Self-managed headless lets you build your frontend with any framework and connect it to Wix's backend using the JavaScript SDK or REST API. You handle configuration, authentication, and hosting yourself.
This approach is relevant for integrating Wix business solutions into existing sites, using non-standard frameworks, or building highly customized solutions.
Note: For a simplified setup with managed hosting and authentication, see Wix-managed headless.
A Headless project is essentially a Wix site that uses Wix's business management platform without necessarily using a Wix frontend. This approach allows you to build your own custom frontend while leveraging Wix's powerful business management tools. Headless projects appear in your Wix account alongside your Wix sites, making it easy to manage all your Wix projects in one place. To get started, create a headless project.
Note: If you already have a Wix site, you don't need to create a new project. Instead, you can set up a headless client to give connected clients access to a site's existing data and business functionality.
If you already have a Wix site and want to build custom frontends that use a site's data and business features, you don't need to create a new headless project. Instead, you can set up headless clients programmatically or via the site dashboard. This effectively adapts a site to act as the backend for a self-managed headless project.
Follow the authorization strategy guidelines so your connected clients can call Wix APIs and use a site's existing data and functionality.
To take advantage of business solutions, such as eCommerce, Bookings, Pricing Plans, or Events, add the apps relevant to your needs. If you didn't already do this when creating your Wix project, add apps to your project now.
To work with Wix APIs in your Headless site or app, you need to be authorized to call APIs. The authorization strategy you should choose depends on what kind of headless site or app you are developing.
In some cases, you may want to use more than 1 authorization strategy or use a number of API keys in the same site or app.
Note: The authorization strategy serves 2 purposes:
To learn more about authorization strategies, see Authorization Strategies.
At this point your project is all set up and you're almost ready to start coding. Next, you need to choose how you're going to call Wix APIs.
There are 2 ways to interact with the Wix platform from the site or app you're building:
In some cases, you may want to work with both the JavaScript SDK and the REST API.
Invite collaborators to your project so they can view and manage your Headless Settings, including creating and connecting new headless clients. This makes it easier to share responsibility across your team and streamline development.