With the multitude of technologies available today, a common challenge for business owners is deciphering current trends from real innovations. Jamstack has emerged as a powerful solution with serious benefits for small to medium-sized companies, but is it right for your business? As always, it depends, but it’s definitely worth a look.

But first, what’s Jamstack?

Traditional websites store your content in a database, which is in turn stored on a server (a large, remote computer that delivers information to your computer whenever you visit a website). Every time a visitor loads a page on your site (essentially requests content), they’re making a request to the server, which goes rummaging in the database to find the content and send it back to the client (browser) to display it.

Jamstack does away with the database and replaces it with an API (at its most basic, just a collection of information that can be queried and displayed) generated by your content management system. A JavaScript framework (we like NextJS but there are lots to choose from) pre-builds each page on your site immediately rather than as a visitor clicks to them, making the transition between pages feel almost instant.

So, what does this mean for you?

There are a number of benefits to this kind of pared-down architecture, both for you and your customers.

Speed

Not only does Google penalize sites with lagging load times, but research shows that most users expect a page to load in about two seconds. If they have to wait longer than that, odds start to increase they’ll just leave. Performance matters and a jamstack build puts performance front and center.

By going serverless and handing off most of the workload to the client, you’re effectively cutting out the middleman. Without constantly sending requests for data to the server that take time and bandwidth to fulfill, your site’s dynamic content and interactivity are handled on the client using JavaScript. The end result is faster loading, faster navigation, and minimal slowdowns - even if traffic spikes.

Simplicity + Scalability

If you run a successful small business, you’re probably pretty adept at doing more with less. Especially in the beginning when things were tight and you are still trying to get your company off the ground, you needed to make the most of every minute and every dollar, and I bet you learned quickly what you truly needed and what you could let go. Now that you’re looking to grow, holding onto that minimalist mindset will only serve your bottom line well.

A jamstack site allows for: a beautiful custom design; a lean, fast build that takes advantage of best practices and most up-to-date tech; and a seamless content creation process. No fluff--and the best part? It grows with you. With a traditional site, more visitors mean more requests to the server and greater slowdowns. Since the build consists mainly of pre-built static files served over a content delivery network, scaling is just a matter of delivering those files to more people.

Flexibility

Another significant advantage to this setup is that you can mix and match technologies and platforms to suit your needs. Looking for something pared down and simple with no distraction? My current favorite content management system is Prismic.io. The interface is clean, the templates are easy to use, and you only see exactly what you need. That makes it simple to train new people on content creation and quick to make changes ranging from large updates to small tweaks. Are you a long-time WordPress user? No problem. Enter your content the same way you always do, and we can access the information via the WordPress API and give your user the same superfast, seamless experience.



Flexibility 2.0 - There’s an API for that

While jamstack may at first appear too stripped-down, there are third-party services for almost anything you might need. A common requirement is email handling. You might want to connect your Shopify products to your new custom site. Maybe you need a robust search function to ensure your customers can find anything they need in a snap. Bonus: by spreading your needs over different services, all of whom are responsible for maintaining their offerings and protecting their clients, you ultimately gain greater security for your business.

We create using the framework that allows for the most streamlined, fun and flexible development experience, you get the content creation system that works best for you and your team, and your clients get the best possible experience with your company. No more basic templates. No more unwieldy content entry. Plus every time I say jamstack it makes me think of actual jam. Win-win-win!

Have a look at the Vancouver Art Gallery case study for a taste of what jamstack can do, and give us a shout if you’d like to talk about what it can do for you.