01
Discovery
We audit your content model, publishing workflow, integrations, and migration risks, so the headless CMS architecture is grounded in real business needs.
Headless CMS Development
We design and build headless CMS platforms for publishers, ecommerce teams, and growing businesses that need faster sites, cleaner workflows, and a composable architecture that can adapt over time.
12+ years · 200+ projects · Avg client relationship: 2+ years
Working with us
Build a composable architecture your team can actually run
You get a faster frontend, a cleaner publishing workflow, and an architecture that does not trap your business in one platform. We plan the content model, integrations, migration path, and launch details before development starts, so the system works in practice, not only on a diagram.
We work with media brands, membership businesses, ecommerce teams, and content-heavy organizations that need headless CMS development without adding avoidable complexity. Common engagements include CMS selection and architecture, headless website development, and content migration with URL preservation.
What we cover
Faster publishing and cleaner systems start with the right headless setup.
01
Architecture Planning
We map the content model, frontend stack, API boundaries, and integration points before build begins. You get a composable architecture that fits your business model instead of a decoupled CMS chosen for trend value alone.
02
Platform Selection
We help you choose the right headless CMS for the job, including Sanity, Strapi, headless WordPress, or a hybrid approach. You get a system your editors can manage and your developers can extend without friction.
03
Frontend Development
We build the presentation layer separately from the CMS using a modern frontend approach suited to your stack and hosting model. That gives you faster page delivery, tighter control over UX, and fewer theme-level limitations.
04
Content Modeling
We define reusable content types, field rules, taxonomies, and editorial relationships so content can flow across pages, channels, and campaigns. Your team gets a CMS structure that supports daily work instead of slowing it down.
05
API and System Integrations
We connect your CMS with ecommerce, newsletters, CRMs, search, paywalls, analytics, and internal tools through APIs and webhooks. You get a headless architecture where data moves reliably between systems.
06
Migration and URL Mapping
We migrate content from legacy CMS platforms, convert formats where needed, and protect critical URLs and metadata. That reduces launch risk and helps preserve search equity during a decoupled CMS transition.
07
Composable Commerce Components
For commerce teams, we build product, content, and merchandising flows that connect storefront systems with your CMS. You get composable commerce flexibility without forcing editors to manage campaigns in developer tools.
08
Support and Iteration
We stay involved after launch to monitor performance, refine workflows, and add features as your needs change. That matters in headless website development because the real value comes from how the system evolves over time.
Our work
Real projects. Real results.
Teton Gravity Research has spent thirty years as a cultural institution in action sports, known for jaw-dropping films featuring the world's top skiers, snowboarders, and surfers. But by the time they came to Refact, their website had become a liability. The team was fighting their technology instead of creating content. 10,000 articles sat locked inside ExpressionEngine, a legacy CMS that was barely staying online. Previous migration attempts had stalled. They asked for a redesign; before quoting one, we asked harder questions about what their digital presence should actually do.
A regional publishing icon escapes a legacy CMS with 30,000 articles intact.
Our process
Reduce implementation risk with a proven build process.
02
Design
We design the frontend experience and editorial structure together, so the decoupled CMS supports both user journeys and content operations.
03
Development
We build the frontend, CMS configuration, APIs, and integration logic, so your composable architecture works as one system instead of disconnected parts.
04
Launch
We test content rendering, redirects, data syncs, and deployment workflows, so the headless website goes live without avoidable surprises.
05
Ongoing Support
We monitor performance, improve workflows, and extend the platform over time, so your headless CMS keeps pace with the business.
Their project manager was among the best I've worked with. They completed every migration stage through production and testing, and we did not need to micromanage Refact.
Ben Sullivan
Head of Digital, Keck School of Medicine of USC
Refact is great to work with in our complicated business. They launched a great-looking, functional site, and our overall engagement increased by about 20%.
John-Lawrence Smith
Publisher, Virginia Living
They are terrific at building the specifications based on our requirements. Trends has grown 5x since we started working with Refact.
Scott Garcia
Product Manager, Trends.co
FAQS
Commonly asked questions
What is headless CMS development?
Headless CMS development separates content management from the frontend that visitors see. That gives you more control over performance, design, and integrations than a traditional theme-driven setup.
Is composable architecture right for every website?
No. Composable architecture is useful when your business benefits from separate services for content, commerce, search, personalization, or publishing operations. For simpler sites, a more conventional stack is often the better choice.
Can you migrate content from a legacy CMS into a headless setup?
Yes. We handle extraction, field mapping, content cleanup, format conversion, redirect planning, and validation so content arrives in the new system in usable form.
How do you handle SEO during a headless CMS migration?
We plan redirects, preserve high-value URLs where possible, carry over metadata, and validate rendering before launch. The goal is to protect existing search equity while moving to a better platform.
When does a decoupled CMS make sense?
A decoupled CMS makes sense when your content needs to power more than one channel, your frontend has outgrown theme constraints, or multiple systems need to work together cleanly. It is usually the right move when flexibility and integration needs are real, not hypothetical.
Which headless CMS platforms do you work with?
We can work with Sanity, Strapi, headless WordPress, and other CMS options depending on your needs. The right choice depends on editorial workflows, developer requirements, integration complexity, and long-term ownership.
Will a headless website improve performance?
It can, if the architecture and frontend are implemented well. Headless website development gives more control over rendering, payloads, and caching, but performance still depends on good technical decisions.
Can headless CMS development support composable commerce?
Yes. A headless CMS can work well with composable commerce by separating product systems, checkout, and merchandising from the content layer. The key is designing the editorial and integration workflows so your team can actually manage campaigns day to day.
Get started
Get a clear headless CMS plan before you commit to the build
Tell us what you’re building and we’ll get back to you within one business day.