Yes, you can upgrade to Jamstack and keep WordPress

“Why WordPress is an Ideal Choice for Jamstack Websites”

Introduction

In a previous discussion, we delved into the world of Jamstack and explored the numerous benefits it offers. This architectural approach has sparked our enthusiasm, particularly in the context of our enterprise clients. Today, we’re here to shed light on how you can seamlessly integrate your existing WordPress back-end with Jamstack – a decision that can bring remarkable advantages to your digital presence.

The Power of WordPress

At our core, we’re unabashed proponents of WordPress. We’re not just users, but dedicated providers of custom WordPress themes and solutions, serving some of the most prominent Fortune 1000 clients. For the uninitiated, WordPress is a leading open-source Content Management System (CMS) that powers nearly 40% of websites on the internet. With hundreds of millions of WordPress websites and a library of over 50,000 plugins, its influence is undeniable.

The Jamstack Ambition

Our clients seek to embrace Jamstack for its promises of enhanced security, speed, and overall performance. However, the question lingers – how can they transition from their existing WordPress environments? The good news is, it’s entirely feasible to migrate your site to a Jamstack framework while retaining your trusted WordPress back-end.

Five Reasons to Keep WordPress in Your Jamstack Arsenal

1. Jamstack Needs Backend, WordPress Delivers: Jamstack still requires back-end functionality, and WordPress can seamlessly provide it at minimal or even no cost.
2. Abundance of Commercial Off-the-Shelf Options: The widespread use of WordPress has resulted in a vast array of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) solutions, catering to diverse needs.
3. SEO and Non-developer Compatibility: WordPress facilitates non-developers in keeping content SEO optimized and fresh, a critical aspect of website management.
4. Battle-Tested Workflows and Integrations: The workflows and integrations you’ve cultivated on your WordPress site have stood the test of time and can seamlessly integrate with your new Jamstack front-end.
5. Preserve Existing Content and Calls to Action: Keeping your existing content and calls to action (CTAs) in place is crucial for a seamless transition, and WordPress excels at this.

Five Key Steps to Transitioning Your Website to Jamstack and WordPress

1. Choose Your Framework and Front-end Host

• Select a suitable framework for your Jamstack setup along with a compatible front-end host. Choices like Vercel or Netlify come highly recommended.

2. Pick Your Data Fetching Method

• Decide on your data fetching method. We suggest REST or GraphQL, with GraphQL being the preferred option for most applications. WordPress even offers a native REST API, reducing the need for additional plugins. A user-friendly option is WPGraphQL, specifically designed for WordPress integration.

3. Evaluate Your Plugins

• As you embark on this upgrade journey, it’s an opportune time to assess your existing plugins. Remove any plugins that focus on front-end customization, as WordPress will primarily serve as your data repository. Ensuring all your plugins are up-to-date is essential before initiating the transition, as it can save you significant headaches during the connection with the new front-end.

4. Build and Connect Your Front-end

• One of the prime advantages of a Jamstack setup is the freedom to choose your front-end technology, be it React, Vue, Svelte, Angular, or others. This flexibility empowers your developers to work with their preferred front-end library. For our migration, we opted for NextJs, Styled Components (a CSS library), and React-query (a fetching library).

5. Deploy, Optimize, and Enjoy

• Once your front-end is built and connected, it’s time to deploy your Jamstack site and reap the benefits. The combination of static page generation, CDN-served content, and rehydration ensures blazing-fast page loading speeds. Even if you had an image-heavy, optimized WordPress site before, the transition to Jamstack can elevate your performance, with Lighthouse scores consistently surpassing the 90 mark.

Conclusion

WordPress and Jamstack might seem like an unlikely pair, but they can work in harmony to deliver an exceptional digital experience. The ubiquitous presence and versatility of WordPress make it a valuable asset when embracing the power of Jamstack. With the five critical steps we’ve outlined, transitioning your website to this dynamic combination becomes a seamless and rewarding journey. The result? A website that’s not just modern and performant but also easily maintainable, ensuring that you can keep your digital presence up to date and competitive. Embrace the future with WordPress and Jamstack, and watch your online endeavors flourish.