Using WordPress as a Headless Backend with Next.js Frontend

Hi everyone,

I’m planning to convert an old WordPress site into a faster, modern setup using Next.js as the frontend while keeping WordPress as the backend (headless CMS).

Here’s the architecture I have in mind:

• Main domain will serve the Next.js frontend
• WordPress will be installed on a subdomain (e.g., api.example.com)
• I’ll create custom API endpoints in WordPress (REST API)
• Next.js will fetch data from those endpoints and render the frontend

The goal is to significantly improve performance and user experience while still allowing the client to manage content easily via WordPress admin.

My questions:

1. Is this architecture reliable and scalable for production?
2. Are there any major SEO or performance concerns with this setup?
3. What are the best practices for caching and API optimization in this case?
4. Should I rely on the default WP REST API or build fully custom endpoints?

The client specifically wants a much faster version of their existing WordPress site without losing the CMS flexibility.

Has anyone implemented a similar setup? Any advice, pitfalls, or recommended tools/plugins would be really helpful.

Thanks in advance!