customisation
Composability means no one’s forcing you to accept every feature from a monolithic package. Want a custom front end for a hyper-personalised brand experience? Go for it. Need a time-saving workflow for internal teams? That’s doable too. A well-known example is Starboard, a water sports brand that used a composable Product Information Management (PIM) module combined with headless functionality to streamline collaboration.
Future-proof your business and commerce stack
Traditional “all-in-one” platforms can get outdated fast, and large-scale updates often carry eye-watering costs. By contrast, a modular structure lets you add new tech or retire old components as customer preferences shift. you are less likely to be stuck with outmoded software when you can replace pieces independently.
Delivers innovative experiences for e-commerce platforms
Whether you are integrating augmented reality demos or advanced AI-driven chatbots, composable commerce gives you the runway to experiment. Consider Siemens Healthineers, which used composable components to expand its e-commerce capabilities for medical devices. By taking smaller, specialised pieces, they created a more efficient buying process and improved service quality—without having to tear down everything else.
Where composable commerce can be challenging
It’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Before betting on composable commerce, think about the potential hurdles.
Complex integration process
Yes, microservices and PBCs are fun to mix and match, but orchestrating them smoothly can feel overwhelming if you don’t have a well-versed tech team. Each component has its own dependencies and data structures, so wrangling them under one roof can become time-consuming.
Vendor management
A monolithic platform means dealing with one supplier; composable commerce might mean juggling multiple contracts, service-level agreements, and technical docs from different vendors. If your organisation is large and your internal processes are set up for complexity, this may be fine. Otherwise, brace yourself for more coordination.
Limited all-in-one support
With composable commerce, you might have a separate support team for each service. If you prefer a one-stop support call to fix everything, you’ll find composable architecture more complicated to manage. This do-it-yourself approach typically suits companies that are tech-savvy and comfortable with multiple vendor relationships.
It’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Before betting on composable commerce, think about the potential hurdles.
Complex integration process
Yes, microservices and PBCs are fun to mix and match, but orchestrating them smoothly can feel overwhelming if you don’t have a well-versed tech team. Each component has its own dependencies and data structures, so wrangling them under one roof can become time-consuming.
Vendor management
A monolithic platform means dealing with one supplier; composable commerce might mean juggling multiple contracts, service-level agreements, and technical docs from different vendors. If your organisation is large and your internal processes are set up for complexity, this may be fine. Otherwise, brace yourself for more coordination.
Limited all-in-one support
With composable commerce, you might have a separate support team for each service. If you prefer a one-stop support call to fix everything, you’ll find composable architecture more complicated to manage. This do-it-yourself approach typically suits companies that are tech-savvy and comfortable with multiple vendor relationships.
Implementing a composable commerce or headless solution
Composable and headless commerce often go hand in hand. You can run a headless setup using a SaaS model or cloud platform that’s open to various integrations, effectively mixing and matching services. Either way, ensure your APIs stay in sync so each module plays nicely with the rest.
The MACH architecture
MACH stands for Microservices, APIs, Cloud Native, and Headless. This framework underpins many modern commerce solutions, letting you slot composable modules in as needed. If you want to keep your brand flexible and ready for unexpected shifts, MACH-based structures are a reliable starting point.
Composable and headless commerce often go hand in hand. You can run a headless setup using a SaaS model or cloud platform that’s open to various integrations, effectively mixing and matching services. Either way, ensure your APIs stay in sync so each module plays nicely with the rest.
The MACH architecture
MACH stands for Microservices, APIs, Cloud Native, and Headless. This framework underpins many modern commerce solutions, letting you slot composable modules in as needed. If you want to keep your brand flexible and ready for unexpected shifts, MACH-based structures are a reliable starting point.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the trends in composable commerce?
Key trends include technology democratisation, broad adoption of AI, increased consumer awareness, and a shift toward omnichannel personalisation. The popularity of modular architecture is growing, even when broader economic conditions are shaky.
What are the drawbacks of headless commerce?
It relies heavily on APIs, custom integration, and multiple systems, making life hard if you lack technical expertise. Splitting the front end from the back end can also require more oversight and collaboration to keep everything running smoothly.
Is Magento composable?
Magento is known for its flexibility. Many vendors offer headless front-end solutions for Magento, and it also supports the broader principles of composable commerce if you want to scale beyond a single platform.
Final Thoughts
Headless commerce is a powerful tool, but it’s ultimately one piece of the composable puzzle. If you are a brand that’s comfortable managing multiple moving parts—and eager for more hands-on control—composable commerce might be your best bet. You’ll be able to swap, adapt, and expand as your business evolves, all without being stuck in a single ecosystem.
And in a market where online retailers are always looking for ways to stay ahead, adopting both headless and composable elements can be a savvy path forward. By uniting the adaptability of headless commerce with the modular approach of composable systems, you can deliver exceptional online experiences, refine internal operations, and extend your store’s lifespan.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the trends in composable commerce?
Key trends include technology democratisation, broad adoption of AI, increased consumer awareness, and a shift toward omnichannel personalisation. The popularity of modular architecture is growing, even when broader economic conditions are shaky.
What are the drawbacks of headless commerce?
It relies heavily on APIs, custom integration, and multiple systems, making life hard if you lack technical expertise. Splitting the front end from the back end can also require more oversight and collaboration to keep everything running smoothly.
Is Magento composable?
Magento is known for its flexibility. Many vendors offer headless front-end solutions for Magento, and it also supports the broader principles of composable commerce if you want to scale beyond a single platform.
Final Thoughts
Headless commerce is a powerful tool, but it’s ultimately one piece of the composable puzzle. If you are a brand that’s comfortable managing multiple moving parts—and eager for more hands-on control—composable commerce might be your best bet. You’ll be able to swap, adapt, and expand as your business evolves, all without being stuck in a single ecosystem.
And in a market where online retailers are always looking for ways to stay ahead, adopting both headless and composable elements can be a savvy path forward. By uniting the adaptability of headless commerce with the modular approach of composable systems, you can deliver exceptional online experiences, refine internal operations, and extend your store’s lifespan.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the trends in composable commerce?
Key trends include technology democratisation, broad adoption of AI, increased consumer awareness, and a shift toward omnichannel personalisation. The popularity of modular architecture is growing, even when broader economic conditions are shaky.
What are the drawbacks of headless commerce?
It relies heavily on APIs, custom integration, and multiple systems, making life hard if you lack technical expertise. Splitting the front end from the back end can also require more oversight and collaboration to keep everything running smoothly.
Is Magento composable?
Magento is known for its flexibility. Many vendors offer headless front-end solutions for Magento, and it also supports the broader principles of composable commerce if you want to scale beyond a single platform.
Final Thoughts
Headless commerce is a powerful tool, but it’s ultimately one piece of the composable puzzle. If you are a brand that’s comfortable managing multiple moving parts—and eager for more hands-on control—composable commerce might be your best bet. You’ll be able to swap, adapt, and expand as your business evolves, all without being stuck in a single ecosystem.
And in a market where online retailers are always looking for ways to stay ahead, adopting both headless and composable elements can be a savvy path forward. By uniting the adaptability of headless commerce with the modular approach of composable systems, you can deliver exceptional online experiences, refine internal operations, and extend your store’s lifespan.
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