> 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: Quick Start a Self-Managed Headless Project

## Article: Quick Start a Self-Managed Headless Project

## Article Link: https://dev.wix.com/docs/go-headless/get-started/quick-starts/self-managed-headless/quick-start-a-self-managed-headless-project.md

## Article Content:

# 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.

> **Note:** For a simplified setup where Wix handles hosting and authentication for you, start with [Wix-managed headless](https://dev.wix.com/docs/go-headless/wix-managed-headless/about-wix-managed-headless.md).

## 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.

> **Already have a Wix site?** You don't need to create a new project. See [Start from an Existing Wix Site](https://dev.wix.com/docs/go-headless/get-started/quick-starts/self-managed-headless/quick-start-from-an-existing-wix-site.md) to turn your existing site into the backend for a new frontend.

To create a headless project:

1. Create a [new headless project](https://www.wix.com/intro/headless?ref=docs_vanilla).
2. Choose your project's purpose.

   ![Select project purpose](https://wixmp-833713b177cebf373f611808.wixmp.com/images/8aaf5120c502a09b9f3435c39aedaf83.png)

3. Choose your role.

   ![Select your role](https://wixmp-833713b177cebf373f611808.wixmp.com/images/3e4c070871e5c4e94d384e91fe4133c2.png)

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

   ![Select business solutions](https://wixmp-833713b177cebf373f611808.wixmp.com/images/f78db5a5605fdf933c78a6de058893c8.png)

5. Enter a name for your project. You can always change it later in the [project dashboard](https://www.wix.com/my-account/site-selector/?buttonText=Select%20Site&title=Select%20a%20Site&autoSelectOnSingleSite=true&actionUrl=https:%2F%2Fwww.wix.com%2Fdashboard%2F%7B%7BmetaSiteId%7D%7D%2Fhome).

   ![Select project name](https://wixmp-833713b177cebf373f611808.wixmp.com/images/b5bab3c73b45b579cc45c50e9df82682.png)

> **Note:** You need to upgrade to a premium plan to receive payments, view detailed analytics, connect a custom domain, and access other advanced functionality.

## 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](https://dev.wix.com/docs/go-headless/self-managed-headless/authentication/about-authentication.md) based on what you're building:

- **[Visitors and Members (OAuth)](https://dev.wix.com/docs/go-headless/self-managed-headless/authentication/oauth/about-oauth-authentication.md)**: For a site or app used by customers, such as anonymous visitors and logged-in members.
- **[Admin (API Key)](https://dev.wix.com/docs/go-headless/self-managed-headless/authentication/about-admin-operations.md)**: 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](https://dev.wix.com/docs/go-headless/self-managed-headless/authentication/set-up-a-headless-client.md). 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](https://dev.wix.com/docs/sdk.md)**: If you're coding in JavaScript.
- **[REST API](https://dev.wix.com/docs/rest.md)**: 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](https://dev.wix.com/docs/go-headless/self-managed-headless/authentication/set-up-a-headless-client.md): Connect additional frontends, or an existing Wix site.
- [Authorization Strategies](https://dev.wix.com/docs/go-headless/self-managed-headless/authentication/about-authentication.md): Understand OAuth and API key authentication in depth.
- [Invite collaborators](https://dev.wix.com/docs/go-headless/project-guides/project-management/invite-collaborators.md) to help manage your project.