Headless commerce has been discussed as the future of e-commerce for years. Flexibility, performance, and omnichannel capabilities are often cited as key benefits.
In real-world projects, however, a different picture often emerges:
Not every shop benefits from a headless setup – and many pay a high price for it.
This article helps you make a realistic, informed decision:
- classic Shopware vs hybrid vs full headless
- real-world costs and complexity
- typical mistakes seen in real projects
What Does “Headless” Mean in Shopware?
Shopware is built as an API-first platform by design. This means:
- backend and storefront are technically separated
- all relevant functionality is available via APIs
Headless does not automatically mean “better”. Most of the time, it simply means more responsibility for your project team.
Classic, Hybrid, or Full Headless – The Three Models
1. Classic Shopware (Monolithic Setup)
The classic setup consists of:
- Shopware Storefront (Twig-based)
- backend and frontend delivered together
Pros:
- fast to implement
- lower initial costs
- most plugins work out of the box
- SEO and checkout included
Cons:
- limited frontend flexibility
- less suitable for highly custom UX concepts
👉 Ideal for around 90% of shops.
2. Hybrid Approach (Often the Best Choice)
A hybrid setup means:
- Shopware Storefront remains the foundation
- additional touchpoints via APIs (e.g. app, POS, content frontend)
Pros:
- flexibility without a complete rebuild
- existing plugins remain usable
- manageable additional costs
Cons:
- architecture must be planned carefully
- clear responsibilities are required
👉 Often the best compromise between flexibility and stability.
3. Full Headless
In a full headless setup:
- no Shopware storefront is used
- the frontend is built completely separately (e.g. React, Vue, Next.js)
Pros:
- maximum frontend freedom
- highly customized user experience
- well suited for complex omnichannel scenarios
Cons:
- high development and maintenance costs
- SEO, checkout, and performance must be built manually
- many plugins cannot be reused directly
👉 Only makes sense with clear, strong requirements.
Costs and Complexity: The Often Underestimated Reality
1. Development Costs
A full headless approach requires:
- a dedicated frontend team
- custom SEO implementation
- custom performance optimization
Features that are “included” in the classic storefront must be rebuilt manually in a headless setup.
2. Maintenance and Ongoing Development
Headless projects are never a one-time investment.
- API changes
- frontend framework updates
- new Shopware releases
Ongoing costs are often significantly higher than expected.
3. Plugin Compatibility
Many Shopware plugins:
- depend on the storefront
- combine business logic and UI
In a full headless setup, this logic often has to be rebuilt from scratch.
Typical Mistakes from Real Projects
❌ Choosing Headless “Because Everyone Does”
Headless is not a quality label.
Without clear requirements, teams often end up with:
- higher costs
- longer project timelines
- lower return on investment
❌ Underestimating SEO
SEO is not automatic in a headless setup.
- indexation
- rendering strategy
- metadata handling
All of this must be implemented deliberately.
❌ Missing Responsibility Boundaries
Headless requires clear ownership:
- who owns the frontend?
- who owns API logic?
- who owns performance?
When Headless with Shopware Really Makes Sense
- highly customized UX requirements
- complex omnichannel architectures
- large, experienced development teams
- a long-term technical roadmap
When You Should Probably Avoid It
- standard B2C or B2B shops
- limited budgets
- heavy reliance on plugins
- SEO as the main traffic channel
Conclusion
Headless with Shopware is a powerful option – but it is not the default choice.
In many real-world projects:
- classic Shopware
- or a well-planned hybrid approach
deliver better results with less risk.
My Approach
I work Shopware-only and advise based on project needs, not on trends.
- classic, hybrid, or headless
- always with a focus on cost, maintenance, and ROI
If you’re unsure which approach fits your shop, let’s talk before unnecessary complexity is introduced.