Next.js CMS – Top Headless CMS Choices for 2026
Why a Headless CMS for your Next.js project?
Next.js and headless CMS are a perfect match for modern web projects. While Next.js delivers unmatched performance and development flexibility, a headless CMS provides powerful content management capabilities. Together, they create a solution where neither system constrains the other.
The API gateway between Next.js and your headless CMS is key to this powerful architecture. Your Next.js application stays blazing fast regardless of content volume, while content editors get an intuitive interface for managing complex websites without touching code.
When building a Next.js site with a headless CMS, developers typically:
- Design content models and reusable components
- Create page templates and building blocks
- Set up live preview and visual editing
- Configure production/staging environments
- Implement localization
- Enable automatic content updates
Critical Integration Features
Not all headless CMS platforms work equally well with Next.js. Here's what to look for:
- Tag-based revalidation for instant content updates
- Draft mode support for content preview
- Live Preview and Visual Editing capabilities
- Deep data resolution for nested content
- CDN-powered image delivery with on-the-fly transformations
- Server-side rendering and static site generation support
Development Acceleration
Using a CMS-specific Next.js boilerplate can jumpstart your development with pre-built features. But proper integration still requires expertise in:
- Next.js rendering strategies
- Content modeling
- API integration
- Performance tuning
- Deployment configurations
Let's examine the top headless CMS platforms that work best with Next.js.