Pros & Cons Of Utilizing JAMstack For eCommerce In 2024

The JAMstack architecture provides faster, safer, and more scalable web services, perfect for small to midsize eCommerce stores. But at the same time, it comes with some benefits and challenges for eCommerce businesses. If you are not aware, here is the blog for you. This blog outlines the list of pros and cons of implementing JAMstack for eCommerce in 2024

Today eCommerce businesses are holding neck to neck competition which makes it difficult to offer a convenient shopping experience. With slow loading websites and irregular backend support, it is getting difficult for companies to reshape the user experience. This is where JAMstack comes in.

JAMstack architecture is a modern approach to building eCommerce websites with many advantages which opens lines for faster loading times, greater scalability and well defined security. All these advantages lead businesses to the walk for offering seamless user experience. Above all these benefits, there are some cons to utilizing JAMstack for eCommerce in 2024. Let’s discuss JAMstack and its pros and cons so you can decide if it’s the right fit for your business.

I. What is JAMstack?

JAMstack is a method for building web experiences that combines Javascript, APIs, and Markup to create fast, scalable, and highly secure applications.

A JAM development strategy consists of three main elements: Javascript, API, and Markup. Despite the name Javascript, the JAM approach isn’t related to a particular technology. Instead, it offers developers a range of options to fit their architecture, allowing them to remain open to any tool that best fits their needs.

Using such an approach, users can experience a better site, improve performance factors like speed and localization, and enhance security features. In technical terms, it is based on the following two principles:

• Pre-rendered: Using this methodology, the front-end pages are created and delivered in milliseconds, delivering them through a CDN (content delivery network). In this way, site management costs, risks, and processing complexity can be reduced.
• Decoupling: There is no longer any connection between site changes and the backend or hosting, making the site significantly more secure. CDN services support the infrastructure and APIs that operate on the server side and generate HTML files for the site.

II. How does JAMstack work in eCommerce?

The process of launching your own eCommerce store with JAMstack can be divided down into five steps:

1. Create a store design
2. Use a static site generator to create a static site
3. Adding headless content management system (CMS)
4. Implement a headless commerce solution
5. Deploy to content delivery network (CDN)

Similarly to headless commerce, JAMstack allows for better user experiences and faster performance by decoupling the front-end application from the “head” application.

Markup is used here: static HTML files. A headless setup might use tools like React or Vue or to generate the files. Considering they are static, CDN caches can pre-render the files, so users can get to the content faster.

Ecommerce has many dynamic components, not static ones. Among these are the prices of products, the stock level, temporary promotions, and customer testimonials. With Javascript, JAMstack dynamically inserts content following essential markup, and APIs access backend data for interactive functions.

III. Pros of using JAMstack for eCommerce

Consumers today expect fast, secure, and intuitive shopping experiences. The JAMstack solution allows you to satisfy these needs and provides several benefits for enhancing your eCommerce capabilities.

• Speedy websites: The JAMstack architecture is designed to provide a fast web experience. There is less dependence on a database or server, which speeds up loading times.
• Sustainability and scalability in eCommerce: The modular architecture of JAMstack allows web apps to scale and data to be distributed via its content distribution network. As JAMstack’s community grows, more valuable tools and plugins become available, allowing teams to build secure solutions more quickly.
• Deployment is faster: The deployment of JAMstack sites is typically faster and easier than deploying traditional web applications. A CDN serves JAMstack sites because they’re pre-rendered. The web servers don’t need to be provisioned or managed.
• Cost-savings: A JAMstack site is generally less expensive to host than a traditional web application. Using JAMstack, websites are pre-rendered and served by a CDN, bringing them to a more affordable price than traditional hosting.
• Enhanced developer experience: The development of JAMstack sites is easier than that of traditional websites. This is due to JAMstack’s separation of sites and the availability of modern tools and technologies.

IV. Cons of JAMstack architecture in eCommerce development

Though JAMstack offers a range of benefits but at the same it does bring along with cons for eCommerce businesses. Here are several cons of JAMstack in eCommerce: 

• Managing Dynamic Content: Due to JAMstack’s static nature, handling dynamic content may require utilizing serverless functions or third-party services.
• Headless CMS Complexity: Headless CMS systems can make managing JAMstack websites complex, especially when integrated with APIs.
• Problems with integration: JAMstack’s integration with some favored web development frameworks is complex and requires additional configuration.

V. JAMstack: When To Use It

The JAMstack platform can transform businesses across a wide range of industries, including eCommerce, B2B businesses and so on. Here are top uses of JAMstack across range of businesses: 

• eCommerce Websites

JAMstack is an ideal and perfect fit for online stores where high end performance and usability takes the centre edge. It allows you to bring in new capabilities, boost SEO, and manage high traffic conveniently. Thus, making JAMstack platform ideal for eCommerce businesses looking to grow rapidly online and adapt to market changes.

• Downloadable and SaaS software

JAMstack is a SaaS and easily downloadable platform that allows end users to enjoy top class customization options that allows you to maximize on user needs. Thus, making it go easy on SEO and transforming user experience. This makes it easy for SaaS companies to boost on marketing efforts.

• B2B Services and Companies

B2B service and companies are set to benefit the most from the JAMstack facilitating a professional and credible online presence. This scales effectively with business growth and is multilingual, which is much required to topping up extending global reach. JAMstack can be a strategic asset for B2B scale-ups to establish trust and credibility.

VI. Future of JAMstack

It is undeniable that JAMstack for eCommerce aligns with the latest web development trends and technologies. Here are some ways JAMstack is setting the stage for the future:

• Embracing modern web development architecture: JAMstack is at the cutting edge of modern web development architecture, integrating seamlessly with static web generation and content management systems.
• Future-proofing: JAMstack’s flexible architecture lets you build anything from simple static sites to complex dynamic ones so that you can handle any web development challenge in the future.
• Improved SEO and User experience: JAMstack’s approach significantly increases page load speed, contributing to search engine optimization and organic traffic.
• Aiming for dynamic web needs: JAMstack continually incorporates dynamic features to deliver more engaging and interactive web apps and eCommerce platforms.
• Scaling for business growth: JAMstack offers excellent load capacity and fast-loading pages, which are crucial for attracting and retaining customers.
• Improved SEO and User Experience: JAMstack’s approach significantly increases page load speed, contributing to search engine optimization and organic traffic.
• Headless commerce: What’s the deal with JAMstack and eCommerce? The perfect match, and headless commerce platforms will become increasingly important. Headless commerce solutions will integrate seamlessly with JAMstack and offer powerful eCommerce features while maintaining the advantages of static sites.

Conclusion

JAMstack provides a headless commerce solution to merchants developing eCommerce websites. With this architecture, you can create a fully dynamic site that includes both dynamic and static features. With a JAMstack solution, you can enable commerce innovation and make shopping more enjoyable for your customers.

With a better understanding of JAMstack and how it works, you can decide whether it is right for you. JAMstack is the best way to shape the future of eCommerce and with a reliable eCommerce development company, you can move on the right path to success.

Author bio

Harikrishna Kundariya, a marketer, developer, IoT, ChatBot & Blockchain savvy, designer, co-founder, Director of eSparkBiz Technologies. His 12+ years of experience enables him to provide digital solutions to new start-ups based on IoT and SaaS applications.