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August 10, 2016 | Four Kitchens
The Future of the CMSDecoupled architecture, multiple frontends, and content as a service
Todd Ross Nienkerk CEO, Co-Founder, and Digital StrategistFour Kitchens
@toddross
#FutureCMS
I want you to rethink how we manage, publish, and consume content.
#FutureCMS
I am here today because…
What “decoupled” means
Agenda 1 32
#FutureCMS
When decoupling makes sense
Agenda 321
#FutureCMS
What’s next
1Agenda 32
#FutureCMS
What’s next for content and the web.
What “decoupled” means
1 32
#FutureCMS
CMS
Frontend
Backend
#FutureCMS
Frontend
CMS
Backend
#FutureCMS
Frontend
CMSBackend
Head
Decoupled(or “headless”)
Body#FutureCMS
* We have separated the “head” from the “body.”* The resulting architecture is decoupled (or “headless”).
Frontend
CMSBackend
#FutureCMS
Web
Backend
#FutureCMS
When we talk about the “frontend,” we most commonly mean “your website.”
Web
Backend
AMPNativeapps
Feeds Screenreaders
SmartTVsXbox
Alexa#FutureCMS
But your website is actually one of many frontends — one of many ways users experience your content.
Web
Backend
AMPNativeapps
Feeds Screenreaders
SmartTVsXbox
Alexa#FutureCMS
This is the future of the CMS, where all frontends are first-class citizens…
Web
Content
AMPNativeapps
Feeds Screenreaders
SmartTVsXbox
Alexa#FutureCMS
…Where everything starts with content.
When decoupling makes sense
31 2
#FutureCMS
Adopt cutting-edge frontend technologies
Decoupling makes sense when you want to…
#FutureCMS
Backend
safe
repeatable
known solutions,expected results
Frontend
safe
repeatable
known solutions,expected results
BORING#FutureCMS
Frontend
bleeding-edge tech
richest experience
high risk, high reward
Backend
bleeding-edge tech
richest experience
high risk, high reward
DANGEROUS#FutureCMS
The frontends are changing faster and are more diverse than content management needs
JUST RIGHT
Frontend
bleeding-edge tech
richest experience
high risk, high reward
Backend
safe
repeatable
known solutions,expected results
#FutureCMS
This is the Goldilocks solution: Not too boring, and not too dangerous. Just right.
Separate upgrades from redesigns
Decoupling makes sense when you want to…
#FutureCMS
Redesign
New CMS Upgrade CMS
Redesign Redesign
Upgrade CMS
Redesign
Upgrade CMS
Coupled
Time
#FutureCMS
Upgrade CMS
Redesign
New CMS
Redesign
Upgrade CMS
Redesign
Time
Decoupledseparates upgrades and redesigns
#FutureCMS
Redesign
New CMS
Angular React PolymerBackbone Ember
Upgrade CMS
Time
Decoupledhelps you keep pace with frontend tech
#FutureCMS
iOS app RokuRedesign
New CMS
AlexaWeb redesign
Upgrade CMS
Time
Decoupledallows multiple frontends and experiences
#FutureCMS
Eliminate tension between a design and your CMS
Decoupling makes sense when you want to…
#FutureCMS
Who’s walking whom?
CMS
Design
#FutureCMS
Should your design be optimized for your CMS? Or should you modify your CMS to achieve your design? In other words, are you walking the dog, or is the dog walking you?
Two philosophies of designing for a CMS
#FutureCMS
CMS first
•The users’ needs are important, but there are many ways to satisfy them
•The design can be changed to align with the natural behavior of the CMS
•The end result is easier and cheaper to maintain
#FutureCMS
Design first
•The users’ needs are paramount and non-negotiable
•The design must be executed as-is
•This may involve hacking the CMS or creating a complicated codebase, which affects maintainability
#FutureCMS
Neither philosophy is wrong, and decoupling can satisfy both
#FutureCMS
Centralize your content
Decoupling makes sense when you want to…
#FutureCMS
Mywebsite
CMS
Content
Frank’swebsite
CMS
Content
Sara’swebsite
CMS
Content
Laura’swebsite
CMS
Content
Bob’swebsite
CMS
Content#FutureCMS
Mywebsite
CMS
Content
#FutureCMS
CMS
Mywebsite
Content
#FutureCMS
Me
Frank
LauraBob
Sara
Contenthub
#FutureCMS
Sara
Me
#FutureCMS
Sara
Me
#FutureCMS
Me
Sara
#FutureCMS
Me
Sara
#FutureCMS
Publish to many frontends and experiences
Decoupling makes sense when you want to…
#FutureCMS
Web
Contenthub
AMPNativeapps
Feeds Screenreaders
SmartTVsXbox
Alexa#FutureCMS
WebAMPNative
apps
Feeds Screenreaders
SmartTVsXbox
Alexa#FutureCMS
WebAMPNative
apps
Feeds Screenreaders
SmartTVsXbox
Alexa#FutureCMS
Integrate multiple backends or services
Decoupling makes sense when you want to…
#FutureCMS
Web
Content
AMPNativeapps
Solrsearch
OpenCalais Video
service#FutureCMS
Make your content easily accessible via an API
Decoupling makes sense when you want to…
#FutureCMS
Web
Contenthub
AMPNativeapps
Feeds
SmartTVsXbox
Alexa#FutureCMS
Web
Contenthub
AMPNativeapps
Feeds
SmartTVsXbox
Alexa
Public API
Publicdata
Fan site
#FutureCMS
Why TWiT went headless
Source: Leo Laporte’s announcement (4ktch.in/twittv-leo)
“[It’s] faster and easier to create new sites. Web design styles change faster than high fashion, so it's nice to be able to update the site without re-doing all the hard work on the backend.”
Source: Leo Laporte’s announcement (4ktch.in/twittv-leo)
“Having a complete API would make it easier to do apps. The app, just like the website, would have access to everything there is to know about TWiT, in a simple, accessible fashion.”
Source: Leo Laporte’s announcement (4ktch.in/twittv-leo)
“By making the API public, we encourage members of our audience to create new things, things we might never have thought of. You could even design a website you like better. Abstracting the content from the presentation seems like a big win.”
Source: Leo Laporte’s announcement (4ktch.in/twittv-leo)
“By keeping Drupal simple and avoiding additional third-party modules, we can make a more secure and reliable backend that will be much easier to upgrade when future versions of Drupal arrive.”
•TWiT’s case study: 4ktch.in/twittv-leo
•4K’s blog post: 4ktch.in/twittv-4k
•API documentation: docs.twittv.apiary.io
•Consume content the same way TWiT’s website does!
•Saucier: github.com/fourkitchens/saucier
•Our open-source Node.js framework for building decoupled Drupal sites
Instead of using all of Drupal, TWiT opted to use only the robust content management tools, and left other pieces like the theme system untouched. Instead, Four Kitchens built a lighter, decoupled frontend using Node.JS and a Redis cache that can handle more requests per second, with a median response time of 10ms during their busy live-stream hour. Both the Redis cache and Varnish are intelligently cleared as Drupal is updated, meaning that content is always fresh while remaining quick to download.
The front end is an Express app using Dust to render templates. This mix of libraries allows pages to be constructed on the server (to provide faster page loads) while easily allowing the templates to be reused for client-side updates once the page is initialized.
Decoupling makes sense when you want to…
•Adopt cutting-edge frontend technologies
•Separate upgrades from redesigns
•Eliminate tension between a design and your CMS
•Centralize your content
•Publish to many frontends and experiences
•Integrate multiple backends or services
•Make your content easily accessible via an API
What’s next
1 32
#FutureCMS
Content comes first
#FutureCMS
* Current CMSs manage websites first and content second. This needs to change.* Content strategy is a requirement for all organizations.* Content modeling is key to building a robust digital strategy.* Fully divorce content from its presentation.
We must design for experiences, not just devices
#FutureCMS
* Different experiences. Different technologies. Doesn’t mean RWD isn’t important. It’s still the core of how to present on the web. But, the internet as we think of it is no longer the only place where your content is relevant.
Frontend technologies are accelerating, and CMSs can’t keep pace
#FutureCMS
* As a result, CMSs should double-down on content. Put the “C” back in “Content Management Systems.”
Rise of WMSs (Website Management Systems) and services like Squarespace
#FutureCMS
Return of (small) static websites
#FutureCMS
Reusable, atomized content
#FutureCMS
* Tokenized content*
Conversational interfaces
#FutureCMS
* Alexa* Chatbots* Adding new fields for the NBC.com Alexa skill* Miked homes and offices* Subvocalization and subvocal mics
Virtual and augmented reality
#FutureCMS
* Fully immersive, 360-degree video* Commerce* Tactile web
Fight Club (1999)
Questions?
#FutureCMS
Credits
• All content in this presentation, except where noted otherwise and listed below, is Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 licensed and copyright Four Kitchens, LLC.
• The following icons are from the Noun Project and are licensed Creative Commons BY 3.0: Dog-walking illustration based on an icon by Pavel Nikandrov; Laptop icon by B. Agustín Amenábar Larraín; Tablet icon by Pham Thi Dieu Linh; Smartphone icon by George Agpoon; Media icon by Garrett Knoll; Text icon by Julien Miclo; Chat icon by Dolly Vu; Document icon by Nimal Raj.
• Drupal is a registered trademark of Dries Buytaert.