Content management has undergone rapid evolution over the past several years. The traditional monolithic CMS model has given way to more modular and flexible systems known as composable content platforms. The need for more incredible developer velocity, omnichannel content delivery, and advanced content capabilities has fueled this transition.
A composable content platform breaks a monolithic CMS into discrete services with APIs for content management functions.
These include separate services for:
➤ Content authoring
➤ Content modeling
➤ Content storage
➤ Content delivery
➤ Content rendering
Composing these CMS capabilities into standalone microservices makes content platforms highly modular. These microservices allow developers to use only the specific services they need while avoiding unnecessary complexity.
Composable architectures unlock several key advantages:
➤ Agility - Developers can easily swap composable services as needs change without disrupting an entire tech stack. This agility facilitates more incredible iteration speed.
➤ Omnichannel content - Content can seamlessly feed any digital channel by leveraging shared cloud services. Simplified content distribution removes silos and facilitates reuse.
➤ Future-proof - Developments adopt new composable services rather than re-architecting monolithic platforms when requirements evolve. This flexibility minimizes redundancy.
➤ Best-of-breed choice - Teams can evaluate individual solutions for each capability instead of being locked into an inflexible suite.
➤ Cost savings - Paying only for specific services optimizes resources instead of investing in an entire CMS suite. This optimization focuses spending on what matters most.
While architectures differ across vendors, composable content platforms generally comprise:
➤ Cloud content APIs perform backend functions like managing content models, handling storage/retrieval, authorization, workflows, and more.
➤ Headless content delivery APIs serve decoupled structured content to any channel, from web to mobile, digital displays, IoT devices, and new surfaces as they emerge.
➤ Author-focused editing tools - Cloud-based environments for users to create, manage, publish, and seamlessly analyze content.
➤ Developer-focused SDKs - Kits for quickly integrating composable services and leveraging platform extensibility
Combining these elements allows composable systems to streamline the entire content lifecycle while offering flexibility.
The shift towards modular content platforms is now fully underway. As the needs increase in complexity, composable solutions offer enterprises strategic value with their versatility and cloud-native architecture. They represent the next generation of content infrastructure.
