WP Engine’s platform for headless WordPress, Atlas, has seen unbelievable development over the previous yr, because of a full suite of merchandise supported by a lot of our inner groups.
All through 2022, these groups and merchandise led the best way as WP Engine made vital strides within the headless WordPress house.
We’re excited to share a few of that work with you, and beneath, we’ll break down final yr’s key launches and enhancements to the Atlas platform, Faust.js, WPGraphQL, and extra.
Bonus: We’ll additionally provide you with a sneak peek at what we wish to construct in 2023! However first, let’s dive in with Atlas platform enhancements.
Getting Began With Atlas is Simpler
Since its launch in 2020, the Atlas platform and its rising ecosystem have taken goal on the hurdles to headless improvement, making the headless constructing expertise extra accessible and streamlined for veteran builders in addition to those that are new to headless.
2022 was no exception as our groups centered on updates and enhancements that make it simpler than ever to experiment with and create a headless WordPress undertaking.
Atlas Sandbox Accounts
One of many largest launches of 2022 was the addition of Sandbox, or trial accounts for Atlas, which give builders with a free and feature-complete surroundings the place they’ll study extra about headless expertise and begin constructing shortly.
We’re thrilled to supply our prospects and expertise lovers with a safe place to start out new initiatives, and alongside Atlas Sandbox accounts, WP Engine additionally prolonged Atlas plans to companies of all sizes in 2022.
Atlas Blueprints
At DE{CODE} 2022, we launched Atlas Blueprints, that are pre-configured, easy-to-install environments that give Atlas customers a place to begin for studying and constructing with a headless tech stack.
Blueprints permit builders to hurry up studying and save time that may in any other case be spent studying documentation, putting in the tech stack, and studying find out how to piece collectively headless websites from scratch.
As an alternative, you should utilize Atlas Blueprints to spin up a templated headless website in minutes and focus your efforts on constructing your subsequent headless undertaking.
The Atlas Platform is Extra Intuitive and Consumer-Pleasant
2022 additionally noticed our groups shore up the core Atlas platform, operating by the next punch listing of updates, additions, and optimizations, which all make Atlas simpler to make use of and navigate.
- Area-level redirects added to the Consumer Portal. Atlas customers now not must handle domain-level redirects by their DNS host or with customized code.
- Runtime logs and real-time construct logs had been added to the Consumer Portal, making this info simpler to entry.
- Rebuild and Clear Rebuild webhooks added to the Consumer Portal. Not like “common” rebuilds, a “Clear Rebuild” purges all beforehand cached folders and solely then pulls the most recent commit out of your department earlier than rebuilding the surroundings. Customers can now generate a webhook that may allow them to provoke a Clear Rebuild.
- Github integration enhancements together with the power to delete a department, rename the repo, subdirectory help, and extra.
- Password Safety enabled to supply an extra layer of safety
- Cancel Construct performance added. As an alternative of ready for a construct to finish or day out, customers can now cancel a construct and queue up further builds (with standing indicators) within the Consumer Portal!)
- Capability to shortly roll again to earlier profitable construct (if damaged pictures, errors, and so on. are current).
- Portfolio Blueprint and new BigCommerce Blueprint added in 2022.
- Monorepo help. The Atlas construct system now helps the power to pick out a subdirectory in Github when selecting the repository. This enables builds to have a number of JavaScript apps in a single repo, and have the JavaScript app in a subfolder of the WordPress repo.
- Atlas Debug mode enabled, which helps builders troubleshoot higher (and sooner).
- Area revalidation button added, and area standing lights added to the Consumer Portal, making it simple to replace and revalidate DNS data shortly.
- Direct .zip add through API now accessible, permitting builders to add code to Atlas straight utilizing WP Engine’s API credentials.
Pull Request Preview Environments
One other Atlas enchancment that may make your Atlas workflow simpler is the power to dynamically create new Atlas environments to check your adjustments from GitHub pull requests, all with out having to undergo the configuration steps within the Consumer Portal.
For those who determine to show this characteristic on, each pull request opened to a department used as a supply department in your Atlas surroundings will create a preview surroundings primarily based on the department that’s being in comparison with your supply department. Closing or merging the pull request will shut the surroundings down.
Faust.js is Even Extra WordPress-Pleasant
Faust.js is an open supply framework sponsored by WP Engine, constructed on prime of Subsequent.js and React. Faust is a whole library that may scale back the event time wanted for headless WordPress websites whereas additionally bringing ahead all the ability of WordPress to the frontend utility.
In 2022, we centered on enhancements to Faust.js that re-imagined what a headless WordPress library may and must be. We rebuilt it from the bottom up with WordPress builders in thoughts and with the aim of creating positive Faust.js is the proper library for all sorts of headless WordPress websites.
Re-introducing Faust.js
We relaunched Faust.js in 2022, because of nice buyer suggestions {that a} WordPress-focused JavaScript framework can be impactful for enabling primarily-WordPress builders.
Faust.js Made Headless Improvement Simpler for WordPress Builders
Faust.js launched the WordPress template hierarchy into headless improvement, permitting customers to manage their headless templates as simply as they might a traditional WordPress theme. This protects time and vitality for groups by permitting for a lot sooner integration with WordPress’ content material administration.
Faust.js Made Headless the Preferrred Platform for Companies and Enterprises
Faust.js additionally launched two new options to headless improvement, the Apollo consumer and Faust.js plugin that, collectively, permit Atlas to be the perfect platform for websites of all sizes by letting builders construct precisely what they want all through your complete cycle of their headless utility.
WPGraphQL is Smarter and Quicker!
The very best GraphQL API for WordPress received even higher in 2022. WPGraphQL is a free, open supply WordPress plugin that gives an extendable GraphQL schema and API for any WordPress website.
Whereas it’s already extensively used for constructing wealthy JavaScript functions with frameworks comparable to Subsequent.js, Gatsby, Vue, and Svelte (and it performs a key function within the bigger Atlas ecosystem), enhancements to WPGraphQL over the previous yr will little doubt encourage a good bigger set of use circumstances.
SmartCache
One of the vital necessary updates to WPGraphQL in 2022 was the discharge of SmartCache, a WPGraphQL plugin that means that you can cache your GraphQL requests from WordPress.
As soon as these requests are cached, they now not hit the WordPress server and as a substitute undergo WPGraphQL SmartCache. This gives you with higher efficiency whereas utilizing fewer sources! The plugin is engineered in order that it really works particularly together with your WordPress internet hosting platform’s community caching layer.
New Customized Submit Sorts and Taxonomy Registration Choices
WPGraphQL additionally makes it simple to expose Customized Submit Sorts and Taxonomies to the GraphQL Schema. As of October 2022, WPGraphQL gives new choices for the way your put up varieties and taxonomies are added to the WPGraphQL Schema.
This allows builders to make use of WPGraphQL in numerous (simpler) methods with much less code. For instance, this replace helps carry extra compatibility between instruments like WooCommerce and WPGraphQL.
Search is Unlocked for Headless Tasks
Atlas Search Beta Launch
Headless WordPress websites that use the native REST API or WPGraphQL to carry out searches with out every other efficiency optimizations would possibly expertise points comparable to surprising search outcomes, the shortcoming to look multiple phrase at a time, and a scarcity of help for customized knowledge.
Atlas Search was launched to alter that, and gives a search resolution tailored for headless WordPress, with better performance and customizability than default WordPress search.
Atlas Search beta was made accessible free to all Atlas prospects within the spring of 2022 as a part of our Beta program, however keep tuned for updates on Atlas Search Basic Availability!
Content material Is Extra Performant on Atlas
Headless structure gives a brand new expertise for web site builders and content material creators, however it could possibly additionally present dramatic efficiency enhancements to the best way web sites and content material are delivered.
Android Authority, the most important impartial publication devoted to Android OS, achieved dramatic enhancements to search engine optimisation and the looking expertise for its 50 million month-to-month readers— together with a 6x increase in web page velocity— after adopting a headless structure with a WordPress again finish.
Georgian Faculty, an Ontario, Canada-based Faculty of Utilized Arts and Know-how, noticed its web site soar from twenty third to second place in search outcomes after changing to a headless construct utilizing Atlas.
Different Atlas customers, from high-traffic digital publishers to enterprise shopper manufacturers leveraged the Atlas platform and ecosystem in 2022 to ship content material extra successfully, throughout extra channels and digital touchpoints, with velocity and precision for inner and exterior customers alike.
“Headless adoption has been ramping up for a while now, however because it continues to develop, and as extra enterprise leaders perceive how this method can assist them meet their digital calls for, we’re seeing extra prospects profit from headless structure than ever earlier than,” WP Engine Director of Product Administration, Jason Konen.
“Content material is extra performant on Atlas, full cease,” he added. “If creating content material is a central a part of your corporation, constructing it with WordPress and utilizing the frontend frameworks your builders favor to make use of is simply such a game-changer. However don’t take my phrase for it—attempt it free utilizing an Atlas Sandbox account to expertise the headless distinction firsthand.”
Trying Forward in 2023
We’re doubling down on our dedication to Atlas enhancements within the coming yr, and are excited to announce a number of new instruments and options launching at our digital DE{CODE} convention for builders!
You gained’t wish to miss the joy so reserve your spot now—without cost! You possibly can register right here.
And keep tuned— we’ll proceed to share a number of the initiatives we’re wanting into for 2023, together with enhancements to the CI/CD expertise, updates to our new search characteristic, integrations with Superior Customized Fields (ACF), and naturally, ongoing efficiency optimization.
What else would you prefer to see us construct? Tell us within the feedback!
