Headless commerce is an architecture where the customer-facing storefront (the "head") is decoupled from the backend commerce functionality (inventory, checkout, order management). They communicate through APIs, allowing brands to customize the shopping experience without constraints of traditional platforms.
Benefits include unlimited front-end flexibility (any design, any technology), faster page loads through modern frameworks, easier omnichannel experiences (same backend powers web, mobile app, kiosks), and ability to swap components without full rebuilds.
Major brands including Nike, Target, and many Shopify Plus merchants have adopted headless. Tools like Shopify Hydrogen, Next.js Commerce, and various headless CMS platforms enable this architecture. The tradeoff is increased development complexity.