How To Build A Headless Magento 2 Storefront Using GraphQL (Step-by-Step Guide)

Headless commerce is rapidly reshaping the Magento ecosystem. With the growing adoption of GraphQL, developers can now build fast, flexible, and decoupled storefronts that enhance performance and scalability.
In this guide, we’ll explore how to build a headless Magento 2 storefront using GraphQL, from enabling the API to integrating it with a modern frontend framework.

1. What Is Headless Magento 2?

A headless Magento 2 setup separates the frontend (presentation layer) from the backend (business logic).
Instead of Magento rendering pages through PHP templates, the backend only provides data through APIs, while the frontend (e.g., React, Vue, or Next.js) consumes that data to render pages.

Benefits of headless Magento 2:

• Improved frontend performance
• Full design freedom using modern JS frameworks
• Easier multi-platform integration (web, mobile, kiosk)
• Real-time updates with GraphQL queries

Related reading: Trends in Headless Magento 2 GraphQL Usage in 2025–2026

2. Why GraphQL Is the Key to Headless Magento

Magento 2 introduced GraphQL as a native API layer in version 2.3 and has continuously expanded its capabilities.

Compared to REST, GraphQL allows you to:

• Fetch exactly the data you need (no overfetching or underfetching)
• Combine multiple requests into a single query
• Improve page load times with fewer network calls

If you’re still unsure between REST and GraphQL, check out our previous article:
Magento 2 GraphQL vs REST API: Which One Should You Use in 2025?

3. Enable GraphQL in Magento 2

By default, GraphQL is already enabled in Magento 2 (version 2.3+).
To test it, visit this endpoint:

https://yourdomain.com/graphql

You can try running a simple query like:

{
  products(search: "shirt") {
    items {
      name
      sku
      price_range {
        minimum_price {
          regular_price {
            value
            currency
          }
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

If you see product data in JSON format, GraphQL is working correctly.

4. Set Up Your Headless Frontend

There are multiple frontend frameworks that integrate beautifully with Magento 2 GraphQL:

Here’s a minimal Next.js example calling Magento 2 GraphQL:

const query = `
  query {
    categoryList(filters: { name: { match: "Men" } }) {
      name
      products {
        items {
          name
          price_range {
            minimum_price {
              regular_price {
                value
                currency
              }
            }
          }
        }
      }
    }
  }
`;

const res = await fetch("https://yourdomain.com/graphql", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
  body: JSON.stringify({ query }),
});
const data = await res.json();
console.log(data);

5. Handling Authentication and Cart Operations

For private operations such as managing carts, wishlists, or customer data, you’ll need authentication tokens.

Generate a Customer Token:

mutation {
  generateCustomerToken(email: "[email protected]", password: "Password123") {
    token
  }
}

Then include the token in your headers:

Authorization: Bearer <token>

Once authenticated, you can use GraphQL to:

• Create carts
• Add products to the cart
• Retrieve customer order history

6. Optimizing GraphQL Performance

Even though GraphQL is efficient, improper configuration can cause bottlenecks. Follow these tips:

• Enable caching with Redis or Varnish
• Use query complexity limits to prevent heavy queries
• Monitor performance with tools like New Relic APM
• Optimize PHP-FPM and OPcache for backend response speed

7. Tools & Frameworks to Boost Development

To speed up your headless Magento build, consider:

• Magento PWA Studio – official toolkit for GraphQL-based PWAs
• Magetop PWA Extension – if you want a ready-to-launch headless Magento PWA (Explore Magetop Magento 2 PWA)

Building a headless Magento 2 storefront using GraphQL is the future of eCommerce architecture.
With its flexibility, performance, and modular integration, GraphQL helps developers craft lightning-fast, scalable shopping experiences that outperform traditional setups.

If you’re planning to start your headless journey, begin with the essentials:

• Set up GraphQL on Magento 2
• Connect it with a frontend like Next.js or PWA Studio
• Optimize performance and caching

Next, explore: How to Optimize PHP-FPM for Magento 2 on Nginx