Quick Start a Self-Managed Headless Project

Self-managed headless lets you build a frontend with any framework and connect it to Wix's backend, while you handle hosting and authentication yourself. This article takes you through creating a headless project, connecting your frontend, and calling a Wix API.

Step 1 | Create a headless project

A headless project is a Wix site that uses Wix's business management platform without a Wix editor. It appears in your Wix account alongside your sites.

To create a headless project:

1. Create a new headless project.

2. Choose your project's purpose.

   

3. Choose your role.

   

4. Choose the business features you want to add, such as eCommerce, Bookings, Pricing Plans, or Events. You can always add more later.

   

5. Enter a name for your project. You can always change it later in the project dashboard.

   

Step 2 | Connect your frontend

To call Wix APIs, your frontend needs to be authorized. Set up a headless client for your project. This works the same whether you're connecting to a new project or an existing site. Choose an authorization strategy based on what you're building:

• Visitors and Members (OAuth): For a site or app used by customers, such as anonymous visitors and logged-in members.
• Admin (API Key): For a project with customized administrative access to your Wix account's sites and projects.

For the full setup steps, see Set Up a Headless Client. You can use more than one strategy in the same project.

Step 3 | Call a Wix API

With a client connected, choose how you'll call Wix APIs:

• JavaScript SDK: If you're coding in JavaScript.
• REST API: If you're not coding in JavaScript.

You can use both the SDK and the REST API in the same project.

Next steps

• Set Up a Headless Client: Connect additional frontends, or an existing Wix site.
• Authorization Strategies: Understand OAuth and API key authentication in depth.
• Invite collaborators to help manage your project.