Agencies are building headless WordPress — decoupling the CMS from the frontend to get faster sites and a modern development experience. Stack2 supports the complete stack: WordPress backend on PHP and MySQL, Next.js frontend on Node.js, Redis across both layers, and Postgres for anything outside WordPress. Everything needed to run headless WordPress on a single Australian platform.
Traditional WordPress does both jobs — it stores content and renders it as HTML. Headless WordPress separates those two responsibilities.
Your client still uses the WordPress editor to manage pages, posts, and media. WordPress stores everything in MySQL and exposes it via the REST API or WPGraphQL — no frontend rendering, just a clean content API. The familiar workflow stays intact.
A Next.js application fetches content from the WordPress API and renders it — statically at build time, server-side on request, or with incremental static regeneration (ISR). The result is a fast, modern frontend built with React, fully decoupled from WordPress's PHP layer.
A headless WordPress setup spans two application layers. Stack2 supports both — no need to split hosting across providers.
| Layer | Technology | Stack2 support |
|---|---|---|
| WordPress CMS | PHP 8.x, MariaDB/MySQL | Fully managed |
| Content API | WPGraphQL, WordPress REST API | No restrictions |
| Next.js frontend | Node.js, npm | Supported |
| Object caching | Redis | Included |
| Auxiliary database | Postgres | Supported |
| Data residency | Australian servers | All layers in AU |
| SSL | Let's Encrypt / custom | Free on all plans |
The WordPress backend and the Next.js frontend run on the same Australian platform. One vendor, one support team, one place to manage everything. No juggling a PHP host for WordPress and a Node.js platform for the frontend.
Both the WordPress CMS layer and the frontend application layer run on Australian infrastructure. Content stored in WordPress, data stored in MySQL or Postgres, session state in Redis — all in Australia. A clean answer to data sovereignty questions.
Manage every headless WordPress client site from the Stack2 agency dashboard — uptime, updates, health scores, and client access. The same dashboard you use for traditional WordPress sites.
AutoCare handles the managed maintenance side of the WordPress CMS — plugin and core updates on a schedule, with a white-label report sent to the client. The frontend deployment is managed through your own workflow. AutoCare is available as an add-on.
The WordPress API layer runs on LiteSpeed with Redis object caching — fast response times for content queries whether your Next.js frontend is doing SSG at build time, SSR per request, or ISR.
The WordPress admin and API endpoints are still exposed — the WAF protects them regardless of how the frontend is set up. WordPress-specific attack patterns are blocked at the network level before they reach PHP.
Static site generation (SSG) and incremental static regeneration (ISR) in Next.js can produce faster page loads than server-rendered WordPress — particularly for content-heavy sites with high traffic.
Agencies with developers who work primarily in React or TypeScript often prefer building in Next.js over working with WordPress themes and PHP templates. Headless keeps the content workflow in WordPress while the frontend is built the way the team prefers.
If WordPress content needs to feed a website, a mobile app, a digital signage system, or any other channel — a headless API-first approach is the natural fit. One CMS, multiple frontends consuming the same content API.
Traditional managed WordPress is still the right choice for most agency client sites. Headless adds real complexity — it's worth it when the project requirements justify it. If you're unsure, talk to us before committing to the architecture.
Have something more specific? Contact us — an engineer will reply.
Headless WordPress separates content management from frontend rendering. WordPress handles content — your client uses the familiar editor, content is stored in MySQL, and WordPress exposes everything via its REST API or WPGraphQL. A modern frontend framework like Next.js fetches that content and renders the pages users see. The "head" (the frontend) is detached from the "body" (the CMS).
Yes. WPGraphQL is a plugin that installs on your WordPress site like any other — Stack2 imposes no restrictions. Your Next.js frontend can query the WPGraphQL endpoint as normal. The REST API is also fully available. Both approaches work on Stack2-hosted WordPress.
Yes. Stack2 supports both PHP/WordPress and Node.js environments. The WordPress CMS backend and the Next.js frontend application can both be hosted on Stack2, managed through the same agency dashboard, on the same Australian infrastructure.
Yes. AutoCare applies to the WordPress CMS layer — it handles WordPress core, plugin, and theme updates on a schedule and sends a white-label report to the client. The Next.js frontend has its own deployment lifecycle, which is managed through your development workflow. AutoCare is available as an add-on.
No. WordPress uses MySQL or MariaDB, and that covers the majority of headless WordPress setups. Postgres becomes relevant if the Next.js application has its own data requirements outside of WordPress — for example, a form submission store, a separate user database, or any service that isn't backed by WordPress content. Stack2 supports both MySQL and Postgres, so either or both are available if you need them.
When the Next.js frontend and WordPress backend are on different domains (e.g. api.yourdomain.com and yourdomain.com), WordPress needs to allow cross-origin requests from the frontend domain. This is typically configured via a plugin or custom code in wp-config.php. Stack2 does not block CORS headers — the configuration happens at the WordPress level as normal.
Start free — WordPress hosting and Node.js support on Australian infrastructure. Talk to us if you want to discuss your architecture first.