> Portal Navigation:
> 
> - Append `.md` to any URL under `https://dev.wix.com/docs/` to get its markdown version.
> - Pages are either content pages (article or reference text) or menu pages (a list of links to child pages).
> - To get a menu page, truncate any URL to a parent path and append `.md` (e.g. `https://dev.wix.com/docs/sdk.md`, `https://dev.wix.com/docs/sdk/core-modules.md`).
> - Top-level index of all portals: https://dev.wix.com/docs/llms.txt
> - Full concatenated docs: https://dev.wix.com/docs/llms-full.txt

## Resource: About Headless Development Paths

## Article: Headless Development Paths

## Article Link: https://dev.wix.com/docs/go-headless/develop-your-project/about-headless-development-paths.md

## Article Content:

# About Headless Development Paths

Wix Headless enables you to build custom frontends using any technology stack, while leveraging Wix's business management platform. There are two headless development paths you can take to connect your custom frontend to Wix's backend services. Each path determines how much of the setup, configuration, and hosting you manage yourself, and how much Wix automates for you. The right path for you depends on your technical preferences, project requirements, and desired level of control. Understanding these development paths helps you choose the best approach for your project's needs.

Wix Headless supports two main development paths:

- Wix-managed headless
- Self-managed headless

## Wix-managed headless

Take advantage of a fully Wix-managed solution for developing and hosting your headless project. Wix handles hosting, authentication, and infrastructure, so you can focus on building your frontend and business logic. This is the recommended path for new headless projects.

You can create a Wix-managed headless projects in 2 ways:

- **Wix CLI**: A code-first approach. Run [`npm create @wix/new@latest headless`](https://dev.wix.com/docs/wix-cli/command-reference/project-creation/create-headless.md) to provision the business and site for your project and scaffolds a local [Astro](https://astro.build/) codebase. No prior setup in the Wix dashboard is required. You then develop and deploy locally with the [Wix CLI](https://dev.wix.com/docs/wix-cli/guides/about-the-wix-cli.md).
- **Wix Vibe**: A UI-based approach. [Wix Vibe](https://dev.wix.com/docs/go-headless/wix-vibe/about-wix-vibe.md) lets you create and edit your project using conversational AI prompts, without writing code. Projects started in Vibe can connect to GitHub and continue locally with the [Wix CLI](https://dev.wix.com/docs/wix-cli/guides/about-the-wix-cli.md). Think of Vibe as a custom template or starting point: you keep what Vibe generated but take it into your own development and deployment workflow.

To learn more, see [About Wix-Managed Headless](https://dev.wix.com/docs/go-headless/develop-your-project/about-headless-development-paths.md).

## Self-managed headless

Build your own frontend from scratch with any framework or platform, and connect it directly to Wix's backend using the [Wix JavaScript SDK](https://dev.wix.com/docs/sdk.md) or the [REST API](https://dev.wix.com/docs/rest.md). You're responsible for all configuration, authentication, and hosting.

Use this path when you need maximum flexibility, or to connect a custom frontend to an existing Wix site.

### Existing Wix sites

You can [connect an existing Wix site to a headless client](https://dev.wix.com/docs/go-headless/develop-your-project/self-managed-headless/connect-a-frontend.md), turning the site into the backend for your project. Use this approach to migrate to a custom frontend or to add additional frontends. The authentication strategy is the same as for any self-managed project.

## Comparison of development paths

| **Feature**                                                  | **Self-managed headless** | **Wix-managed headless** |
|--------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------|--------------------------|
| Use any frontend framework                                   | ✓                         |                          |
| Use any hosting or deployment solution                       | ✓                         |                          |
| Astro-based frontend with React, Vue, Svelte, or Solid       |                           | ✓                        |
| Wix JavaScript SDK integration                               | ✓                         | ✓                        |
| Automatic Wix Client configuration                           |                           | ✓                        |
| Automatic project scaffolding                                |                           | ✓                        |
| Automatic environment variable setup                         |                           | ✓                        |
| Wix-managed hosting with global CDN, SSL, and auto-scaling   |                           | ✓                        |
| App extensions for custom backend logic and dashboard features |                           | ✓                        |
| AI-powered bootstrapping with Wix Vibe                       |                           | ✓                        |
| Multilingual support                                         |                           | ✓                        |

## See also

- [About Wix Headless](https://dev.wix.com/docs/go-headless/get-started/overview/about-wix-headless.md)
- [About Wix-Managed Headless](https://dev.wix.com/docs/go-headless/develop-your-project/about-headless-development-paths.md)
- [About Self-Managed Headless](https://dev.wix.com/docs/go-headless/develop-your-project/self-managed-headless/about-self-managed-headless.md)
- [About the Wix CLI](https://dev.wix.com/docs/wix-cli/guides/about-the-wix-cli.md)