---
schema_version: "1"
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title: B2B Commerce Headless API Architecture
collection: developer
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/developer/current/en-us/commerce-cloud/salesforce-commerce/guides/d2c-commerce/b2b-comm-headless-api-architecture.md
canonical_url: https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/commerce/salesforce-commerce/guide/b2b-comm-headless-api-architecture.html
source_site: developer.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: 32c650d7691f2b3547bd120d8f85d9611ab4183a7243f091d8e4c681ffc23da4
products:
  - B2B Commerce Developer Guide
  - Salesforce APIs
---
# B2B Commerce Headless API Architecture

Salesforce B2B Commerce Headless enables organizations to build fully customized buyer experiences while leveraging Salesforce Commerce APIs as the backend commerce engine.

![High-level architecture for Salesforce B2B Commerce Headless](https://developer.salesforce.com/media/d2c-commerce/b2b-headless-b2b-commerce-headless-api-architecture-figure-image-3-1.png '{"class": "image-lg", "title": "B2B Commerce Headless API Architecture"}')

In a headless architecture, the frontend presentation layer is separated from the commerce backend. This allows frontend teams to design and deliver modern digital commerce experiences across multiple channels and platforms.

The Salesforce Commerce Connect REST APIs provide the core commerce capabilities required to power the storefront experience, including:

- Authentication
- Product discovery and search
- Category navigation
- Product detail retrieval
- Cart and checkout orchestration
- Pricing and promotions
- Order placement and order history
- Account and profile management

**Benefits of Headless Commerce Architecture**

- Frontend Flexibility–Build custom buyer experiences using any frontend framework.
- API-Driven Architecture–Reuse commerce capabilities across web, mobile, and other channels.
- Independent Release Cycles–Frontend and backend teams can iterate independently.
- Omnichannel Enablement–Support multiple customer touchpoints consistently.
- Scalability–Scale frontend applications independently from commerce services.
- Faster Innovation–Rapid experimentation and UI modernization.
- Composable Architecture–Integrate external systems and services more easily.

**Architecture Comparison: Headless and Experience Builder**

Choose a headless architecture or an Experience Builder storefront based on your business needs, customization needs, and operating model.

Both architectures support Salesforce B2B Commerce capabilities. A headless architecture is useful when your organization requires an independently managed storefront experience or a custom frontend implementation.

| Architectural Dimension     | Experience Builder (Standard Site)                                                    | Headless Architecture                                                                     |
| --------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Speed to market             | Uses prebuilt templates and components to accelerate storefront setup and deployment. | Requires custom storefront development and frontend implementation.                       |
| Design and UI customization | Supports customization within the Experience Builder framework and component model.   | Supports full control over storefront design, layout, and user experience.                |
| Deployment model            | Frontend and backend updates follow Salesforce deployment and release processes.      | Frontend applications can be deployed independently from backend commerce services.       |
| Operational responsibility  | Salesforce manages hosting, scaling, and core platform infrastructure.                | Your organization manages frontend hosting, deployment pipelines, and integration layers. |

<!--
**Multi-Framework Commerce API Support**

Salesforce Multi-Framework currently supports React. You can also use the Salesforce Commerce Connect REST APIs to build storefronts with other frontend frameworks, such as Angular or Vue.js, or with custom frontend implementations. However, storefronts built with frameworks other than React aren’t part of Salesforce Multi-Framework support.

This approach lets organizations adopt a composable commerce architecture while using a centralized backend commerce platform.
-->